Is Albert Pujols #CA-8 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 2026 Topps Cover Athlete · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Albert Pujols #CA-8 sells for $361 against $75.99 raw: a $285 spread, 4.7× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($127) 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)
- $75.99
- PSA 10
- $361
- PSA 9
- $127
- Gem premium
- 4.7×
- 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 | $361 | +$260 | +$235 | +$135 |
| PSA 9 | $127 | +$26.26 | +$1.26 | −$98.74 |
| PSA 8 | $72.98 | −$28.01 | −$53.01 | −$153 |
Net = sale price − $75.99 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% | $186 | +$59.67 |
| 50% | $244 | +$118 |
| 75% | $302 | +$176 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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 | $469 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $361 | −$108 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $217 | −$252 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $217 | −$252 | 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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Full set checklist →Grading Albert Pujols #CA-8 — FAQ
Is Albert Pujols #CA-8 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Albert Pujols #CA-8 sells for $361 against $75.99 raw: a $285 spread, 4.7× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($127) 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 Albert Pujols #CA-8 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Albert Pujols #CA-8 (Baseball Cards 2026 Topps Cover Athlete) sells for about $361 versus $75.99 for a raw near-mint copy — a 4.7× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Albert Pujols #CA-8?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $469, ahead of PSA 10 at $361. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Albert Pujols #CA-8 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.
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