Is Al McDonough #89 worth grading?
Hockey · Hockey Cards 1973 O-Pee-Chee · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 162× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Al McDonough #89 sells for $209 against $1.29 raw: a $208 spread, 162× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($21.12) 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
- $209
- PSA 9
- $21.12
- Gem premium
- 162×
- 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 | $209 | +$183 | +$158 | +$57.99 |
| PSA 9 | $21.12 | −$5.17 | −$30.17 | −$130 |
| PSA 8 | $14.04 | −$12.25 | −$37.25 | −$137 |
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% | $68.16 | +$16.87 |
| 50% | $115 | +$63.91 |
| 75% | $162 | +$111 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 16%. 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 | $272 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $209 | −$62.72 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $126 | −$146 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $126 | −$146 | 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 | $209 | $126 | $272 | $126 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $68.43 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $21.12 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $14.04 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1973 O-Pee-Chee cards worth checking
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Grading Al McDonough #89 — FAQ
Is Al McDonough #89 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Al McDonough #89 sells for $209 against $1.29 raw: a $208 spread, 162× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($21.12) 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 Al McDonough #89 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Al McDonough #89 (Hockey Cards 1973 O-Pee-Chee) sells for about $209 versus $1.29 for a raw near-mint copy — a 162× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Al McDonough #89?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $272, ahead of PSA 10 at $209. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Al McDonough #89 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 Al McDonough #89 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Al McDonough #89 breaks even when it gems about 16% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $21.12).
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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