![Mike Bossy [Islanders Leaders] #57 (Hockey Cards 1981 Topps) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/wNsAAeSwoi5qUJ95/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Mike Bossy [Islanders Leaders] #57 worth grading?
Hockey · Hockey Cards 1981 Topps · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 94× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Mike Bossy [Islanders Leaders] #57 sells for $131 against $1.39 raw: a $130 spread, 94× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($23.78) 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)
- $1.39
- PSA 10
- $131
- PSA 9
- $23.78
- Gem premium
- 94×
- 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 | $131 | +$105 | +$79.60 | −$20.40 |
| PSA 9 | $23.78 | −$2.61 | −$27.61 | −$128 |
| PSA 8 | $11.51 | −$14.88 | −$39.88 | −$140 |
Net = sale price − $1.39 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% | $50.58 | −$0.81 |
| 50% | $77.39 | +$26.00 |
| 75% | $104 | +$52.80 |
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 | $170 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $131 | −$39.01 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $79.00 | −$91.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $79.00 | −$91.00 | 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 | $131 | $79.00 | $170 | $79.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $47.16 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $23.78 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $11.51 |
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
Full set checklist →![Bernie Federko [West] #127 1981 Topps card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/ua0AAeSwjYFpwuUY/s-l500.jpg)
![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 Bossy [Islanders Leaders] #57 — FAQ
Is Mike Bossy [Islanders Leaders] #57 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Mike Bossy [Islanders Leaders] #57 sells for $131 against $1.39 raw: a $130 spread, 94× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($23.78) 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 Bossy [Islanders Leaders] #57 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Mike Bossy [Islanders Leaders] #57 (Hockey Cards 1981 Topps) sells for about $131 versus $1.39 for a raw near-mint copy — a 94× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Mike Bossy [Islanders Leaders] #57?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $170, ahead of PSA 10 at $131. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Mike Bossy [Islanders Leaders] #57 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 Bossy [Islanders Leaders] #57 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Mike Bossy [Islanders Leaders] #57 breaks even when it gems about 26% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $23.78).
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.
Check my card free