Is Buck O'Neil 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 Buck O'Neil sells for $1,401 against $64.50 raw: a $1,337 spread, 22× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($256) 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)
- $64.50
- PSA 10
- $1,401
- PSA 9
- $256
- Gem premium
- 22×
- 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 | $1,401 | +$1,312 | +$1,287 | +$1,187 |
| PSA 9 | $256 | +$167 | +$142 | +$41.74 |
| PSA 8 | $130 | +$40.03 | +$15.03 | −$84.97 |
Net = sale price − $64.50 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% | $543 | +$428 |
| 50% | $829 | +$714 |
| 75% | $1,115 | +$1,001 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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 | $1,822 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $1,401 | −$421 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $841 | −$981 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $841 | −$981 | 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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Other 1999 Sports Illustrated Greats of the Game Autographs cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Buck O'Neil — FAQ
Is Buck O'Neil worth grading?
A PSA 10 Buck O'Neil sells for $1,401 against $64.50 raw: a $1,337 spread, 22× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($256) 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 Buck O'Neil worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Buck O'Neil (Baseball Cards 1999 Sports Illustrated Greats of the Game Autographs) sells for about $1,401 versus $64.50 for a raw near-mint copy — a 22× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Buck O'Neil?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $1,822, ahead of PSA 10 at $1,401. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Buck O'Neil 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.
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