Is Escaping from stormtroopers! #165 worth grading?
Star Wars · Star Wars 1977 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Escaping from stormtroopers! #165 sells for $94.00 against $2.40 raw: a $91.60 spread, 39× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($85.81) 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)
- $2.40
- Grade 9.5
- $94.00
- PSA 9
- $85.81
- Gem premium
- 39×
- 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 | +$66.60 | +$41.60 | −$58.40 |
| PSA 9 | $85.81 | +$58.41 | +$33.41 | −$66.59 |
| PSA 8 | $37.40 | +$10.00 | −$15.00 | −$115 |
Net = sale price − $2.40 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% | $87.86 | +$35.46 |
| 50% | $89.91 | +$37.50 |
| 75% | $91.95 | +$39.55 |
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 | $85.81 |
| 8 | $37.40 |
| 7 | $17.41 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
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Full set checklist →Grading Escaping from stormtroopers! #165 — FAQ
Is Escaping from stormtroopers! #165 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Escaping from stormtroopers! #165 sells for $94.00 against $2.40 raw: a $91.60 spread, 39× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($85.81) 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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