Is Sam McDowell worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1999 Sports Illustrated Greats of the Game Autographs · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Sam McDowell sells for $194 against $7.75 raw: a $187 spread, 25× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($39.55) 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)
- $7.75
- PSA 10
- $194
- PSA 9
- $39.55
- Gem premium
- 25×
- 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 | $194 | +$162 | +$137 | +$36.73 |
| PSA 9 | $39.55 | +$6.80 | −$18.20 | −$118 |
| PSA 8 | $19.95 | −$12.80 | −$37.80 | −$138 |
Net = sale price − $7.75 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% | $78.28 | +$20.53 |
| 50% | $117 | +$59.26 |
| 75% | $156 | +$98.00 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 12%. 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 | $253 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $194 | −$58.52 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $117 | −$136 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $117 | −$136 | 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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Grading Sam McDowell — FAQ
Is Sam McDowell worth grading?
A PSA 10 Sam McDowell sells for $194 against $7.75 raw: a $187 spread, 25× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($39.55) 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 Sam McDowell worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Sam McDowell (Baseball Cards 1999 Sports Illustrated Greats of the Game Autographs) sells for about $194 versus $7.75 for a raw near-mint copy — a 25× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Sam McDowell?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $253, ahead of PSA 10 at $194. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Sam McDowell 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 Sam McDowell break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Sam McDowell breaks even when it gems about 12% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $39.55).
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