Is Geoff Zahn #856 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1981 Topps Traded · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Geoff Zahn #856 sells for $300 against $0.86 raw: a $299 spread, 349× 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)
- $0.86
- PSA 10
- $300
- PSA 9
- $44.99
- Gem premium
- 349×
- 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 — PSA 10 | $300 | +$274 | +$249 | +$149 |
| PSA 9 | $44.99 | +$19.13 | −$5.87 | −$106 |
| PSA 8 | $0.99 | −$24.87 | −$49.87 | −$150 |
Net = sale price − $0.86 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% | $109 | +$57.88 |
| 50% | $172 | +$122 |
| 75% | $236 | +$185 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 2%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
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 | $390 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $300 | −$90.01 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $180 | −$210 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $180 | −$210 | 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 →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $300 | $180 | $390 | $180 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $49.00 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $44.99 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $0.99 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1981 Topps Traded cards worth checking
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Grading Geoff Zahn #856 — FAQ
Is Geoff Zahn #856 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Geoff Zahn #856 sells for $300 against $0.86 raw: a $299 spread, 349× 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.
How much is a PSA 10 Geoff Zahn #856 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Geoff Zahn #856 (Baseball Cards 1981 Topps Traded) sells for about $300 versus $0.86 for a raw near-mint copy — a 349× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Geoff Zahn #856?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $390, ahead of PSA 10 at $300. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Geoff Zahn #856 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.
What gem rate makes grading Geoff Zahn #856 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Geoff Zahn #856 breaks even when it gems about 2% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $44.99).
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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