Is Dennis O'Brien #173 worth grading?
Hockey · Hockey Cards 1977 O-Pee-Chee · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
Grade 9.5 copies of Dennis O'Brien #173 sell for $9.00, only $8.00 above the $1.00 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($8.23) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $1.00
- Grade 9.5
- $9.00
- PSA 9
- $8.23
- Gem premium
- 9.0×
- 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 | $9.00 | −$17.00 | −$42.00 | −$142 |
| PSA 9 | $8.23 | −$17.77 | −$42.77 | −$143 |
| PSA 8 | $4.98 | −$21.02 | −$46.02 | −$146 |
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% | $8.42 | −$42.58 |
| 50% | $8.62 | −$42.38 |
| 75% | $8.81 | −$42.19 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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Grading Dennis O'Brien #173 — FAQ
Is Dennis O'Brien #173 worth grading?
Grade 9.5 copies of Dennis O'Brien #173 sell for $9.00, only $8.00 above the $1.00 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($8.23) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
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