Is The fantastic droid Threepio! #153 worth grading?
Star Wars · Star Wars 1977 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 The fantastic droid Threepio! #153 sells for $94.00 against $3.25 raw: a $90.75 spread, 29× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($85.00) 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)
- $3.25
- Grade 9.5
- $94.00
- PSA 9
- $85.00
- Gem premium
- 29×
- 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 | $94.00 | +$65.75 | +$40.75 | −$59.25 |
| PSA 9 | $85.00 | +$56.75 | +$31.75 | −$68.25 |
| PSA 8 | $32.66 | +$4.41 | −$20.59 | −$121 |
Net = sale price − $3.25 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% | $87.25 | +$34.00 |
| 50% | $89.50 | +$36.25 |
| 75% | $91.75 | +$38.50 |
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 | $94.00 |
| 9 | $85.00 |
| 8 | $32.66 |
| 7 | $19.87 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Star Wars 1977 Topps cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading The fantastic droid Threepio! #153 — FAQ
Is The fantastic droid Threepio! #153 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 The fantastic droid Threepio! #153 sells for $94.00 against $3.25 raw: a $90.75 spread, 29× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($85.00) 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.
Check my card free