Is Bill Fairbairn #231 worth grading?
Hockey · Hockey Cards 1974 Topps · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 92× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Bill Fairbairn #231 sells for $92.33 against $1.00 raw: a $91.33 spread, 92× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($21.97) 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)
- $1.00
- PSA 10
- $92.33
- PSA 9
- $21.97
- Gem premium
- 92×
- As of
- Sep 2, 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 | $92.33 | +$66.33 | +$41.33 | −$58.67 |
| PSA 9 | $21.97 | −$4.03 | −$29.03 | −$129 |
| PSA 8 | $9.95 | −$16.05 | −$41.05 | −$141 |
Net = sale price − $1.00 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?
| Chance it gems | Expected sale | Expected net (standard fee) |
|---|---|---|
| 25% | $39.56 | −$11.44 |
| 50% | $57.15 | +$6.15 |
| 75% | $74.74 | +$23.74 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 41%. 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 | $120 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $92.33 | −$27.67 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $55.00 | −$65.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $55.00 | −$65.00 | 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 Bill Fairbairn #231 — FAQ
Is Bill Fairbairn #231 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Bill Fairbairn #231 sells for $92.33 against $1.00 raw: a $91.33 spread, 92× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($21.97) 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 Bill Fairbairn #231 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Bill Fairbairn #231 (Hockey Cards 1974 Topps) sells for about $92.33 versus $1.00 for a raw near-mint copy — a 92× premium as of Sep 2, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Bill Fairbairn #231?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $120, ahead of PSA 10 at $92.33. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Bill Fairbairn #231 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 Bill Fairbairn #231 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Bill Fairbairn #231 breaks even when it gems about 41% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $21.97).
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