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Is The Talosians #51 worth grading?

Entertainment · 1976 Topps Star Trek · full price guide →

Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw

A Grade 9.5 The Talosians #51 sells for $88.00 against $3.00 raw: a $85.00 spread, 29× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($80.38) 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)
$3.00
Grade 9.5
$88.00
PSA 9
$80.38
Gem premium
29×
As of
Aug 16, 2026

Break-even by outcome and fee

The Talosians #51: net result of grading versus selling raw, by outcome and fee tier
If it comes back…Sells forEconomy / bulk (~$25.00)Standard (~$50.00)Express (~$150)
Gem — Grade 9.5$88.00+$60.00+$35.00−$65.00
PSA 9$80.38+$52.38+$27.38−$72.62

Net = sale price − $3.00 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?

The Talosians #51: expected value of submitting by gem probability
Chance it gemsExpected saleExpected net (standard fee)
25%$82.28+$29.28
50%$84.19+$31.19
75%$86.09+$33.09

Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.

The Talosians #51 graded prices by company and grade
GradeGraded
9.5$88.00
9$80.38
7$5.99

Run your own numbers

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Grading The Talosians #51 — FAQ

Is The Talosians #51 worth grading?

A Grade 9.5 The Talosians #51 sells for $88.00 against $3.00 raw: a $85.00 spread, 29× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($80.38) 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 entertainment 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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