Midpoint - Card Centering Tool
Gary Smith #22 (Hockey Cards 1974 Topps) — is it worth grading?

Is Gary Smith #22 worth grading?

Hockey · Hockey Cards 1974 Topps · full price guide →

Strong grading candidate — 134× premium in PSA 10

A PSA 10 Gary Smith #22 sells for $165 against $1.23 raw: a $164 spread, 134× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($21.29) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.

Raw (NM)
$1.23
PSA 10
$165
PSA 9
$21.29
Gem premium
134×
As of
Jul 11, 2026

Break-even by outcome and fee

Gary Smith #22: 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$165+$139+$114+$13.58
PSA 9$21.29−$4.94−$29.94−$130
PSA 8$7.09−$19.14−$44.14−$144

Net = sale price − $1.23 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?

Gary Smith #22: expected value of submitting by gem probability
Chance it gemsExpected saleExpected net (standard fee)
25%$57.17+$5.94
50%$93.05+$41.82
75%$129+$77.70

Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 21%. 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
Gary Smith #22: top-grade value by grading company with centering tolerance
Grader10 sells forvs bestFront centering for a 10Back
BGS 10$214best55/4570/30
PSA 10$165−$49.1955/4575/25
CGC 10$99.00−$11555/4575/25
SGC 10$99.00−$11555/4575/25

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.

Gary Smith #22 graded prices by company and grade
GradePSACGCBGSSGCGraded
10$165$99.00$214$99.00
9.5$56.39
9$21.29
8$7.09

Run your own numbers

Should I pay this?

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

Other 1974 Topps cards worth checking

Full set checklist

Grading Gary Smith #22 — FAQ

Is Gary Smith #22 worth grading?

A PSA 10 Gary Smith #22 sells for $165 against $1.23 raw: a $164 spread, 134× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($21.29) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.

How much is a PSA 10 Gary Smith #22 worth compared with raw?

A PSA 10 Gary Smith #22 (Hockey Cards 1974 Topps) sells for about $165 versus $1.23 for a raw near-mint copy — a 134× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.

Which grading company is best for Gary Smith #22?

By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $214, ahead of PSA 10 at $165. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.

What centering does Gary Smith #22 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 Smith #22 break even?

At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Gary Smith #22 breaks even when it gems about 21% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $21.29).

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.

Check my card free