Is Eric Vail #168 worth grading?
Hockey · Hockey Cards 1977 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Eric Vail #168 sells for $94.00 against $1.90 raw: a $92.10 spread, 49× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($85.44) 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)
- $1.90
- Grade 9.5
- $94.00
- PSA 9
- $85.44
- Gem premium
- 49×
- 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 | $94.00 | +$67.10 | +$42.10 | −$57.90 |
| PSA 9 | $85.44 | +$58.54 | +$33.54 | −$66.46 |
| PSA 8 | $25.83 | −$1.07 | −$26.07 | −$126 |
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% | $87.58 | +$35.68 |
| 50% | $89.72 | +$37.82 |
| 75% | $91.86 | +$39.96 |
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 $94.00 against $1.90 raw: a $92.10 spread, 49× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($85.44) 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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