Is Lord Darth Vader #196 worth grading?
Star Wars · Star Wars 1977 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Lord Darth Vader #196 sells for $2,640 against $12.33 raw: a $2,628 spread, 214× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($2,400) 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)
- $12.33
- Grade 9.5
- $2,640
- PSA 9
- $2,400
- Gem premium
- 214×
- 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 | $2,640 | +$2,603 | +$2,578 | +$2,478 |
| PSA 9 | $2,400 | +$2,363 | +$2,338 | +$2,238 |
| PSA 8 | $455 | +$418 | +$393 | +$293 |
Net = sale price − $12.33 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% | $2,460 | +$2,398 |
| 50% | $2,520 | +$2,458 |
| 75% | $2,580 | +$2,518 |
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 | $2,640 |
| 9 | $2,400 |
| 8 | $455 |
| 7 | $298 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
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Full set checklist →Grading Lord Darth Vader #196 — FAQ
Is Lord Darth Vader #196 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Lord Darth Vader #196 sells for $2,640 against $12.33 raw: a $2,628 spread, 214× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($2,400) 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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