Is Wayne Gretzky [Gold] #UD1 worth grading?
Hockey · Hockey Cards 1996 Collector's Choice Upper Deck MVP · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Wayne Gretzky [Gold] #UD1 sells for $180 against $5.50 raw: a $174 spread, 33× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($35.72) 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)
- $5.50
- PSA 10
- $180
- PSA 9
- $35.72
- Gem premium
- 33×
- 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 | $180 | +$149 | +$124 | +$24.12 |
| PSA 9 | $35.72 | +$5.22 | −$19.78 | −$120 |
| PSA 8 | $17.41 | −$13.09 | −$38.09 | −$138 |
Net = sale price − $5.50 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% | $71.69 | +$16.19 |
| 50% | $108 | +$52.17 |
| 75% | $144 | +$88.15 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 14%. 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 | $234 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $180 | −$54.38 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $108 | −$126 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $108 | −$126 | 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 →Swipe the table for the other grading companies →
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1996 Collector's Choice Upper Deck MVP cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Wayne Gretzky [Gold] #UD1 — FAQ
Is Wayne Gretzky [Gold] #UD1 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Wayne Gretzky [Gold] #UD1 sells for $180 against $5.50 raw: a $174 spread, 33× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($35.72) 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 Wayne Gretzky [Gold] #UD1 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Wayne Gretzky [Gold] #UD1 (Hockey Cards 1996 Collector's Choice Upper Deck MVP) sells for about $180 versus $5.50 for a raw near-mint copy — a 33× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Wayne Gretzky [Gold] #UD1?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $234, ahead of PSA 10 at $180. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Wayne Gretzky [Gold] #UD1 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 Wayne Gretzky [Gold] #UD1 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Wayne Gretzky [Gold] #UD1 breaks even when it gems about 14% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $35.72).
Best on iPhone & Android
Check your hockey card in the Midpoint app
Scan with your camera to measure centering to the millimeter, get an AI grade with corner and edge close-ups, see what your copy is worth, and track it in your portfolio. Free to start.
