Is Saku Koivu #15 worth grading?
Hockey · Hockey Cards 1997 Donruss Studio Hard Hats · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 41× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Saku Koivu #15 sells for $81.03 against $1.99 raw: a $79.04 spread, 41× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($18.86) 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)
- $1.99
- PSA 10
- $81.03
- PSA 9
- $18.86
- Gem premium
- 41×
- 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 | $81.03 | +$54.04 | +$29.04 | −$70.96 |
| PSA 9 | $18.86 | −$8.13 | −$33.13 | −$133 |
| PSA 8 | $9.32 | −$17.67 | −$42.67 | −$143 |
Net = sale price − $1.99 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% | $34.40 | −$17.59 |
| 50% | $49.95 | −$2.05 |
| 75% | $65.49 | +$13.50 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 53%. 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 | $105 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $81.03 | −$23.97 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $49.00 | −$56.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $49.00 | −$56.00 | 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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Grading Saku Koivu #15 — FAQ
Is Saku Koivu #15 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Saku Koivu #15 sells for $81.03 against $1.99 raw: a $79.04 spread, 41× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($18.86) 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 Saku Koivu #15 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Saku Koivu #15 (Hockey Cards 1997 Donruss Studio Hard Hats) sells for about $81.03 versus $1.99 for a raw near-mint copy — a 41× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Saku Koivu #15?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $105, ahead of PSA 10 at $81.03. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Saku Koivu #15 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 Saku Koivu #15 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Saku Koivu #15 breaks even when it gems about 53% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $18.86).
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