Is Ken Forsch #269 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1981 Topps · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 33× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Ken Forsch #269 sells for $46.20 against $1.38 raw: a $44.82 spread, 33× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($18.50) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $1.38
- PSA 10
- $46.20
- PSA 9
- $18.50
- Gem premium
- 33×
- 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 — PSA 10 | $46.20 | +$19.82 | −$5.18 | −$105 |
| PSA 9 | $18.50 | −$7.88 | −$32.88 | −$133 |
| PSA 8 | $3.58 | −$22.80 | −$47.80 | −$148 |
Net = sale price − $1.38 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% | $25.43 | −$25.95 |
| 50% | $32.35 | −$19.03 |
| 75% | $39.28 | −$12.10 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BGS 10 | $60.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $46.20 | −$13.80 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $28.00 | −$32.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $28.00 | −$32.00 | 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.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →Swipe the table for the other grading companies →
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1981 Topps cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Ken Forsch #269 — FAQ
Is Ken Forsch #269 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Ken Forsch #269 sells for $46.20 against $1.38 raw: a $44.82 spread, 33× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($18.50) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Ken Forsch #269 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Ken Forsch #269 (Baseball Cards 1981 Topps) sells for about $46.20 versus $1.38 for a raw near-mint copy — a 33× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Ken Forsch #269?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $60.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $46.20. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Ken Forsch #269 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.
Best on iPhone & Android
Check your baseball card in the Midpoint app
Scan with your camera to measure centering to the millimeter, get an AI grade with corner and edge close-ups, see what your copy is worth, and track it in your portfolio. Free to start.
