Is Emperor's Royal Guard #28 worth grading?
Star Wars · Star Wars 1996 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Emperor's Royal Guard #28 sells for $31.00 against $2.66 raw: a $28.34 spread, 12× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($28.00) 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)
- $2.66
- Grade 9.5
- $31.00
- PSA 9
- $28.00
- Gem premium
- 12×
- 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 | $31.00 | +$3.34 | −$21.66 | −$122 |
| PSA 9 | $28.00 | +$0.34 | −$24.66 | −$125 |
Net = sale price − $2.66 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% | $28.75 | −$23.91 |
| 50% | $29.50 | −$23.16 |
| 75% | $30.25 | −$22.41 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | Graded |
|---|---|
| 9.5 | $31.00 |
| 9 | $28.00 |
Run your own numbers
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Full set checklist →Grading Emperor's Royal Guard #28 — FAQ
Is Emperor's Royal Guard #28 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Emperor's Royal Guard #28 sells for $31.00 against $2.66 raw: a $28.34 spread, 12× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($28.00) 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.
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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