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Bill Barber #81 (Hockey Cards 1973 Topps) — is it worth grading?

Is Bill Barber #81 worth grading?

Hockey · Hockey Cards 1973 Topps · full price guide →

Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw

A PSA 10 Bill Barber #81 sells for $1,157 against $10.00 raw: a $1,147 spread, 116× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($152) 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)
$10.00
PSA 10
$1,157
PSA 9
$152
Gem premium
116×
As of
Jul 11, 2026

Break-even by outcome and fee

Bill Barber #81: net result of grading versus selling raw, by outcome and fee tier
If it comes back…Sells forEconomy / bulk (~$25.00)Standard (~$50.00)Express (~$150)
Gem — PSA 10$1,157+$1,122+$1,097+$997
PSA 9$152+$117+$91.76−$8.24
PSA 8$100+$65.00+$40.00−$60.00

Net = sale price − $10.00 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?

Bill Barber #81: expected value of submitting by gem probability
Chance it gemsExpected saleExpected net (standard fee)
25%$403+$343
50%$655+$595
75%$906+$846

Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.

Which grader pays the most — and what a 10 takes

All centering standards
Bill Barber #81: top-grade value by grading company with centering tolerance
Grader10 sells forvs bestFront centering for a 10Back
BGS 10$1,505best55/4570/30
PSA 10$1,157−$34855/4575/25
CGC 10$694−$81155/4575/25
SGC 10$694−$81155/4575/25

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.

Bill Barber #81 graded prices by company and grade
GradePSACGCBGSSGCGraded
10$1,157$694$1,505$694
9.5$325
9$152
8$100
7$40.00

Run your own numbers

Should I pay this?

Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.

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Grading Bill Barber #81 — FAQ

Is Bill Barber #81 worth grading?

A PSA 10 Bill Barber #81 sells for $1,157 against $10.00 raw: a $1,147 spread, 116× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($152) 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 Bill Barber #81 worth compared with raw?

A PSA 10 Bill Barber #81 (Hockey Cards 1973 Topps) sells for about $1,157 versus $10.00 for a raw near-mint copy — a 116× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.

Which grading company is best for Bill Barber #81?

By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $1,505, ahead of PSA 10 at $1,157. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.

What centering does Bill Barber #81 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.

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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