Is Mark McGwire #89ASA-MM worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 2024 Topps 1989 All-Star Autograph · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Mark McGwire #89ASA-MM sells for $605 against $91.50 raw: a $514 spread, 6.6× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($550) 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)
- $91.50
- Grade 9.5
- $605
- PSA 9
- $550
- Gem premium
- 6.6×
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $605 | +$489 | +$464 | +$364 |
| PSA 9 | $550 | +$434 | +$409 | +$309 |
| PSA 8 | $500 | +$383 | +$358 | +$258 |
Net = sale price − $91.50 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% | $564 | +$422 |
| 50% | $578 | +$436 |
| 75% | $591 | +$450 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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Grading Mark McGwire #89ASA-MM — FAQ
Is Mark McGwire #89ASA-MM worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Mark McGwire #89ASA-MM sells for $605 against $91.50 raw: a $514 spread, 6.6× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($550) 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.
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