Is Stormtrooper — tool of the Empire #246 worth grading?
Star Wars · Star Wars 1977 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Stormtrooper — tool of the Empire #246 sells for $94.00 against $2.70 raw: a $91.30 spread, 35× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($85.12) 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)
- $2.70
- Grade 9.5
- $94.00
- PSA 9
- $85.12
- Gem premium
- 35×
- 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 | $94.00 | +$66.30 | +$41.30 | −$58.70 |
| PSA 9 | $85.12 | +$57.42 | +$32.42 | −$67.58 |
| PSA 8 | $48.00 | +$20.30 | −$4.70 | −$105 |
Net = sale price − $2.70 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% | $87.34 | +$34.64 |
| 50% | $89.56 | +$36.86 |
| 75% | $91.78 | +$39.08 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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Grading Stormtrooper — tool of the Empire #246 — FAQ
Is Stormtrooper — tool of the Empire #246 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Stormtrooper — tool of the Empire #246 sells for $94.00 against $2.70 raw: a $91.30 spread, 35× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($85.12) 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.
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