Is Darth Vader #20 worth grading?
Star Wars · Star Wars 1996 Finest · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Darth Vader #20 sells for $51.00 against $0.71 raw: a $50.29 spread, 72× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($46.63) 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)
- $0.71
- Grade 9.5
- $51.00
- PSA 9
- $46.63
- Gem premium
- 72×
- 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 | $51.00 | +$25.29 | +$0.29 | −$99.71 |
| PSA 9 | $46.63 | +$20.92 | −$4.08 | −$104 |
Net = sale price − $0.71 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% | $47.72 | −$2.99 |
| 50% | $48.81 | −$1.90 |
| 75% | $49.91 | −$0.80 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 93%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | Graded |
|---|---|
| 9.5 | $51.00 |
| 9 | $46.63 |
Run your own numbers
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Full set checklist →Grading Darth Vader #20 — FAQ
Is Darth Vader #20 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Darth Vader #20 sells for $51.00 against $0.71 raw: a $50.29 spread, 72× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($46.63) 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.
What gem rate makes grading Darth Vader #20 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Darth Vader #20 breaks even when it gems about 93% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $46.63).
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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