Is The Shadow of the Dark Lord [Wave Refractor] #52 worth grading?
Star Wars · Star Wars 2022 Topps Galaxy Chrome · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 The Shadow of the Dark Lord [Wave Refractor] #52 sells for $150 against $44.54 raw: a $105 spread, 3.4× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($89.00) 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)
- $44.54
- PSA 10
- $150
- PSA 9
- $89.00
- Gem premium
- 3.4×
- 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 | $150 | +$80.46 | +$55.46 | −$44.54 |
| PSA 9 | $89.00 | +$19.46 | −$5.54 | −$106 |
Net = sale price − $44.54 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% | $104 | +$9.71 |
| 50% | $120 | +$24.96 |
| 75% | $135 | +$40.21 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 9%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
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 | $195 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $150 | −$45.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $90.00 | −$105 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $90.00 | −$105 | 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 | $150 | $90.00 | $195 | $90.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $98.00 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $89.00 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Grading The Shadow of the Dark Lord [Wave Refractor] #52 — FAQ
Is The Shadow of the Dark Lord [Wave Refractor] #52 worth grading?
A PSA 10 The Shadow of the Dark Lord [Wave Refractor] #52 sells for $150 against $44.54 raw: a $105 spread, 3.4× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($89.00) 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.
How much is a PSA 10 The Shadow of the Dark Lord [Wave Refractor] #52 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 The Shadow of the Dark Lord [Wave Refractor] #52 (Star Wars 2022 Topps Galaxy Chrome) sells for about $150 versus $44.54 for a raw near-mint copy — a 3.4× premium as of Aug 16, 2026.
Which grading company is best for The Shadow of the Dark Lord [Wave Refractor] #52?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $195, ahead of PSA 10 at $150. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does The Shadow of the Dark Lord [Wave Refractor] #52 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.
What gem rate makes grading The Shadow of the Dark Lord [Wave Refractor] #52 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting The Shadow of the Dark Lord [Wave Refractor] #52 breaks even when it gems about 9% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $89.00).
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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