Is Mickey Mantle #TM-96 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 2012 Topps 1987 Minis · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Mickey Mantle #TM-96 sells for $52.84 against $1.45 raw: a $51.39 spread, 36× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($49.99) 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)
- $1.45
- PSA 10
- $52.84
- PSA 9
- $49.99
- Gem premium
- 36×
- 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 | $52.84 | +$26.39 | +$1.39 | −$98.61 |
| PSA 9 | $49.99 | +$23.54 | −$1.46 | −$101 |
| PSA 8 | $8.50 | −$17.95 | −$42.95 | −$143 |
Net = sale price − $1.45 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% | $50.70 | −$0.75 |
| 50% | $51.42 | −$0.03 |
| 75% | $52.13 | +$0.68 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 51%. 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 | $69.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $52.84 | −$16.16 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $32.00 | −$37.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $32.00 | −$37.00 | 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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Other 2012 Topps 1987 Minis cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Mickey Mantle #TM-96 — FAQ
Is Mickey Mantle #TM-96 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Mickey Mantle #TM-96 sells for $52.84 against $1.45 raw: a $51.39 spread, 36× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($49.99) 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 Mickey Mantle #TM-96 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Mickey Mantle #TM-96 (Baseball Cards 2012 Topps 1987 Minis) sells for about $52.84 versus $1.45 for a raw near-mint copy — a 36× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Mickey Mantle #TM-96?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $69.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $52.84. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Mickey Mantle #TM-96 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 Mickey Mantle #TM-96 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Mickey Mantle #TM-96 breaks even when it gems about 51% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $49.99).
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