Is Al Kaline #9 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 2002 Topps Archives Reserve · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 26× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Al Kaline #9 sells for $72.75 against $2.81 raw: a $69.94 spread, 26× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($18.25) 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)
- $2.81
- PSA 10
- $72.75
- PSA 9
- $18.25
- Gem premium
- 26×
- 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 | $72.75 | +$44.94 | +$19.94 | −$80.06 |
| PSA 9 | $18.25 | −$9.56 | −$34.56 | −$135 |
| PSA 8 | $9.45 | −$18.36 | −$43.36 | −$143 |
Net = sale price − $2.81 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% | $31.88 | −$20.93 |
| 50% | $45.50 | −$7.31 |
| 75% | $59.13 | +$6.31 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 63%. 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 | $95.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $72.75 | −$22.25 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $44.00 | −$51.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $44.00 | −$51.00 | 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.
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Other 2002 Topps Archives Reserve cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Al Kaline #9 — FAQ
Is Al Kaline #9 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Al Kaline #9 sells for $72.75 against $2.81 raw: a $69.94 spread, 26× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($18.25) 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 Al Kaline #9 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Al Kaline #9 (Baseball Cards 2002 Topps Archives Reserve) sells for about $72.75 versus $2.81 for a raw near-mint copy — a 26× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Al Kaline #9?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $95.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $72.75. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Al Kaline #9 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 Al Kaline #9 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Al Kaline #9 breaks even when it gems about 63% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $18.25).
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