Is A monstrous thirst! #281 worth grading?
Star Wars · Star Wars 1977 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 A monstrous thirst! #281 sells for $74.00 against $4.06 raw: a $69.94 spread, 18× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($67.00) 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)
- $4.06
- Grade 9.5
- $74.00
- PSA 9
- $67.00
- Gem premium
- 18×
- 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 | $74.00 | +$44.94 | +$19.94 | −$80.06 |
| PSA 9 | $67.00 | +$37.94 | +$12.94 | −$87.06 |
| PSA 8 | $23.25 | −$5.81 | −$30.81 | −$131 |
Net = sale price − $4.06 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% | $68.75 | +$14.69 |
| 50% | $70.50 | +$16.44 |
| 75% | $72.25 | +$18.19 |
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 | $74.00 |
| 9 | $67.00 |
| 8 | $23.25 |
| 7 | $9.95 |
Run your own numbers
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Full set checklist →Grading A monstrous thirst! #281 — FAQ
Is A monstrous thirst! #281 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 A monstrous thirst! #281 sells for $74.00 against $4.06 raw: a $69.94 spread, 18× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($67.00) 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.
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