Is Thomas Steen #254 worth grading?
Hockey · Hockey Cards 1988 O-Pee-Chee · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 48× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Thomas Steen #254 sells for $59.08 against $1.23 raw: a $57.85 spread, 48× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($2.61) 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)
- $1.23
- PSA 10
- $59.08
- PSA 9
- $2.61
- Gem premium
- 48×
- As of
- Sep 3, 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 | $59.08 | +$32.85 | +$7.85 | −$92.15 |
| PSA 9 | $2.61 | −$23.62 | −$48.62 | −$149 |
Net = sale price − $1.23 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% | $16.73 | −$34.50 |
| 50% | $30.84 | −$20.39 |
| 75% | $44.96 | −$6.27 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 86%. 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 | $77.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $59.08 | −$17.92 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $35.00 | −$42.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $35.00 | −$42.00 | 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 Thomas Steen #254 — FAQ
Is Thomas Steen #254 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Thomas Steen #254 sells for $59.08 against $1.23 raw: a $57.85 spread, 48× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($2.61) 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 Thomas Steen #254 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Thomas Steen #254 (Hockey Cards 1988 O-Pee-Chee) sells for about $59.08 versus $1.23 for a raw near-mint copy — a 48× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Thomas Steen #254?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $77.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $59.08. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Thomas Steen #254 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 Thomas Steen #254 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Thomas Steen #254 breaks even when it gems about 86% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $2.61).
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