Is Rick Bowness #173 worth grading?
Hockey · Hockey Cards 1978 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Rick Bowness #173 sells for $190 against $1.79 raw: a $188 spread, 106× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($34.60) 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)
- $1.79
- PSA 10
- $190
- PSA 9
- $34.60
- Gem premium
- 106×
- 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 | $190 | +$163 | +$138 | +$38.08 |
| PSA 9 | $34.60 | +$7.81 | −$17.19 | −$117 |
| PSA 8 | $8.78 | −$18.01 | −$43.01 | −$143 |
Net = sale price − $1.79 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% | $73.42 | +$21.63 |
| 50% | $112 | +$60.44 |
| 75% | $151 | +$99.26 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 11%. 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 | $247 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $190 | −$57.13 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $114 | −$133 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $114 | −$133 | 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 | $190 | $114 | $247 | $114 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $63.06 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $34.60 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $8.78 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
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Grading Rick Bowness #173 — FAQ
Is Rick Bowness #173 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Rick Bowness #173 sells for $190 against $1.79 raw: a $188 spread, 106× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($34.60) 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.
How much is a PSA 10 Rick Bowness #173 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Rick Bowness #173 (Hockey Cards 1978 Topps) sells for about $190 versus $1.79 for a raw near-mint copy — a 106× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Rick Bowness #173?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $247, ahead of PSA 10 at $190. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Rick Bowness #173 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 Bowness #173 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Rick Bowness #173 breaks even when it gems about 11% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $34.60).
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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