Is R5-D4 [Refractor] #85 worth grading?
Star Wars · Star Wars 1996 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 R5-D4 [Refractor] #85 sells for $96.00 against $27.16 raw: a $68.84 spread, 3.5× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($87.25) 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)
- $27.16
- Grade 9.5
- $96.00
- PSA 9
- $87.25
- Gem premium
- 3.5×
- 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 | $96.00 | +$43.84 | +$18.84 | −$81.16 |
| PSA 9 | $87.25 | +$35.09 | +$10.09 | −$89.91 |
Net = sale price − $27.16 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% | $89.44 | +$12.28 |
| 50% | $91.63 | +$14.47 |
| 75% | $93.81 | +$16.65 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | Graded |
|---|---|
| 9.5 | $96.00 |
| 9 | $87.25 |
Run your own numbers
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Other Star Wars 1996 Topps cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading R5-D4 [Refractor] #85 — FAQ
Is R5-D4 [Refractor] #85 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 R5-D4 [Refractor] #85 sells for $96.00 against $27.16 raw: a $68.84 spread, 3.5× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($87.25) 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.
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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