Is Lee Fogolin #253 worth grading?
Hockey · Hockey Cards 1976 Topps · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 64× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Lee Fogolin #253 sells for $111 against $1.74 raw: a $109 spread, 64× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($7.59) 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)
- $1.74
- PSA 10
- $111
- PSA 9
- $7.59
- Gem premium
- 64×
- As of
- Sep 3, 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 | $111 | +$84.37 | +$59.37 | −$40.63 |
| PSA 9 | $7.59 | −$19.15 | −$44.15 | −$144 |
Net = sale price − $1.74 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% | $33.47 | −$18.27 |
| 50% | $59.35 | +$7.61 |
| 75% | $85.23 | +$33.49 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 43%. 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 | $144 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $111 | −$32.89 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $67.00 | −$77.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $67.00 | −$77.00 | 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 Lee Fogolin #253 — FAQ
Is Lee Fogolin #253 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Lee Fogolin #253 sells for $111 against $1.74 raw: a $109 spread, 64× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($7.59) 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 Lee Fogolin #253 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Lee Fogolin #253 (Hockey Cards 1976 Topps) sells for about $111 versus $1.74 for a raw near-mint copy — a 64× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Lee Fogolin #253?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $144, ahead of PSA 10 at $111. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Lee Fogolin #253 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 Lee Fogolin #253 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Lee Fogolin #253 breaks even when it gems about 43% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $7.59).
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