Is Mo Vaughn [Class 1 Red Label] #42 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1998 Topps Gold Label · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
Grade 9.5 copies of Mo Vaughn [Class 1 Red Label] #42 sell for $37.00, only $11.92 above the $25.08 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($34.00) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $25.08
- Grade 9.5
- $37.00
- PSA 9
- $34.00
- Gem premium
- 1.5×
- 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 | $37.00 | −$13.08 | −$38.08 | −$138 |
| PSA 9 | $34.00 | −$16.08 | −$41.08 | −$141 |
Net = sale price − $25.08 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% | $34.75 | −$40.33 |
| 50% | $35.50 | −$39.58 |
| 75% | $36.25 | −$38.83 |
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 Mo Vaughn [Class 1 Red Label] #42 — FAQ
Is Mo Vaughn [Class 1 Red Label] #42 worth grading?
Grade 9.5 copies of Mo Vaughn [Class 1 Red Label] #42 sell for $37.00, only $11.92 above the $25.08 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($34.00) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
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