Is Joe Daley #38 worth grading?
Hockey · Hockey Cards 1974 O-Pee-Chee WHA · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Joe Daley #38 sells for $225 against $1.81 raw: a $223 spread, 124× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($39.76) 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)
- $1.81
- PSA 10
- $225
- PSA 9
- $39.76
- Gem premium
- 124×
- 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 | $225 | +$198 | +$173 | +$73.16 |
| PSA 9 | $39.76 | +$12.95 | −$12.05 | −$112 |
| PSA 8 | $34.99 | +$8.18 | −$16.82 | −$117 |
Net = sale price − $1.81 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% | $86.06 | +$34.25 |
| 50% | $132 | +$80.56 |
| 75% | $179 | +$127 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 7%. 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 | $292 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $225 | −$67.03 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $135 | −$157 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $135 | −$157 | 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 | $225 | $135 | $292 | $135 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $72.64 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $39.76 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $34.99 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1974 O-Pee-Chee WHA cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
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Grading Joe Daley #38 — FAQ
Is Joe Daley #38 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Joe Daley #38 sells for $225 against $1.81 raw: a $223 spread, 124× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($39.76) 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 Joe Daley #38 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Joe Daley #38 (Hockey Cards 1974 O-Pee-Chee WHA) sells for about $225 versus $1.81 for a raw near-mint copy — a 124× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Joe Daley #38?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $292, ahead of PSA 10 at $225. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Joe Daley #38 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 Joe Daley #38 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Joe Daley #38 breaks even when it gems about 7% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $39.76).
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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