Is Zdeno Chara #126 worth grading?
Hockey · Hockey Cards 1998 Upper Deck · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 40× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Zdeno Chara #126 sells for $71.97 against $1.82 raw: a $70.15 spread, 40× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($17.42) 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)
- $1.82
- PSA 10
- $71.97
- PSA 9
- $17.42
- Gem premium
- 40×
- 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 | $71.97 | +$45.15 | +$20.15 | −$79.85 |
| PSA 9 | $17.42 | −$9.40 | −$34.40 | −$134 |
| PSA 8 | $8.69 | −$18.13 | −$43.13 | −$143 |
Net = sale price − $1.82 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% | $31.06 | −$20.76 |
| 50% | $44.70 | −$7.13 |
| 75% | $58.33 | +$6.51 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 63%. 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 | $94.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $71.97 | −$22.03 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $43.00 | −$51.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $43.00 | −$51.00 | 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 | $71.97 | $43.00 | $94.00 | $43.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $31.60 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $17.42 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $8.69 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
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Grading Zdeno Chara #126 — FAQ
Is Zdeno Chara #126 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Zdeno Chara #126 sells for $71.97 against $1.82 raw: a $70.15 spread, 40× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($17.42) 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 Zdeno Chara #126 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Zdeno Chara #126 (Hockey Cards 1998 Upper Deck) sells for about $71.97 versus $1.82 for a raw near-mint copy — a 40× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Zdeno Chara #126?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $94.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $71.97. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Zdeno Chara #126 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 Zdeno Chara #126 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Zdeno Chara #126 breaks even when it gems about 63% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $17.42).
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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