Is Examined: Luke's Tauntaun #21 worth grading?
Star Wars · 1980 Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 132× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Examined: Luke's Tauntaun #21 sells for $175 against $1.33 raw: a $174 spread, 132× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($24.50) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $1.33
- PSA 10
- $175
- PSA 9
- $24.50
- Gem premium
- 132×
- 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 — PSA 10 | $175 | +$149 | +$124 | +$23.67 |
| PSA 9 | $24.50 | −$1.83 | −$26.83 | −$127 |
Net = sale price − $1.33 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% | $62.13 | +$10.80 |
| 50% | $99.75 | +$48.42 |
| 75% | $137 | +$86.04 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 18%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
Which grader pays the most — and what a 10 takes
All centering standards →| Grader | 10 sells for | vs best | Front centering for a 10 | Back |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BGS 10 | $228 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $175 | −$53.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $105 | −$123 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $105 | −$123 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
Tolerances are each company's published centering standard for its top grade; surface, corners and edges must also be clean. Centering is the one you can measure yourself before you pay.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $175 | $105 | $228 | $105 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $27.00 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $24.50 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1980 Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Examined: Luke's Tauntaun #21 — FAQ
Is Examined: Luke's Tauntaun #21 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Examined: Luke's Tauntaun #21 sells for $175 against $1.33 raw: a $174 spread, 132× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($24.50) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Examined: Luke's Tauntaun #21 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Examined: Luke's Tauntaun #21 (1980 Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back) sells for about $175 versus $1.33 for a raw near-mint copy — a 132× premium as of Aug 16, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Examined: Luke's Tauntaun #21?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $228, ahead of PSA 10 at $175. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Examined: Luke's Tauntaun #21 need for a BGS 10?
BGS publishes 55/45 front and 70/30 back centering as the tolerance for a 10 (Gem Mint). Off-center copies are capped below the top grade regardless of surface — measure yours before paying the fee.
What gem rate makes grading Examined: Luke's Tauntaun #21 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Examined: Luke's Tauntaun #21 breaks even when it gems about 18% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $24.50).
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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