Is Jean Hamel #97 worth grading?
Hockey · Hockey Cards 1981 O-Pee-Chee · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 190× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Jean Hamel #97 sells for $230 against $1.21 raw: a $229 spread, 190× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($18.04) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $1.21
- PSA 10
- $230
- PSA 9
- $18.04
- Gem premium
- 190×
- 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 | $230 | +$204 | +$179 | +$78.78 |
| PSA 9 | $18.04 | −$8.17 | −$33.17 | −$133 |
Net = sale price − $1.21 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% | $71.03 | +$19.82 |
| 50% | $124 | +$72.81 |
| 75% | $177 | +$126 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 16%. 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 | $299 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $230 | −$69.01 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $138 | −$161 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $138 | −$161 | 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 | $230 | $138 | $299 | $138 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $20.00 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $18.04 |
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 Jean Hamel #97 — FAQ
Is Jean Hamel #97 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Jean Hamel #97 sells for $230 against $1.21 raw: a $229 spread, 190× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($18.04) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Jean Hamel #97 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Jean Hamel #97 (Hockey Cards 1981 O-Pee-Chee) sells for about $230 versus $1.21 for a raw near-mint copy — a 190× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Jean Hamel #97?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $299, ahead of PSA 10 at $230. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Jean Hamel #97 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 Jean Hamel #97 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Jean Hamel #97 breaks even when it gems about 16% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $18.04).
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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