Mark Gastineau

1981 Topps Mark Gastineau #342 value & prices

How much is the 1981 Topps Mark Gastineau #342 worth? Raw, ungraded copies sell for around $1.99, while graded examples can be worth significantly more. This Football card is part of the 1981 Topps set.

Grading has a major impact on value: an ungraded copy is worth around $1.99, a PSA 9 around $84.53, a PSA 10 (Gem Mint) around $250.39 and a pristine BGS 10 around $326.00. That's roughly a 126× premium for a gem-mint copy over raw — one of the clearest signals that condition-sensitive buyers dominate this card's market.

See the full grade ladder and current eBay listings above. Collectors use Ripbin to scan, value and trade cards like the Mark Gastineau.

Market context

The junk-wax era means supply is high, but that cuts both ways: raw copies are affordable entry points, while flawless graded examples stand out precisely because so many copies exist in lesser condition.

The football hobby centers on rookies and stars, with flagship sets drawing the most graded submissions.

Is it worth grading?

With raw copies near $1.99 and top grades reaching $250.39, grading a sharp copy of this card can clearly pay for itself — the spread comfortably covers a typical ~$25.00 grading fee. The catch: only submit copies with strong centering, clean corners, and unmarked surfaces, because anything below a 9 usually erases the math.

PSA remains the most liquid grading label in the hobby, while BGS (with its Black Label 10) and modern entrants CGC and SGC have growing followings — the table above shows how each label prices for this card.

How to buy this card

The fastest way to gauge the real market for this card is to scan the live eBay listings above: look at the spread between auction and Buy-It-Now prices, and check sold history before paying top dollar.

Selling? List smart: photograph corners and surface clearly, state the condition honestly, and price against the grade table above. Or scan it into your Ripbin locker and let bids come to you.