Is Death Star shootout! #242 worth grading?
Star Wars · Star Wars 1977 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Death Star shootout! #242 sells for $54.00 against $5.88 raw: a $48.12 spread, 9.2× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($49.42) 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)
- $5.88
- Grade 9.5
- $54.00
- PSA 9
- $49.42
- Gem premium
- 9.2×
- As of
- Sep 27, 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 | $54.00 | +$23.12 | −$1.88 | −$102 |
| PSA 9 | $49.42 | +$18.54 | −$6.46 | −$106 |
| PSA 8 | $27.30 | −$3.58 | −$28.58 | −$129 |
Net = sale price − $5.88 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% | $50.56 | −$5.32 |
| 50% | $51.71 | −$4.17 |
| 75% | $52.86 | −$3.02 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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Grading Death Star shootout! #242 — FAQ
Is Death Star shootout! #242 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Death Star shootout! #242 sells for $54.00 against $5.88 raw: a $48.12 spread, 9.2× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($49.42) 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.
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