Is Islanders Team #81 worth grading?
Hockey · Hockey Cards 1977 Topps · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 92× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Islanders Team #81 sells for $175 against $1.90 raw: a $173 spread, 92× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($18.78) 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)
- $1.90
- PSA 10
- $175
- PSA 9
- $18.78
- Gem premium
- 92×
- As of
- Jul 11, 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 | $175 | +$148 | +$123 | +$23.31 |
| PSA 9 | $18.78 | −$8.12 | −$33.12 | −$133 |
| PSA 8 | $11.80 | −$15.10 | −$40.10 | −$140 |
Net = sale price − $1.90 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% | $57.89 | +$5.99 |
| 50% | $97.00 | +$45.09 |
| 75% | $136 | +$84.20 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 21%. 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 | $228 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $175 | −$52.79 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $105 | −$123 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $105 | −$123 | 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.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $175 | $105 | $228 | $105 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $55.48 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $18.78 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $11.80 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1977 Topps cards worth checking
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Grading Islanders Team #81 — FAQ
Is Islanders Team #81 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Islanders Team #81 sells for $175 against $1.90 raw: a $173 spread, 92× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($18.78) 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 Islanders Team #81 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Islanders Team #81 (Hockey Cards 1977 Topps) sells for about $175 versus $1.90 for a raw near-mint copy — a 92× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Islanders Team #81?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $228, ahead of PSA 10 at $175. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Islanders Team #81 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 Islanders Team #81 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Islanders Team #81 breaks even when it gems about 21% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $18.78).
Is your hockey card centered well enough to grade?
Centering makes or breaks a PSA 10. Scan any card with Midpoint to measure its exact centering, get a grade estimate, and see what your copy is actually worth.
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