Is Mario Lemieux #138 worth grading?
Hockey · Hockey Cards 1992 O-Pee-Chee · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 41× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Mario Lemieux #138 sells for $50.50 against $1.23 raw: a $49.27 spread, 41× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($15.00) 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)
- $1.23
- PSA 10
- $50.50
- PSA 9
- $15.00
- Gem premium
- 41×
- 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 | $50.50 | +$24.27 | −$0.73 | −$101 |
| PSA 9 | $15.00 | −$11.23 | −$36.23 | −$136 |
| PSA 8 | $9.99 | −$16.24 | −$41.24 | −$141 |
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% | $23.88 | −$27.36 |
| 50% | $32.75 | −$18.48 |
| 75% | $41.63 | −$9.60 |
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 | $66.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $50.50 | −$15.50 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $30.00 | −$36.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $30.00 | −$36.00 | 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 | $50.50 | $30.00 | $66.00 | $30.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $32.62 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $15.00 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $9.99 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
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Grading Mario Lemieux #138 — FAQ
Is Mario Lemieux #138 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Mario Lemieux #138 sells for $50.50 against $1.23 raw: a $49.27 spread, 41× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($15.00) 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 Mario Lemieux #138 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Mario Lemieux #138 (Hockey Cards 1992 O-Pee-Chee) sells for about $50.50 versus $1.23 for a raw near-mint copy — a 41× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Mario Lemieux #138?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $66.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $50.50. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Mario Lemieux #138 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.
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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