Is Wayne Gretzky #HH1 worth grading?
Hockey · Hockey Cards 1996 Upper Deck Hart Hopefuls · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Wayne Gretzky #HH1 sells for $71.00 against $19.95 raw: a $51.05 spread, 3.6× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($64.97) 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)
- $19.95
- Grade 9.5
- $71.00
- PSA 9
- $64.97
- Gem premium
- 3.6×
- 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 | $71.00 | +$26.05 | +$1.05 | −$98.95 |
| PSA 9 | $64.97 | +$20.02 | −$4.98 | −$105 |
| PSA 8 | $19.79 | −$25.16 | −$50.16 | −$150 |
Net = sale price − $19.95 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% | $66.48 | −$3.47 |
| 50% | $67.98 | −$1.97 |
| 75% | $69.49 | −$0.46 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 83%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
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Grading Wayne Gretzky #HH1 — FAQ
Is Wayne Gretzky #HH1 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Wayne Gretzky #HH1 sells for $71.00 against $19.95 raw: a $51.05 spread, 3.6× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($64.97) 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.
What gem rate makes grading Wayne Gretzky #HH1 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Wayne Gretzky #HH1 breaks even when it gems about 83% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $64.97).
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