Is Eric Vail #168 worth grading?
Hockey · Hockey Cards 1977 O-Pee-Chee · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Eric Vail #168 sells for $63.00 against $1.13 raw: a $61.87 spread, 56× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($57.00) 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)
- $1.13
- Grade 9.5
- $63.00
- PSA 9
- $57.00
- Gem premium
- 56×
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $63.00 | +$36.87 | +$11.87 | −$88.13 |
| PSA 9 | $57.00 | +$30.87 | +$5.87 | −$94.13 |
Net = sale price − $1.13 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% | $58.50 | +$7.37 |
| 50% | $60.00 | +$8.87 |
| 75% | $61.50 | +$10.37 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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Grading Eric Vail #168 — FAQ
Is Eric Vail #168 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Eric Vail #168 sells for $63.00 against $1.13 raw: a $61.87 spread, 56× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($57.00) 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.
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