Is Ben Kenobi Alec Guinness #249 worth grading?
Star Wars · Star Wars 1977 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Ben Kenobi Alec Guinness #249 sells for $98.00 against $2.14 raw: a $95.86 spread, 46× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($89.00) 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)
- $2.14
- Grade 9.5
- $98.00
- PSA 9
- $89.00
- Gem premium
- 46×
- 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 | $98.00 | +$70.86 | +$45.86 | −$54.14 |
| PSA 9 | $89.00 | +$61.86 | +$36.86 | −$63.14 |
| PSA 8 | $24.17 | −$2.97 | −$27.97 | −$128 |
Net = sale price − $2.14 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% | $91.25 | +$39.11 |
| 50% | $93.50 | +$41.36 |
| 75% | $95.75 | +$43.61 |
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 | $98.00 |
| 9 | $89.00 |
| 8 | $24.17 |
| 7 | $19.00 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
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Full set checklist →Grading Ben Kenobi Alec Guinness #249 — FAQ
Is Ben Kenobi Alec Guinness #249 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Ben Kenobi Alec Guinness #249 sells for $98.00 against $2.14 raw: a $95.86 spread, 46× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($89.00) 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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