Is Emperor Palpatine [Refractor] #19 worth grading?
Star Wars · Star Wars 1996 Topps · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
Grade 9.5 copies of Emperor Palpatine [Refractor] #19 sell for $86.50, only $16.48 above the $70.02 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($66.50) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $70.02
- Grade 9.5
- $86.50
- PSA 9
- $66.50
- Gem premium
- 1.2×
- As of
- Aug 16, 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 | $86.50 | −$8.52 | −$33.52 | −$134 |
| PSA 9 | $66.50 | −$28.52 | −$53.52 | −$154 |
| PSA 8 | $48.99 | −$46.03 | −$71.03 | −$171 |
Net = sale price − $70.02 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% | $71.50 | −$48.52 |
| 50% | $76.50 | −$43.52 |
| 75% | $81.50 | −$38.52 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | Graded |
|---|---|
| 9.5 | $86.50 |
| 9 | $66.50 |
| 8 | $48.99 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
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Other Star Wars 1996 Topps cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Emperor Palpatine [Refractor] #19 — FAQ
Is Emperor Palpatine [Refractor] #19 worth grading?
Grade 9.5 copies of Emperor Palpatine [Refractor] #19 sell for $86.50, only $16.48 above the $70.02 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($66.50) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
Is your Star Wars 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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