Is Mario Lemieux #42 worth grading?
Hockey · Hockey Cards 2012 SP Authentic · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 36× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Mario Lemieux #42 sells for $67.00 against $1.88 raw: a $65.12 spread, 36× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($25.00) 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)
- $1.88
- PSA 10
- $67.00
- PSA 9
- $25.00
- Gem premium
- 36×
- 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 | $67.00 | +$40.12 | +$15.12 | −$84.88 |
| PSA 9 | $25.00 | −$1.88 | −$26.88 | −$127 |
Net = sale price − $1.88 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% | $35.50 | −$16.38 |
| 50% | $46.00 | −$5.88 |
| 75% | $56.50 | +$4.62 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 64%. 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 | $87.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $67.00 | −$20.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $40.00 | −$47.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $40.00 | −$47.00 | 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 →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 2012 SP Authentic cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Mark Stone [Autograph] #229 2012 SP Authentic card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/N1cAAeSwzIxqcrQe/s-l500.jpg)
![Carey Price [Limited Auto Patch] #1 2012 SP Authentic card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/qMUAAOSw-NdngE7I/s-l500.jpg)
![Chris Kreider [Autograph] #227 2012 SP Authentic card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/6F4AAeSwhEBqVQ25/s-l500.jpg)
![Bobby Orr, Phil Esposito [Autograph] #185 2012 SP Authentic card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/7NIAAeSwr6Zo1aeA/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Mario Lemieux #42 — FAQ
Is Mario Lemieux #42 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Mario Lemieux #42 sells for $67.00 against $1.88 raw: a $65.12 spread, 36× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($25.00) 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 Mario Lemieux #42 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Mario Lemieux #42 (Hockey Cards 2012 SP Authentic) sells for about $67.00 versus $1.88 for a raw near-mint copy — a 36× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Mario Lemieux #42?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $87.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $67.00. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Mario Lemieux #42 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 Mario Lemieux #42 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Mario Lemieux #42 breaks even when it gems about 64% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $25.00).
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.
