Is Dave Babych #1 worth grading?
Hockey · Hockey Cards 1981 Topps · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 48× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Dave Babych #1 sells for $47.54 against $1.00 raw: a $46.54 spread, 48× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($22.95) 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)
- $1.00
- PSA 10
- $47.54
- PSA 9
- $22.95
- Gem premium
- 48×
- 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 | $47.54 | +$21.54 | −$3.46 | −$103 |
| PSA 9 | $22.95 | −$3.05 | −$28.05 | −$128 |
| PSA 8 | $5.68 | −$20.32 | −$45.32 | −$145 |
Net = sale price − $1.00 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% | $29.10 | −$21.90 |
| 50% | $35.24 | −$15.76 |
| 75% | $41.39 | −$9.61 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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 | $62.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $47.54 | −$14.46 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $29.00 | −$33.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $29.00 | −$33.00 | 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 | $47.54 | $29.00 | $62.00 | $29.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $40.38 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $22.95 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $5.68 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $3.99 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1981 Topps cards worth checking
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Grading Dave Babych #1 — FAQ
Is Dave Babych #1 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Dave Babych #1 sells for $47.54 against $1.00 raw: a $46.54 spread, 48× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($22.95) 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 Dave Babych #1 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Dave Babych #1 (Hockey Cards 1981 Topps) sells for about $47.54 versus $1.00 for a raw near-mint copy — a 48× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Dave Babych #1?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $62.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $47.54. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Dave Babych #1 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.
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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