Is John Marks #157 worth grading?
Hockey · Hockey Cards 1978 Topps · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 109× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 John Marks #157 sells for $136 against $1.25 raw: a $135 spread, 109× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($23.98) 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)
- $1.25
- PSA 10
- $136
- PSA 9
- $23.98
- Gem premium
- 109×
- 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 | $136 | +$110 | +$84.95 | −$15.05 |
| PSA 9 | $23.98 | −$2.27 | −$27.27 | −$127 |
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% | $52.03 | +$0.78 |
| 50% | $80.09 | +$28.84 |
| 75% | $108 | +$56.89 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 24%. 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 | $177 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $136 | −$40.80 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $82.00 | −$95.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $82.00 | −$95.00 | 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.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $136 | $82.00 | $177 | $82.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $26.00 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $23.98 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1978 Topps cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading John Marks #157 — FAQ
Is John Marks #157 worth grading?
A PSA 10 John Marks #157 sells for $136 against $1.25 raw: a $135 spread, 109× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($23.98) 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 John Marks #157 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 John Marks #157 (Hockey Cards 1978 Topps) sells for about $136 versus $1.25 for a raw near-mint copy — a 109× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for John Marks #157?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $177, ahead of PSA 10 at $136. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does John Marks #157 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 John Marks #157 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting John Marks #157 breaks even when it gems about 24% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $23.98).
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.
Check my card free