![Mark McGwire [Home Run #70] #163 (Baseball Cards 1999 Topps Opening Day) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/5zYAAeSw9zVqSOsB/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Mark McGwire [Home Run #70] #163 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1999 Topps Opening Day · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Mark McGwire [Home Run #70] #163 sells for $49.89 against $4.99 raw: a $44.90 spread, 10.0× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($34.91) 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)
- $4.99
- PSA 10
- $49.89
- PSA 9
- $34.91
- Gem premium
- 10.0×
- 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 — PSA 10 | $49.89 | +$19.90 | −$5.10 | −$105 |
| PSA 9 | $34.91 | +$4.92 | −$20.08 | −$120 |
Net = sale price − $4.99 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% | $38.66 | −$16.34 |
| 50% | $42.40 | −$12.59 |
| 75% | $46.15 | −$8.84 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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 | $65.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $49.89 | −$15.11 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $30.00 | −$35.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $30.00 | −$35.00 | 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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Grading Mark McGwire [Home Run #70] #163 — FAQ
Is Mark McGwire [Home Run #70] #163 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Mark McGwire [Home Run #70] #163 sells for $49.89 against $4.99 raw: a $44.90 spread, 10.0× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($34.91) 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 [Home Run #70] #163 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Mark McGwire [Home Run #70] #163 (Baseball Cards 1999 Topps Opening Day) sells for about $49.89 versus $4.99 for a raw near-mint copy — a 10.0× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Mark McGwire [Home Run #70] #163?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $65.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $49.89. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Mark McGwire [Home Run #70] #163 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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