Is Mark Messier #186 worth grading?
Hockey · Hockey Cards 1986 Topps · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 44× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Mark Messier #186 sells for $120 against $2.72 raw: a $117 spread, 44× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($20.69) 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)
- $2.72
- PSA 10
- $120
- PSA 9
- $20.69
- Gem premium
- 44×
- 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 | $120 | +$92.28 | +$67.28 | −$32.72 |
| PSA 9 | $20.69 | −$7.03 | −$32.03 | −$132 |
| PSA 8 | $11.13 | −$16.59 | −$41.59 | −$142 |
Net = sale price − $2.72 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% | $45.52 | −$7.20 |
| 50% | $70.34 | +$17.63 |
| 75% | $95.17 | +$42.45 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 32%. 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 | $156 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $120 | −$36.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $72.00 | −$84.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $72.00 | −$84.00 | 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 | $120 | $72.00 | $156 | $72.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $40.00 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $20.69 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $11.13 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $7.61 |
Run your own numbers
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Grading Mark Messier #186 — FAQ
Is Mark Messier #186 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Mark Messier #186 sells for $120 against $2.72 raw: a $117 spread, 44× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($20.69) 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 Mark Messier #186 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Mark Messier #186 (Hockey Cards 1986 Topps) sells for about $120 versus $2.72 for a raw near-mint copy — a 44× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Mark Messier #186?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $156, ahead of PSA 10 at $120. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Mark Messier #186 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 Mark Messier #186 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Mark Messier #186 breaks even when it gems about 32% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $20.69).
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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