Is Mark McGwire [Extra Edition] #168 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1997 Sports Illustrated · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Mark McGwire [Extra Edition] #168 sells for $55.00 against $11.10 raw: a $43.90 spread, 5.0× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($49.95) 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)
- $11.10
- Grade 9.5
- $55.00
- PSA 9
- $49.95
- Gem premium
- 5.0×
- 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 | $55.00 | +$18.90 | −$6.10 | −$106 |
| PSA 9 | $49.95 | +$13.85 | −$11.15 | −$111 |
Net = sale price − $11.10 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% | $51.21 | −$9.89 |
| 50% | $52.48 | −$8.63 |
| 75% | $53.74 | −$7.36 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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Grading Mark McGwire [Extra Edition] #168 — FAQ
Is Mark McGwire [Extra Edition] #168 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Mark McGwire [Extra Edition] #168 sells for $55.00 against $11.10 raw: a $43.90 spread, 5.0× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($49.95) 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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