Is Mark Messier #184 worth grading?
Hockey · Hockey Cards 2004 Upper Deck · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 5.9× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Mark Messier #184 sells for $114 against $19.26 raw: a $94.63 spread, 5.9× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($35.60) 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)
- $19.26
- PSA 10
- $114
- PSA 9
- $35.60
- Gem premium
- 5.9×
- 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 | $114 | +$69.63 | +$44.63 | −$55.37 |
| PSA 9 | $35.60 | −$8.66 | −$33.66 | −$134 |
| PSA 8 | $32.39 | −$11.87 | −$36.87 | −$137 |
Net = sale price − $19.26 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% | $55.17 | −$14.09 |
| 50% | $74.75 | +$5.48 |
| 75% | $94.32 | +$25.06 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 43%. 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 | $148 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $114 | −$34.11 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $68.00 | −$80.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $68.00 | −$80.00 | 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.
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Grading Mark Messier #184 — FAQ
Is Mark Messier #184 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Mark Messier #184 sells for $114 against $19.26 raw: a $94.63 spread, 5.9× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($35.60) 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 Mark Messier #184 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Mark Messier #184 (Hockey Cards 2004 Upper Deck) sells for about $114 versus $19.26 for a raw near-mint copy — a 5.9× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Mark Messier #184?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $148, ahead of PSA 10 at $114. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Mark Messier #184 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 Mark Messier #184 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Mark Messier #184 breaks even when it gems about 43% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $35.60).
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