Is Al Iafrate #26 worth grading?
Hockey · Hockey Cards 1986 Topps · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 24× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Al Iafrate #26 sells for $78.88 against $3.35 raw: a $75.53 spread, 24× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($4.99) 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)
- $3.35
- PSA 10
- $78.88
- PSA 9
- $4.99
- Gem premium
- 24×
- 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 | $78.88 | +$50.53 | +$25.53 | −$74.47 |
| PSA 9 | $4.99 | −$23.36 | −$48.36 | −$148 |
Net = sale price − $3.35 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% | $23.46 | −$29.89 |
| 50% | $41.93 | −$11.42 |
| 75% | $60.41 | +$7.06 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 65%. 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 | $103 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $78.88 | −$24.12 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $47.00 | −$56.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $47.00 | −$56.00 | 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 | $78.88 | $47.00 | $103 | $47.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $5.00 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $4.99 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1986 Topps cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Al Iafrate #26 — FAQ
Is Al Iafrate #26 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Al Iafrate #26 sells for $78.88 against $3.35 raw: a $75.53 spread, 24× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($4.99) 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 Al Iafrate #26 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Al Iafrate #26 (Hockey Cards 1986 Topps) sells for about $78.88 versus $3.35 for a raw near-mint copy — a 24× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Al Iafrate #26?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $103, ahead of PSA 10 at $78.88. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Al Iafrate #26 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 Al Iafrate #26 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Al Iafrate #26 breaks even when it gems about 65% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $4.99).
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