Is Weapons of the Death Star! #81 worth grading?
Star Wars · Star Wars 1977 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Weapons of the Death Star! #81 sells for $561 against $0.89 raw: a $560 spread, 630× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($39.12) 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)
- $0.89
- PSA 10
- $561
- PSA 9
- $39.12
- Gem premium
- 630×
- 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 | $561 | +$535 | +$510 | +$410 |
| PSA 9 | $39.12 | +$13.23 | −$11.77 | −$112 |
| PSA 8 | $25.00 | −$0.89 | −$25.89 | −$126 |
Net = sale price − $0.89 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% | $170 | +$119 |
| 50% | $300 | +$249 |
| 75% | $431 | +$380 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 2%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
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 | $729 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $561 | −$168 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $337 | −$392 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $337 | −$392 | 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 | $561 | $337 | $729 | $337 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $43.00 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $39.12 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $25.00 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $24.99 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
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Full set checklist →Grading Weapons of the Death Star! #81 — FAQ
Is Weapons of the Death Star! #81 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Weapons of the Death Star! #81 sells for $561 against $0.89 raw: a $560 spread, 630× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($39.12) 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 Weapons of the Death Star! #81 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Weapons of the Death Star! #81 (Star Wars 1977 Topps) sells for about $561 versus $0.89 for a raw near-mint copy — a 630× premium as of Aug 16, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Weapons of the Death Star! #81?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $729, ahead of PSA 10 at $561. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Weapons of the Death Star! #81 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.
What gem rate makes grading Weapons of the Death Star! #81 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Weapons of the Death Star! #81 breaks even when it gems about 2% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $39.12).
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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