Is Ready for Action #101 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 Ready for Action #101 sells for $66.00 against $2.08 raw: a $63.92 spread, 32× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($59.77) 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)
- $2.08
- Grade 9.5
- $66.00
- PSA 9
- $59.77
- Gem premium
- 32×
- As of
- Oct 4, 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 | $66.00 | +$38.92 | +$13.92 | −$86.08 |
| PSA 9 | $59.77 | +$32.69 | +$7.69 | −$92.31 |
| PSA 8 | $31.45 | +$4.37 | −$20.63 | −$121 |
Net = sale price − $2.08 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% | $61.33 | +$9.25 |
| 50% | $62.89 | +$10.81 |
| 75% | $64.44 | +$12.36 |
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 Ready for Action #101 — FAQ
Is Ready for Action #101 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Ready for Action #101 sells for $66.00 against $2.08 raw: a $63.92 spread, 32× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($59.77) 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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