Is Steve Carlton #261 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1981 Topps Stickers · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
Grade 9 copies of Steve Carlton #261 sell for $1.25, only $0.16 above the $1.09 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($1.25) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $1.09
- Grade 9
- $1.25
- PSA 9
- $1.25
- Gem premium
- 1.1×
- 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 | $1.25 | −$24.84 | −$49.84 | −$150 |
| PSA 9 | $1.25 | −$24.84 | −$49.84 | −$150 |
Net = sale price − $1.09 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% | $1.25 | −$49.84 |
| 50% | $1.25 | −$49.84 |
| 75% | $1.25 | −$49.84 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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Grading Steve Carlton #261 — FAQ
Is Steve Carlton #261 worth grading?
Grade 9 copies of Steve Carlton #261 sell for $1.25, only $0.16 above the $1.09 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($1.25) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
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