Is Mickey Mantle #9 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1996 Topps Commemorative · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Mickey Mantle #9 sells for $59.83 against $3.00 raw: a $56.83 spread, 20× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($43.28) 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)
- $3.00
- PSA 10
- $59.83
- PSA 9
- $43.28
- Gem premium
- 20×
- 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 | $59.83 | +$31.83 | +$6.83 | −$93.17 |
| PSA 9 | $43.28 | +$15.28 | −$9.72 | −$110 |
| PSA 8 | $25.00 | −$3.00 | −$28.00 | −$128 |
Net = sale price − $3.00 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% | $47.42 | −$5.58 |
| 50% | $51.55 | −$1.45 |
| 75% | $55.69 | +$2.69 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 59%. 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 | $78.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $59.83 | −$18.17 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $36.00 | −$42.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $36.00 | −$42.00 | 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 1996 Topps Commemorative cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Mickey Mantle [Last Day Production] #7 1996 Topps Commemorative card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/wH8AAeSwJM5qYt7G/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Mickey Mantle #9 — FAQ
Is Mickey Mantle #9 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Mickey Mantle #9 sells for $59.83 against $3.00 raw: a $56.83 spread, 20× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($43.28) 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 #9 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Mickey Mantle #9 (Baseball Cards 1996 Topps Commemorative) sells for about $59.83 versus $3.00 for a raw near-mint copy — a 20× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Mickey Mantle #9?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $78.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $59.83. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Mickey Mantle #9 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 #9 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Mickey Mantle #9 breaks even when it gems about 59% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $43.28).
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