Is Mark McGwire [Row 1] #52 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1997 Flair Showcase Legacy Collection · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Mark McGwire [Row 1] #52 sells for $660 against $234 raw: a $426 spread, 2.8× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($600) clears the raw price after an economy-tier ~$25 fee, so a near-miss still comes out ahead. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $234
- Grade 9.5
- $660
- PSA 9
- $600
- Gem premium
- 2.8×
- As of
- Sep 4, 2026
Break-even by outcome and fee
| If it comes back… | Sells for | Economy / bulk (~$25.00) | Standard (~$50.00) | Express (~$150) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gem — Grade 9.5 | $660 | +$401 | +$376 | +$276 |
| PSA 9 | $600 | +$341 | +$316 | +$216 |
| PSA 8 | $400 | +$141 | +$116 | +$16.42 |
Net = sale price − $234 raw value − fee. Fee tiers are illustrative; plug your grader's current price into the calculator below.
Expected value — how often does it need to gem?
| Chance it gems | Expected sale | Expected net (standard fee) |
|---|---|---|
| 25% | $615 | +$331 |
| 50% | $630 | +$346 |
| 75% | $645 | +$361 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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Raw conditions & history →Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1997 Flair Showcase Legacy Collection cards worth checking
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Grading Mark McGwire [Row 1] #52 — FAQ
Is Mark McGwire [Row 1] #52 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Mark McGwire [Row 1] #52 sells for $660 against $234 raw: a $426 spread, 2.8× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($600) clears the raw price after an economy-tier ~$25 fee, so a near-miss still comes out ahead. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
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