Is The Dark Side #81 worth grading?
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Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 The Dark Side #81 sells for $32.00 against $2.00 raw: a $30.00 spread, 16× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($28.99) 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)
- $2.00
- Grade 9.5
- $32.00
- PSA 9
- $28.99
- Gem premium
- 16×
- 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 | $32.00 | +$5.00 | −$20.00 | −$120 |
| PSA 9 | $28.99 | +$1.99 | −$23.01 | −$123 |
Net = sale price − $2.00 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?
| Chance it gems | Expected sale | Expected net (standard fee) |
|---|---|---|
| 25% | $29.74 | −$22.26 |
| 50% | $30.49 | −$21.51 |
| 75% | $31.25 | −$20.75 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SGC 10 | $29.99 | best | 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 | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | $29.99 | — |
| 9.5 | — | $32.00 |
| 9 | — | $28.99 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Grading The Dark Side #81 — FAQ
Is The Dark Side #81 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 The Dark Side #81 sells for $32.00 against $2.00 raw: a $30.00 spread, 16× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($28.99) 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 centering does The Dark Side #81 need for a SGC 10?
SGC publishes 55/45 front and 75/25 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.
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