Is Dave Balon #117 worth grading?
Hockey · Hockey Cards 1972 Topps · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 47× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Dave Balon #117 sells for $60.94 against $1.29 raw: a $59.65 spread, 47× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($19.99) 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)
- $1.29
- PSA 10
- $60.94
- PSA 9
- $19.99
- Gem premium
- 47×
- 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 — PSA 10 | $60.94 | +$34.65 | +$9.65 | −$90.35 |
| PSA 9 | $19.99 | −$6.30 | −$31.30 | −$131 |
| PSA 8 | $11.59 | −$14.70 | −$39.70 | −$140 |
Net = sale price − $1.29 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% | $30.23 | −$21.06 |
| 50% | $40.46 | −$10.83 |
| 75% | $50.70 | −$0.59 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 76%. 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 | $79.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $60.94 | −$18.06 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $37.00 | −$42.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $37.00 | −$42.00 | 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 Dave Balon #117 — FAQ
Is Dave Balon #117 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Dave Balon #117 sells for $60.94 against $1.29 raw: a $59.65 spread, 47× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($19.99) 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 Dave Balon #117 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Dave Balon #117 (Hockey Cards 1972 Topps) sells for about $60.94 versus $1.29 for a raw near-mint copy — a 47× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Dave Balon #117?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $79.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $60.94. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Dave Balon #117 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 Dave Balon #117 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Dave Balon #117 breaks even when it gems about 76% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $19.99).
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