Is Bill Fairbairn #255 worth grading?
Hockey · Hockey Cards 1977 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Bill Fairbairn #255 sells for $52.00 against $1.25 raw: a $50.75 spread, 42× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($47.12) 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)
- $1.25
- Grade 9.5
- $52.00
- PSA 9
- $47.12
- Gem premium
- 42×
- As of
- Sep 2, 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 | $52.00 | +$25.75 | +$0.75 | −$99.25 |
| PSA 9 | $47.12 | +$20.87 | −$4.13 | −$104 |
Net = sale price − $1.25 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% | $48.34 | −$2.91 |
| 50% | $49.56 | −$1.69 |
| 75% | $50.78 | −$0.47 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 85%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
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Grading Bill Fairbairn #255 — FAQ
Is Bill Fairbairn #255 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Bill Fairbairn #255 sells for $52.00 against $1.25 raw: a $50.75 spread, 42× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($47.12) 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 Bill Fairbairn #255 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Bill Fairbairn #255 breaks even when it gems about 85% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $47.12).
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