Is J. C. Tremblay #178 worth grading?
Hockey · Hockey Cards 1970 O-Pee-Chee · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 J. C. Tremblay #178 sells for $95.00 against $2.99 raw: a $92.01 spread, 32× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($86.11) 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)
- $2.99
- Grade 9.5
- $95.00
- PSA 9
- $86.11
- Gem premium
- 32×
- As of
- Sep 3, 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 | $95.00 | +$67.01 | +$42.01 | −$57.99 |
| PSA 9 | $86.11 | +$58.12 | +$33.12 | −$66.88 |
| PSA 8 | $75.00 | +$47.01 | +$22.01 | −$77.99 |
Net = sale price − $2.99 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% | $88.33 | +$35.34 |
| 50% | $90.56 | +$37.57 |
| 75% | $92.78 | +$39.79 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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Grading J. C. Tremblay #178 — FAQ
Is J. C. Tremblay #178 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 J. C. Tremblay #178 sells for $95.00 against $2.99 raw: a $92.01 spread, 32× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($86.11) 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.
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