![Joe Mauer [1st Edition] #559 (Baseball Cards 2004 Topps) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/5gkAAeSwfCxqavXi/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Joe Mauer [1st Edition] #559 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 2004 Topps · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 10× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Joe Mauer [1st Edition] #559 sells for $53.51 against $5.12 raw: a $48.39 spread, 10× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($18.65) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $5.12
- PSA 10
- $53.51
- PSA 9
- $18.65
- Gem premium
- 10×
- As of
- Jul 11, 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 | $53.51 | +$23.39 | −$1.61 | −$102 |
| PSA 9 | $18.65 | −$11.47 | −$36.47 | −$136 |
Net = sale price − $5.12 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% | $27.36 | −$27.76 |
| 50% | $36.08 | −$19.04 |
| 75% | $44.80 | −$10.32 |
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 | $70.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $53.51 | −$16.49 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $32.00 | −$38.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $32.00 | −$38.00 | 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.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $53.51 | $32.00 | $70.00 | $32.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $21.00 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $18.65 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 2004 Topps cards worth checking
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Grading Joe Mauer [1st Edition] #559 — FAQ
Is Joe Mauer [1st Edition] #559 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Joe Mauer [1st Edition] #559 sells for $53.51 against $5.12 raw: a $48.39 spread, 10× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($18.65) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Joe Mauer [1st Edition] #559 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Joe Mauer [1st Edition] #559 (Baseball Cards 2004 Topps) sells for about $53.51 versus $5.12 for a raw near-mint copy — a 10× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Joe Mauer [1st Edition] #559?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $70.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $53.51. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Joe Mauer [1st Edition] #559 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.
Is your baseball card centered well enough to grade?
Centering makes or breaks a PSA 10. Scan any card with Midpoint to measure its exact centering, get a grade estimate, and see what your copy is actually worth.
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