Is Tom Gorence #51 worth grading?
Hockey · Hockey Cards 1979 O-Pee-Chee · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Tom Gorence #51 sells for $62.00 against $1.06 raw: a $60.94 spread, 58× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($56.00) 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)
- $1.06
- Grade 9.5
- $62.00
- PSA 9
- $56.00
- Gem premium
- 58×
- As of
- Sep 4, 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 | $62.00 | +$35.94 | +$10.94 | −$89.06 |
| PSA 9 | $56.00 | +$29.94 | +$4.94 | −$95.06 |
| PSA 8 | $16.99 | −$9.07 | −$34.07 | −$134 |
Net = sale price − $1.06 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% | $57.50 | +$6.44 |
| 50% | $59.00 | +$7.94 |
| 75% | $60.50 | +$9.44 |
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 Tom Gorence #51 — FAQ
Is Tom Gorence #51 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Tom Gorence #51 sells for $62.00 against $1.06 raw: a $60.94 spread, 58× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($56.00) 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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