Is Martin St. Louis #234 worth grading?
Hockey · Hockey Cards 1998 Upper Deck · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Martin St. Louis #234 sells for $494 against $4.18 raw: a $490 spread, 118× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($40.05) clears the raw price after an economy-tier ~$25 fee, so a near-miss still comes out ahead. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $4.18
- PSA 10
- $494
- PSA 9
- $40.05
- Gem premium
- 118×
- 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 | $494 | +$465 | +$440 | +$340 |
| PSA 9 | $40.05 | +$10.87 | −$14.13 | −$114 |
| PSA 8 | $35.70 | +$6.52 | −$18.48 | −$118 |
Net = sale price − $4.18 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% | $153 | +$99.29 |
| 50% | $267 | +$213 |
| 75% | $380 | +$326 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 3%. 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 | $642 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $494 | −$148 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $296 | −$346 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $296 | −$346 | 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 →Swipe the table for the other grading companies →
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1998 Upper Deck cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Martin St. Louis #234 — FAQ
Is Martin St. Louis #234 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Martin St. Louis #234 sells for $494 against $4.18 raw: a $490 spread, 118× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($40.05) clears the raw price after an economy-tier ~$25 fee, so a near-miss still comes out ahead. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Martin St. Louis #234 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Martin St. Louis #234 (Hockey Cards 1998 Upper Deck) sells for about $494 versus $4.18 for a raw near-mint copy — a 118× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Martin St. Louis #234?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $642, ahead of PSA 10 at $494. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Martin St. Louis #234 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 Martin St. Louis #234 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Martin St. Louis #234 breaks even when it gems about 3% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $40.05).
Best on iPhone & Android
Check your hockey card in the Midpoint app
Scan with your camera to measure centering to the millimeter, get an AI grade with corner and edge close-ups, see what your copy is worth, and track it in your portfolio. Free to start.
