Is Joe Mullen #196 worth grading?
Hockey · Hockey Cards 1989 Topps · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
PSA 10 copies of Joe Mullen #196 sell for $19.99, only $18.40 above the $1.59 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($1.69) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $1.59
- PSA 10
- $19.99
- PSA 9
- $1.69
- Gem premium
- 13×
- 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 | $19.99 | −$6.60 | −$31.60 | −$132 |
| PSA 9 | $1.69 | −$24.90 | −$49.90 | −$150 |
Net = sale price − $1.59 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% | $6.26 | −$45.33 |
| 50% | $10.84 | −$40.75 |
| 75% | $15.41 | −$36.17 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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 | $26.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $19.99 | −$6.01 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $12.00 | −$14.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $12.00 | −$14.00 | 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 Joe Mullen #196 — FAQ
Is Joe Mullen #196 worth grading?
PSA 10 copies of Joe Mullen #196 sell for $19.99, only $18.40 above the $1.59 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($1.69) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
How much is a PSA 10 Joe Mullen #196 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Joe Mullen #196 (Hockey Cards 1989 Topps) sells for about $19.99 versus $1.59 for a raw near-mint copy — a 13× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Joe Mullen #196?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $26.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $19.99. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Joe Mullen #196 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.
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