Is Darren McCarty #79 worth grading?
Hockey · Hockey Cards 1998 Bowman's Best · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Darren McCarty #79 sells for $151 against $13.89 raw: a $137 spread, 11× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($138) 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)
- $13.89
- Grade 9.5
- $151
- PSA 9
- $138
- Gem premium
- 11×
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $151 | +$112 | +$87.11 | −$12.89 |
| PSA 9 | $138 | +$98.61 | +$73.61 | −$26.39 |
Net = sale price − $13.89 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% | $141 | +$76.98 |
| 50% | $144 | +$80.36 |
| 75% | $148 | +$83.74 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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Grading Darren McCarty #79 — FAQ
Is Darren McCarty #79 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Darren McCarty #79 sells for $151 against $13.89 raw: a $137 spread, 11× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($138) 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.
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