Is Tim Thomas #429 worth grading?
Hockey · Hockey Cards 2002 Upper Deck · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Tim Thomas #429 sells for $181 against $38.11 raw: a $143 spread, 4.8× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($64.61) 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)
- $38.11
- PSA 10
- $181
- PSA 9
- $64.61
- Gem premium
- 4.8×
- 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 | $181 | +$118 | +$93.36 | −$6.64 |
| PSA 9 | $64.61 | +$1.50 | −$23.50 | −$124 |
| PSA 8 | $59.26 | −$3.85 | −$28.85 | −$129 |
Net = sale price − $38.11 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% | $93.82 | +$5.71 |
| 50% | $123 | +$34.93 |
| 75% | $152 | +$64.14 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 20%. 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 | $236 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $181 | −$54.53 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $109 | −$127 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $109 | −$127 | 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 | $181 | $109 | $236 | $109 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $80.50 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $64.61 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $59.26 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $47.00 |
Run your own numbers
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Grading Tim Thomas #429 — FAQ
Is Tim Thomas #429 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Tim Thomas #429 sells for $181 against $38.11 raw: a $143 spread, 4.8× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($64.61) 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 Tim Thomas #429 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Tim Thomas #429 (Hockey Cards 2002 Upper Deck) sells for about $181 versus $38.11 for a raw near-mint copy — a 4.8× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Tim Thomas #429?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $236, ahead of PSA 10 at $181. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Tim Thomas #429 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 Tim Thomas #429 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Tim Thomas #429 breaks even when it gems about 20% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $64.61).
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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