Is Phil Russell #143 worth grading?
Hockey · Hockey Cards 1979 O-Pee-Chee · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Phil Russell #143 sells for $63.00 against $1.33 raw: a $61.67 spread, 47× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($57.00) 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)
- $1.33
- Grade 9.5
- $63.00
- PSA 9
- $57.00
- Gem premium
- 47×
- 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 | $63.00 | +$36.67 | +$11.67 | −$88.33 |
| PSA 9 | $57.00 | +$30.67 | +$5.67 | −$94.33 |
| PSA 8 | $15.46 | −$10.87 | −$35.87 | −$136 |
Net = sale price − $1.33 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% | $58.50 | +$7.17 |
| 50% | $60.00 | +$8.67 |
| 75% | $61.50 | +$10.17 |
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 Phil Russell #143 — FAQ
Is Phil Russell #143 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Phil Russell #143 sells for $63.00 against $1.33 raw: a $61.67 spread, 47× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($57.00) 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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