Is Rick Smith #104 worth grading?
Hockey · Hockey Cards 1977 Topps · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 54× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Rick Smith #104 sells for $74.95 against $1.38 raw: a $73.57 spread, 54× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($11.55) 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)
- $1.38
- PSA 10
- $74.95
- PSA 9
- $11.55
- Gem premium
- 54×
- 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 | $74.95 | +$48.57 | +$23.57 | −$76.43 |
| PSA 9 | $11.55 | −$14.83 | −$39.83 | −$140 |
Net = sale price − $1.38 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% | $27.40 | −$23.98 |
| 50% | $43.25 | −$8.13 |
| 75% | $59.10 | +$7.72 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 63%. 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 | $97.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $74.95 | −$22.05 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $45.00 | −$52.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $45.00 | −$52.00 | 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 Rick Smith #104 — FAQ
Is Rick Smith #104 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Rick Smith #104 sells for $74.95 against $1.38 raw: a $73.57 spread, 54× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($11.55) 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 Rick Smith #104 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Rick Smith #104 (Hockey Cards 1977 Topps) sells for about $74.95 versus $1.38 for a raw near-mint copy — a 54× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Rick Smith #104?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $97.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $74.95. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Rick Smith #104 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 Rick Smith #104 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Rick Smith #104 breaks even when it gems about 63% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $11.55).
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