Is Esa Tikkanen #7 worth grading?
Hockey · Hockey Cards 1987 Topps · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 57× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Esa Tikkanen #7 sells for $96.58 against $1.68 raw: a $94.90 spread, 57× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($18.00) 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)
- $1.68
- PSA 10
- $96.58
- PSA 9
- $18.00
- Gem premium
- 57×
- As of
- Sep 4, 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 | $96.58 | +$69.90 | +$44.90 | −$55.10 |
| PSA 9 | $18.00 | −$8.68 | −$33.68 | −$134 |
| PSA 8 | $15.97 | −$10.71 | −$35.71 | −$136 |
Net = sale price − $1.68 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% | $37.64 | −$14.04 |
| 50% | $57.29 | +$5.61 |
| 75% | $76.94 | +$25.25 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 43%. 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 | $126 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $96.58 | −$29.42 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $58.00 | −$68.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $58.00 | −$68.00 | 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.
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Grading Esa Tikkanen #7 — FAQ
Is Esa Tikkanen #7 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Esa Tikkanen #7 sells for $96.58 against $1.68 raw: a $94.90 spread, 57× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($18.00) 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 Esa Tikkanen #7 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Esa Tikkanen #7 (Hockey Cards 1987 Topps) sells for about $96.58 versus $1.68 for a raw near-mint copy — a 57× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Esa Tikkanen #7?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $126, ahead of PSA 10 at $96.58. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Esa Tikkanen #7 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 Esa Tikkanen #7 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Esa Tikkanen #7 breaks even when it gems about 43% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $18.00).
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