Is Ron Buchanan #23 worth grading?
Hockey · Hockey Cards 1974 O-Pee-Chee WHA · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Ron Buchanan #23 sells for $112 against $1.57 raw: a $111 spread, 72× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($41.84) 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)
- $1.57
- PSA 10
- $112
- PSA 9
- $41.84
- Gem premium
- 72×
- As of
- Sep 4, 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 | $112 | +$85.90 | +$60.90 | −$39.10 |
| PSA 9 | $41.84 | +$15.27 | −$9.73 | −$110 |
| PSA 8 | $15.05 | −$11.52 | −$36.52 | −$137 |
Net = sale price − $1.57 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% | $59.50 | +$7.93 |
| 50% | $77.16 | +$25.59 |
| 75% | $94.81 | +$43.24 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 14%. 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 | $146 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $112 | −$33.53 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $67.00 | −$79.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $67.00 | −$79.00 | 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 Ron Buchanan #23 — FAQ
Is Ron Buchanan #23 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Ron Buchanan #23 sells for $112 against $1.57 raw: a $111 spread, 72× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($41.84) 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 Ron Buchanan #23 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Ron Buchanan #23 (Hockey Cards 1974 O-Pee-Chee WHA) sells for about $112 versus $1.57 for a raw near-mint copy — a 72× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Ron Buchanan #23?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $146, ahead of PSA 10 at $112. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Ron Buchanan #23 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 Ron Buchanan #23 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Ron Buchanan #23 breaks even when it gems about 14% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $41.84).
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