Is Gary Croteau #36 worth grading?
Hockey · Hockey Cards 1974 O-Pee-Chee · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Gary Croteau #36 sells for $262 against $1.63 raw: a $260 spread, 161× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($29.99) 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)
- $1.63
- PSA 10
- $262
- PSA 9
- $29.99
- Gem premium
- 161×
- 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 | $262 | +$235 | +$210 | +$110 |
| PSA 9 | $29.99 | +$3.36 | −$21.64 | −$122 |
| PSA 8 | $14.84 | −$11.79 | −$36.79 | −$137 |
Net = sale price − $1.63 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% | $87.91 | +$36.28 |
| 50% | $146 | +$94.20 |
| 75% | $204 | +$152 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 9%. 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 | $340 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $262 | −$78.33 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $157 | −$183 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $157 | −$183 | 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 | $262 | $157 | $340 | $157 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $82.54 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $29.99 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $14.84 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $12.99 |
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 Gary Croteau #36 — FAQ
Is Gary Croteau #36 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Gary Croteau #36 sells for $262 against $1.63 raw: a $260 spread, 161× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($29.99) 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 Gary Croteau #36 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Gary Croteau #36 (Hockey Cards 1974 O-Pee-Chee) sells for about $262 versus $1.63 for a raw near-mint copy — a 161× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Gary Croteau #36?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $340, ahead of PSA 10 at $262. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Gary Croteau #36 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 Gary Croteau #36 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Gary Croteau #36 breaks even when it gems about 9% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $29.99).
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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