Is Darth Vader inspects the throttled ship #142 worth grading?
Star Wars · Star Wars 1977 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Darth Vader inspects the throttled ship #142 sells for $635 against $2.25 raw: a $633 spread, 282× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($118) 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)
- $2.25
- PSA 10
- $635
- PSA 9
- $118
- Gem premium
- 282×
- 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 | $635 | +$608 | +$583 | +$483 |
| PSA 9 | $118 | +$90.50 | +$65.50 | −$34.50 |
| PSA 8 | $58.60 | +$31.35 | +$6.35 | −$93.65 |
Net = sale price − $2.25 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% | $247 | +$195 |
| 50% | $376 | +$324 |
| 75% | $506 | +$453 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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 | $825 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $635 | −$190 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $381 | −$444 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $381 | −$444 | 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 | $635 | $381 | $825 | $381 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $130 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $118 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $58.60 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $29.00 |
Run your own numbers
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Other Star Wars 1977 Topps cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Darth Vader inspects the throttled ship #142 — FAQ
Is Darth Vader inspects the throttled ship #142 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Darth Vader inspects the throttled ship #142 sells for $635 against $2.25 raw: a $633 spread, 282× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($118) 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 Darth Vader inspects the throttled ship #142 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Darth Vader inspects the throttled ship #142 (Star Wars 1977 Topps) sells for about $635 versus $2.25 for a raw near-mint copy — a 282× premium as of Aug 16, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Darth Vader inspects the throttled ship #142?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $825, ahead of PSA 10 at $635. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Darth Vader inspects the throttled ship #142 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.
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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