Is Joe Thornton #171 worth grading?
Hockey · Hockey Cards 1997 SP Authentic · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 89× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Joe Thornton #171 sells for $246 against $2.77 raw: a $243 spread, 89× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($20.03) 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)
- $2.77
- PSA 10
- $246
- PSA 9
- $20.03
- Gem premium
- 89×
- 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 | $246 | +$218 | +$193 | +$92.92 |
| PSA 9 | $20.03 | −$7.74 | −$32.74 | −$133 |
| PSA 8 | $4.85 | −$22.92 | −$47.92 | −$148 |
Net = sale price − $2.77 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% | $76.44 | +$23.67 |
| 50% | $133 | +$80.09 |
| 75% | $189 | +$137 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 15%. 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 | $319 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $246 | −$73.31 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $150 | −$169 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $99.95 | −$219 | 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 | $246 | $150 | $319 | $99.95 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $39.27 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $20.03 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $4.85 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $4.00 |
Run your own numbers
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Grading Joe Thornton #171 — FAQ
Is Joe Thornton #171 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Joe Thornton #171 sells for $246 against $2.77 raw: a $243 spread, 89× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($20.03) 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 Joe Thornton #171 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Joe Thornton #171 (Hockey Cards 1997 SP Authentic) sells for about $246 versus $2.77 for a raw near-mint copy — a 89× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Joe Thornton #171?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $319, ahead of PSA 10 at $246. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Joe Thornton #171 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 Joe Thornton #171 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Joe Thornton #171 breaks even when it gems about 15% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $20.03).
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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