Is Wayne Stephenson #31 worth grading?
Hockey · Hockey Cards 1973 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Wayne Stephenson #31 sells for $253 against $1.98 raw: a $251 spread, 128× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($43.99) 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)
- $1.98
- PSA 10
- $253
- PSA 9
- $43.99
- Gem premium
- 128×
- 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 | $253 | +$226 | +$201 | +$101 |
| PSA 9 | $43.99 | +$17.01 | −$7.99 | −$108 |
| PSA 8 | $40.75 | +$13.77 | −$11.23 | −$111 |
Net = sale price − $1.98 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% | $96.26 | +$44.28 |
| 50% | $149 | +$96.56 |
| 75% | $201 | +$149 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 4%. 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 | $329 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $253 | −$75.92 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $152 | −$177 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $152 | −$177 | 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 | $253 | $152 | $329 | $152 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $80.26 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $43.99 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $40.75 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1973 Topps cards worth checking
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Grading Wayne Stephenson #31 — FAQ
Is Wayne Stephenson #31 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Wayne Stephenson #31 sells for $253 against $1.98 raw: a $251 spread, 128× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($43.99) 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 Wayne Stephenson #31 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Wayne Stephenson #31 (Hockey Cards 1973 Topps) sells for about $253 versus $1.98 for a raw near-mint copy — a 128× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Wayne Stephenson #31?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $329, ahead of PSA 10 at $253. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Wayne Stephenson #31 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 Wayne Stephenson #31 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Wayne Stephenson #31 breaks even when it gems about 4% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $43.99).
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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