Is Ilya Kovalchuk #138 worth grading?
Hockey · Hockey Cards 2001 Topps Heritage · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 25× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Ilya Kovalchuk #138 sells for $86.91 against $3.54 raw: a $83.37 spread, 25× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($12.00) 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)
- $3.54
- PSA 10
- $86.91
- PSA 9
- $12.00
- Gem premium
- 25×
- 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 | $86.91 | +$58.37 | +$33.37 | −$66.63 |
| PSA 9 | $12.00 | −$16.54 | −$41.54 | −$142 |
| PSA 8 | $10.83 | −$17.71 | −$42.71 | −$143 |
Net = sale price − $3.54 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% | $30.73 | −$22.81 |
| 50% | $49.45 | −$4.09 |
| 75% | $68.18 | +$14.64 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 55%. 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 | $113 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $86.91 | −$26.09 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $52.00 | −$61.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $52.00 | −$61.00 | 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 →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $86.91 | $52.00 | $113 | $52.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $36.31 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $12.00 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $10.83 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 2001 Topps Heritage cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Ilya Kovalchuk #138 — FAQ
Is Ilya Kovalchuk #138 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Ilya Kovalchuk #138 sells for $86.91 against $3.54 raw: a $83.37 spread, 25× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($12.00) 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 Ilya Kovalchuk #138 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Ilya Kovalchuk #138 (Hockey Cards 2001 Topps Heritage) sells for about $86.91 versus $3.54 for a raw near-mint copy — a 25× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Ilya Kovalchuk #138?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $113, ahead of PSA 10 at $86.91. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Ilya Kovalchuk #138 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 Ilya Kovalchuk #138 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Ilya Kovalchuk #138 breaks even when it gems about 55% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $12.00).
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.
Check my card free