Is John Daly [Gold Border Mini] #299 worth grading?
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Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 John Daly [Gold Border Mini] #299 sells for $49.00 against $2.11 raw: a $46.89 spread, 23× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($44.99) 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)
- $2.11
- Grade 9.5
- $49.00
- PSA 9
- $44.99
- Gem premium
- 23×
- As of
- Sep 3, 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 | $49.00 | +$21.89 | −$3.11 | −$103 |
| PSA 9 | $44.99 | +$17.88 | −$7.12 | −$107 |
Net = sale price − $2.11 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% | $45.99 | −$6.12 |
| 50% | $47.00 | −$5.11 |
| 75% | $48.00 | −$4.11 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CGC 10 | $25.00 | best | 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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Grading John Daly [Gold Border Mini] #299 — FAQ
Is John Daly [Gold Border Mini] #299 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 John Daly [Gold Border Mini] #299 sells for $49.00 against $2.11 raw: a $46.89 spread, 23× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($44.99) 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.
What centering does John Daly [Gold Border Mini] #299 need for a CGC 10?
CGC publishes 55/45 front and 75/25 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.
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