Is Emperor's Royal Guard [Refractor] #28 worth grading?
Star Wars · Star Wars 1996 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Emperor's Royal Guard [Refractor] #28 sells for $68.00 against $26.53 raw: a $41.47 spread, 2.6× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($62.00) 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)
- $26.53
- Grade 9.5
- $68.00
- PSA 9
- $62.00
- Gem premium
- 2.6×
- As of
- Oct 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 | $68.00 | +$16.47 | −$8.53 | −$109 |
| PSA 9 | $62.00 | +$10.47 | −$14.53 | −$115 |
| PSA 8 | $32.11 | −$19.42 | −$44.42 | −$144 |
Net = sale price − $26.53 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% | $63.50 | −$13.03 |
| 50% | $65.00 | −$11.53 |
| 75% | $66.50 | −$10.03 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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Grading Emperor's Royal Guard [Refractor] #28 — FAQ
Is Emperor's Royal Guard [Refractor] #28 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Emperor's Royal Guard [Refractor] #28 sells for $68.00 against $26.53 raw: a $41.47 spread, 2.6× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($62.00) 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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