Is Lord Vader worth grading?
Star Wars · Star Wars CCG Death Star II · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Lord Vader sells for $121 against $60.55 raw: a $60.45 spread, 2.0× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($110) 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)
- $60.55
- Grade 9.5
- $121
- PSA 9
- $110
- Gem premium
- 2.0×
- 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 | $121 | +$35.45 | +$10.45 | −$89.55 |
| PSA 9 | $110 | +$24.45 | −$0.55 | −$101 |
| PSA 8 | $84.00 | −$1.55 | −$26.55 | −$127 |
Net = sale price − $60.55 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% | $113 | +$2.20 |
| 50% | $116 | +$4.95 |
| 75% | $118 | +$7.70 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 5%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | Graded |
|---|---|
| 9.5 | $121 |
| 9 | $110 |
| 8 | $84.00 |
Run your own numbers
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Other Star Wars CCG Death Star II cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Lord Vader — FAQ
Is Lord Vader worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Lord Vader sells for $121 against $60.55 raw: a $60.45 spread, 2.0× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($110) 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 Lord Vader break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Lord Vader breaks even when it gems about 5% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $110).
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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