Is Ray Bourque #17 worth grading?
Hockey · Hockey Cards 1981 O-Pee-Chee · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Ray Bourque #17 sells for $600 against $2.03 raw: a $598 spread, 296× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($42.00) 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)
- $2.03
- PSA 10
- $600
- PSA 9
- $42.00
- Gem premium
- 296×
- 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 | $600 | +$573 | +$548 | +$448 |
| PSA 9 | $42.00 | +$14.97 | −$10.03 | −$110 |
| PSA 8 | $28.85 | +$1.82 | −$23.18 | −$123 |
Net = sale price − $2.03 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% | $182 | +$129 |
| 50% | $321 | +$269 |
| 75% | $461 | +$408 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 2%. 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 | $780 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $600 | −$180 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $360 | −$420 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $360 | −$420 | 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 | $600 | $360 | $780 | $360 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $69.22 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $42.00 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $28.85 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $16.61 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1981 O-Pee-Chee cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Wayne Gretzky [Assists Leader] #383 1981 O-Pee-Chee card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/OqwAAeSwjqtpVzQR/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Ray Bourque #17 — FAQ
Is Ray Bourque #17 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Ray Bourque #17 sells for $600 against $2.03 raw: a $598 spread, 296× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($42.00) 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.
How much is a PSA 10 Ray Bourque #17 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Ray Bourque #17 (Hockey Cards 1981 O-Pee-Chee) sells for about $600 versus $2.03 for a raw near-mint copy — a 296× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Ray Bourque #17?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $780, ahead of PSA 10 at $600. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Ray Bourque #17 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 Ray Bourque #17 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Ray Bourque #17 breaks even when it gems about 2% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $42.00).
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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