Is Princess Leia #3 worth grading?
Star Wars · 1980 Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Princess Leia #3 sells for $564 against $1.74 raw: a $562 spread, 324× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($513) 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)
- $1.74
- Grade 9.5
- $564
- PSA 9
- $513
- Gem premium
- 324×
- 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 | $564 | +$537 | +$512 | +$412 |
| PSA 9 | $513 | +$486 | +$461 | +$361 |
| PSA 8 | $35.00 | +$8.26 | −$16.74 | −$117 |
Net = sale price − $1.74 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% | $525 | +$474 |
| 50% | $538 | +$487 |
| 75% | $551 | +$499 |
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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Raw conditions & history →Run your own numbers
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Other 1980 Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Princess Leia #3 — FAQ
Is Princess Leia #3 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Princess Leia #3 sells for $564 against $1.74 raw: a $562 spread, 324× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($513) 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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