Is Albert Pujols [Swinging] #3 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 2004 Topps Cracker Jack · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 43× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Albert Pujols [Swinging] #3 sells for $188 against $4.35 raw: a $183 spread, 43× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($16.64) 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)
- $4.35
- PSA 10
- $188
- PSA 9
- $16.64
- Gem premium
- 43×
- 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 | $188 | +$158 | +$133 | +$33.15 |
| PSA 9 | $16.64 | −$12.71 | −$37.71 | −$138 |
| PSA 8 | $11.18 | −$18.17 | −$43.17 | −$143 |
Net = sale price − $4.35 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% | $59.36 | +$5.01 |
| 50% | $102 | +$47.72 |
| 75% | $145 | +$90.44 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 22%. 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 | $244 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $188 | −$56.50 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $113 | −$131 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $113 | −$131 | 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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Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 2004 Topps Cracker Jack cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Albert Pujols [Mini Blue] #3 2004 Topps Cracker Jack card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/BAsAAeSw3iBon0o-/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Albert Pujols [Swinging] #3 — FAQ
Is Albert Pujols [Swinging] #3 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Albert Pujols [Swinging] #3 sells for $188 against $4.35 raw: a $183 spread, 43× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($16.64) 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 Albert Pujols [Swinging] #3 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Albert Pujols [Swinging] #3 (Baseball Cards 2004 Topps Cracker Jack) sells for about $188 versus $4.35 for a raw near-mint copy — a 43× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Albert Pujols [Swinging] #3?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $244, ahead of PSA 10 at $188. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Albert Pujols [Swinging] #3 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 Albert Pujols [Swinging] #3 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Albert Pujols [Swinging] #3 breaks even when it gems about 22% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $16.64).
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