Is Chewbacca #5 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 Chewbacca #5 sells for $132 against $1.91 raw: a $130 spread, 69× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($120) 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)
- $1.91
- Grade 9.5
- $132
- PSA 9
- $120
- Gem premium
- 69×
- 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 | $132 | +$105 | +$80.09 | −$19.91 |
| PSA 9 | $120 | +$92.84 | +$67.84 | −$32.16 |
| PSA 8 | $33.10 | +$6.19 | −$18.81 | −$119 |
Net = sale price − $1.91 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% | $123 | +$70.90 |
| 50% | $126 | +$73.97 |
| 75% | $129 | +$77.03 |
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 | $132 |
| 9 | $120 |
| 8 | $33.10 |
| 7 | $12.50 |
Run your own numbers
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Other 1980 Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Chewbacca #5 — FAQ
Is Chewbacca #5 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Chewbacca #5 sells for $132 against $1.91 raw: a $130 spread, 69× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($120) 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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