Is Mark McGwire #21 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1997 Topps Chrome · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Mark McGwire #21 sells for $79.07 against $1.92 raw: a $77.15 spread, 41× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($29.11) 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)
- $1.92
- PSA 10
- $79.07
- PSA 9
- $29.11
- Gem premium
- 41×
- 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 — PSA 10 | $79.07 | +$52.15 | +$27.15 | −$72.85 |
| PSA 9 | $29.11 | +$2.19 | −$22.81 | −$123 |
| PSA 8 | $9.15 | −$17.77 | −$42.77 | −$143 |
Net = sale price − $1.92 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% | $41.60 | −$10.32 |
| 50% | $54.09 | +$2.17 |
| 75% | $66.58 | +$14.66 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 46%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
Which grader pays the most — and what a 10 takes
All centering standards →| Grader | 10 sells for | vs best | Front centering for a 10 | Back |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BGS 10 | $103 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $79.07 | −$23.93 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $47.00 | −$56.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $47.00 | −$56.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
Tolerances are each company's published centering standard for its top grade; surface, corners and edges must also be clean. Centering is the one you can measure yourself before you pay.
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Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
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Grading Mark McGwire #21 — FAQ
Is Mark McGwire #21 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Mark McGwire #21 sells for $79.07 against $1.92 raw: a $77.15 spread, 41× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($29.11) 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.
How much is a PSA 10 Mark McGwire #21 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Mark McGwire #21 (Baseball Cards 1997 Topps Chrome) sells for about $79.07 versus $1.92 for a raw near-mint copy — a 41× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Mark McGwire #21?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $103, ahead of PSA 10 at $79.07. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Mark McGwire #21 need for a BGS 10?
BGS publishes 55/45 front and 70/30 back centering as the tolerance for a 10 (Gem Mint). Off-center copies are capped below the top grade regardless of surface — measure yours before paying the fee.
What gem rate makes grading Mark McGwire #21 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Mark McGwire #21 breaks even when it gems about 46% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $29.11).
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