Is The Dark Lord of the Sith #217 worth grading?
Star Wars · Star Wars 1977 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 The Dark Lord of the Sith #217 sells for $279 against $5.00 raw: a $274 spread, 56× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($254) 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)
- $5.00
- Grade 9.5
- $279
- PSA 9
- $254
- Gem premium
- 56×
- 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 | $279 | +$249 | +$224 | +$124 |
| PSA 9 | $254 | +$224 | +$199 | +$99.00 |
| PSA 8 | $161 | +$131 | +$106 | +$5.74 |
Net = sale price − $5.00 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% | $260 | +$205 |
| 50% | $267 | +$212 |
| 75% | $273 | +$218 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | Graded |
|---|---|
| 9.5 | $279 |
| 9 | $254 |
| 8 | $161 |
| 7 | $70.00 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
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Other Star Wars 1977 Topps cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading The Dark Lord of the Sith #217 — FAQ
Is The Dark Lord of the Sith #217 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 The Dark Lord of the Sith #217 sells for $279 against $5.00 raw: a $274 spread, 56× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($254) 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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