Is Al Kaline #FSA-AK worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 2016 Topps Five Star Autographs · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Al Kaline #FSA-AK sells for $104 against $33.95 raw: a $70.05 spread, 3.1× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($94.83) 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)
- $33.95
- Grade 9.5
- $104
- PSA 9
- $94.83
- Gem premium
- 3.1×
- As of
- Jul 11, 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 | $104 | +$45.05 | +$20.05 | −$79.95 |
| PSA 9 | $94.83 | +$35.88 | +$10.88 | −$89.12 |
Net = sale price − $33.95 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% | $97.12 | +$13.17 |
| 50% | $99.41 | +$15.46 |
| 75% | $102 | +$17.76 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | Graded |
|---|---|
| 9.5 | $104 |
| 9 | $94.83 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Grading Al Kaline #FSA-AK — FAQ
Is Al Kaline #FSA-AK worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Al Kaline #FSA-AK sells for $104 against $33.95 raw: a $70.05 spread, 3.1× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($94.83) 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.
Is your baseball card centered well enough to grade?
Centering makes or breaks a PSA 10. Scan any card with Midpoint to measure its exact centering, get a grade estimate, and see what your copy is actually worth.
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