Is Dark Lord of the Sith #104 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 Dark Lord of the Sith #104 sells for $110 against $1.99 raw: a $108 spread, 55× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($99.93) 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)
- $1.99
- Grade 9.5
- $110
- PSA 9
- $99.93
- Gem premium
- 55×
- 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 | $110 | +$83.01 | +$58.01 | −$41.99 |
| PSA 9 | $99.93 | +$72.94 | +$47.94 | −$52.06 |
| PSA 8 | $33.00 | +$6.01 | −$18.99 | −$119 |
Net = sale price − $1.99 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% | $102 | +$50.46 |
| 50% | $105 | +$52.98 |
| 75% | $107 | +$55.49 |
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 Dark Lord of the Sith #104 — FAQ
Is Dark Lord of the Sith #104 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Dark Lord of the Sith #104 sells for $110 against $1.99 raw: a $108 spread, 55× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($99.93) 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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