Is Murray Balfour #35 worth grading?
Hockey · Hockey Cards 1963 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Murray Balfour #35 sells for $1,501 against $8.77 raw: a $1,493 spread, 171× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($434) 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)
- $8.77
- PSA 10
- $1,501
- PSA 9
- $434
- Gem premium
- 171×
- As of
- Jul 11, 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 | $1,501 | +$1,468 | +$1,443 | +$1,343 |
| PSA 9 | $434 | +$400 | +$375 | +$275 |
| PSA 8 | $35.25 | +$1.48 | −$23.52 | −$124 |
Net = sale price − $8.77 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% | $701 | +$642 |
| 50% | $968 | +$909 |
| 75% | $1,235 | +$1,176 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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 | $1,952 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $1,501 | −$451 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $901 | −$1,051 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $901 | −$1,051 | 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 →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $1,501 | $901 | $1,952 | $901 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $477 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $434 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $35.25 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $34.09 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
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Grading Murray Balfour #35 — FAQ
Is Murray Balfour #35 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Murray Balfour #35 sells for $1,501 against $8.77 raw: a $1,493 spread, 171× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($434) 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 Murray Balfour #35 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Murray Balfour #35 (Hockey Cards 1963 Topps) sells for about $1,501 versus $8.77 for a raw near-mint copy — a 171× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Murray Balfour #35?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $1,952, ahead of PSA 10 at $1,501. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Murray Balfour #35 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.
Is your hockey card centered well enough to grade?
Centering makes or breaks a PSA 10. Scan any card with Midpoint to measure its exact centering, get a grade estimate, and see what your copy is actually worth.
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