Is Whalers Emblem [Checklist] #163 worth grading?
Hockey · Hockey Cards 1979 O-Pee-Chee · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Whalers Emblem [Checklist] #163 sells for $73.00 against $17.66 raw: a $55.34 spread, 4.1× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($66.00) 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)
- $17.66
- Grade 9.5
- $73.00
- PSA 9
- $66.00
- Gem premium
- 4.1×
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $73.00 | +$30.34 | +$5.34 | −$94.66 |
| PSA 9 | $66.00 | +$23.34 | −$1.66 | −$102 |
| PSA 8 | $40.00 | −$2.66 | −$27.66 | −$128 |
Net = sale price − $17.66 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% | $67.75 | +$0.09 |
| 50% | $69.50 | +$1.84 |
| 75% | $71.25 | +$3.59 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 24%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | Graded |
|---|---|
| 9.5 | $73.00 |
| 9 | $66.00 |
| 8 | $40.00 |
| 7 | $24.99 |
Run your own numbers
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Grading Whalers Emblem [Checklist] #163 — FAQ
Is Whalers Emblem [Checklist] #163 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Whalers Emblem [Checklist] #163 sells for $73.00 against $17.66 raw: a $55.34 spread, 4.1× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($66.00) 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.
What gem rate makes grading Whalers Emblem [Checklist] #163 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Whalers Emblem [Checklist] #163 breaks even when it gems about 24% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $66.00).
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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