Is Flames Team #71 worth grading?
Hockey · Hockey Cards 1977 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Flames Team #71 sells for $56.00 against $1.34 raw: a $54.66 spread, 42× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($50.83) 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)
- $1.34
- Grade 9.5
- $56.00
- PSA 9
- $50.83
- Gem premium
- 42×
- As of
- Sep 4, 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 | $56.00 | +$29.66 | +$4.66 | −$95.34 |
| PSA 9 | $50.83 | +$24.49 | −$0.51 | −$101 |
| PSA 8 | $11.99 | −$14.35 | −$39.35 | −$139 |
Net = sale price − $1.34 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% | $52.12 | +$0.78 |
| 50% | $53.41 | +$2.07 |
| 75% | $54.71 | +$3.37 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 10%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
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Grading Flames Team #71 — FAQ
Is Flames Team #71 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Flames Team #71 sells for $56.00 against $1.34 raw: a $54.66 spread, 42× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($50.83) 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.
What gem rate makes grading Flames Team #71 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Flames Team #71 breaks even when it gems about 10% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $50.83).
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