Is Mickey Mantle [Tan Back] #3 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1982 TCMA Greatest Sluggers · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Mickey Mantle [Tan Back] #3 sells for $308 against $3.80 raw: a $304 spread, 81× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($53.16) 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)
- $3.80
- PSA 10
- $308
- PSA 9
- $53.16
- Gem premium
- 81×
- 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 | $308 | +$279 | +$254 | +$154 |
| PSA 9 | $53.16 | +$24.36 | −$0.64 | −$101 |
| PSA 8 | $23.03 | −$5.77 | −$30.77 | −$131 |
Net = sale price − $3.80 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% | $117 | +$62.96 |
| 50% | $180 | +$127 |
| 75% | $244 | +$190 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 0%. 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 | $400 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $308 | −$92.45 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $185 | −$215 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $185 | −$215 | 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 →Swipe the table for the other grading companies →
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1982 TCMA Greatest Sluggers cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Mickey Mantle [Tan Back] #3 — FAQ
Is Mickey Mantle [Tan Back] #3 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Mickey Mantle [Tan Back] #3 sells for $308 against $3.80 raw: a $304 spread, 81× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($53.16) 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 [Tan Back] #3 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Mickey Mantle [Tan Back] #3 (Baseball Cards 1982 TCMA Greatest Sluggers) sells for about $308 versus $3.80 for a raw near-mint copy — a 81× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Mickey Mantle [Tan Back] #3?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $400, ahead of PSA 10 at $308. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Mickey Mantle [Tan Back] #3 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 [Tan Back] #3 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Mickey Mantle [Tan Back] #3 breaks even when it gems about 0% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $53.16).
Best on iPhone & Android
Check your baseball card in the Midpoint app
Scan with your camera to measure centering to the millimeter, get an AI grade with corner and edge close-ups, see what your copy is worth, and track it in your portfolio. Free to start.
