Is Marc Tardiff #29 worth grading?
Hockey · Hockey Cards 1971 Topps · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 119× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Marc Tardiff #29 sells for $355 against $2.99 raw: a $352 spread, 119× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($24.50) 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)
- $2.99
- PSA 10
- $355
- PSA 9
- $24.50
- Gem premium
- 119×
- 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 | $355 | +$327 | +$302 | +$202 |
| PSA 9 | $24.50 | −$3.49 | −$28.49 | −$128 |
| PSA 8 | $20.48 | −$7.51 | −$32.51 | −$133 |
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% | $107 | +$54.14 |
| 50% | $190 | +$137 |
| 75% | $272 | +$219 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 9%. 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 | $462 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $355 | −$107 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $213 | −$249 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $213 | −$249 | 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 | $355 | $213 | $462 | $213 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $120 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $24.50 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $20.48 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $5.50 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1971 Topps cards worth checking
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Grading Marc Tardiff #29 — FAQ
Is Marc Tardiff #29 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Marc Tardiff #29 sells for $355 against $2.99 raw: a $352 spread, 119× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($24.50) 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 Marc Tardiff #29 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Marc Tardiff #29 (Hockey Cards 1971 Topps) sells for about $355 versus $2.99 for a raw near-mint copy — a 119× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Marc Tardiff #29?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $462, ahead of PSA 10 at $355. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Marc Tardiff #29 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 Marc Tardiff #29 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Marc Tardiff #29 breaks even when it gems about 9% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $24.50).
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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