Is Ken Griffey Sr #40T worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1989 Topps Traded · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Ken Griffey Sr #40T sells for $36.00 against $1.49 raw: a $34.51 spread, 24× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($32.49) 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)
- $1.49
- Grade 9.5
- $36.00
- PSA 9
- $32.49
- Gem premium
- 24×
- 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 9.5 | $36.00 | +$9.51 | −$15.49 | −$115 |
| PSA 9 | $32.49 | +$6.00 | −$19.00 | −$119 |
| PSA 8 | $4.49 | −$22.00 | −$47.00 | −$147 |
Net = sale price − $1.49 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% | $33.37 | −$18.12 |
| 50% | $34.25 | −$17.24 |
| 75% | $35.12 | −$16.37 |
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 Ken Griffey Sr #40T — FAQ
Is Ken Griffey Sr #40T worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Ken Griffey Sr #40T sells for $36.00 against $1.49 raw: a $34.51 spread, 24× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($32.49) 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.
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