Is Curtis Joseph #3 worth grading?
Hockey · Hockey Cards 1997 Donruss Preferred Color Guard · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Curtis Joseph #3 sells for $200 against $6.19 raw: a $193 spread, 32× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($39.53) 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)
- $6.19
- PSA 10
- $200
- PSA 9
- $39.53
- Gem premium
- 32×
- 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 | $200 | +$168 | +$143 | +$43.35 |
| PSA 9 | $39.53 | +$8.34 | −$16.66 | −$117 |
| PSA 8 | $19.47 | −$11.72 | −$36.72 | −$137 |
Net = sale price − $6.19 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% | $79.53 | +$23.34 |
| 50% | $120 | +$63.34 |
| 75% | $160 | +$103 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 10%. 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 | $259 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $200 | −$59.46 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $120 | −$139 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $120 | −$139 | 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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Grading Curtis Joseph #3 — FAQ
Is Curtis Joseph #3 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Curtis Joseph #3 sells for $200 against $6.19 raw: a $193 spread, 32× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($39.53) 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 Curtis Joseph #3 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Curtis Joseph #3 (Hockey Cards 1997 Donruss Preferred Color Guard) sells for about $200 versus $6.19 for a raw near-mint copy — a 32× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Curtis Joseph #3?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $259, ahead of PSA 10 at $200. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Curtis Joseph #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 Curtis Joseph #3 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Curtis Joseph #3 breaks even when it gems about 10% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $39.53).
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