Is Becoming Darth Vader [Wave Refractor] #8 worth grading?
Star Wars · Star Wars 2024 Topps Chrome Galaxy · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
PSA 10 copies of Becoming Darth Vader [Wave Refractor] #8 sell for $42.55, only $0.00 above the $46.31 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($38.75) 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)
- $46.31
- PSA 10
- $42.55
- PSA 9
- $38.75
- Gem premium
- 0.9×
- 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 — PSA 10 | $42.55 | −$28.76 | −$53.76 | −$154 |
| PSA 9 | $38.75 | −$32.56 | −$57.56 | −$158 |
| PSA 8 | $20.50 | −$50.81 | −$75.81 | −$176 |
Net = sale price − $46.31 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% | $39.70 | −$56.61 |
| 50% | $40.65 | −$55.66 |
| 75% | $41.60 | −$54.71 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
Which grader pays the most — and what a 10 takes
All centering standards →| Grader | 10 sells for | vs best | Front centering for a 10 | Back |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BGS 10 | $55.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $42.55 | −$12.45 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $26.00 | −$29.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $26.00 | −$29.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
Tolerances are each company's published centering standard for its top grade; surface, corners and edges must also be clean. Centering is the one you can measure yourself before you pay.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $42.55 | $26.00 | $55.00 | $26.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $42.00 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $38.75 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $20.50 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Grading Becoming Darth Vader [Wave Refractor] #8 — FAQ
Is Becoming Darth Vader [Wave Refractor] #8 worth grading?
PSA 10 copies of Becoming Darth Vader [Wave Refractor] #8 sell for $42.55, only $0.00 above the $46.31 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($38.75) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
How much is a PSA 10 Becoming Darth Vader [Wave Refractor] #8 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Becoming Darth Vader [Wave Refractor] #8 (Star Wars 2024 Topps Chrome Galaxy) sells for about $42.55 versus $46.31 for a raw near-mint copy — a 0.9× premium as of Aug 16, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Becoming Darth Vader [Wave Refractor] #8?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $55.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $42.55. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Becoming Darth Vader [Wave Refractor] #8 need for a BGS 10?
BGS publishes 55/45 front and 70/30 back centering as the tolerance for a 10 (Gem Mint). Off-center copies are capped below the top grade regardless of surface — measure yours before paying the fee.
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.
Check my card free