Is Mike Liut #20 worth grading?
Hockey · Hockey Cards 1981 Topps · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 101× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Mike Liut #20 sells for $126 against $1.24 raw: a $124 spread, 101× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($24.83) 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)
- $1.24
- PSA 10
- $126
- PSA 9
- $24.83
- Gem premium
- 101×
- 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 | $126 | +$99.35 | +$74.35 | −$25.65 |
| PSA 9 | $24.83 | −$1.41 | −$26.41 | −$126 |
| PSA 8 | $11.16 | −$15.08 | −$40.08 | −$140 |
Net = sale price − $1.24 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% | $50.02 | −$1.22 |
| 50% | $75.21 | +$23.97 |
| 75% | $100 | +$49.16 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 26%. 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 | $163 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $126 | −$37.41 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $75.00 | −$88.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $75.00 | −$88.00 | 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 | $126 | $75.00 | $163 | $75.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $45.71 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $24.83 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $11.16 |
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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![Steve Christoff [West] #104 1981 Topps card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/CacAAOSw2RBhWek8/s-l500.jpg)
![Wayne Gretzky [Oilers Leaders] #52 1981 Topps card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/18UAAeSwOkdpO6wC/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Mike Liut #20 — FAQ
Is Mike Liut #20 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Mike Liut #20 sells for $126 against $1.24 raw: a $124 spread, 101× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($24.83) 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 Mike Liut #20 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Mike Liut #20 (Hockey Cards 1981 Topps) sells for about $126 versus $1.24 for a raw near-mint copy — a 101× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Mike Liut #20?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $163, ahead of PSA 10 at $126. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Mike Liut #20 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 Mike Liut #20 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Mike Liut #20 breaks even when it gems about 26% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $24.83).
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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