Is Emergency Blast Off #53 worth grading?
Star Wars · 1980 Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 118× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Emergency Blast Off #53 sells for $330 against $2.79 raw: a $327 spread, 118× the ungraded price. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $2.79
- PSA 10
- $330
- Gem premium
- 118×
- 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 | $330 | +$302 | +$277 | +$177 |
| PSA 8 | $40.32 | +$12.53 | −$12.47 | −$112 |
Net = sale price − $2.79 raw value − fee. Fee tiers are illustrative; plug your grader's current price into the calculator below.
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 | $429 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $330 | −$99.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $198 | −$231 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $198 | −$231 | 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 | $330 | $198 | $429 | $198 | — |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $40.32 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
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Other 1980 Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Emergency Blast Off #53 — FAQ
Is Emergency Blast Off #53 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Emergency Blast Off #53 sells for $330 against $2.79 raw: a $327 spread, 118× the ungraded price. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Emergency Blast Off #53 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Emergency Blast Off #53 (1980 Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back) sells for about $330 versus $2.79 for a raw near-mint copy — a 118× premium as of Aug 16, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Emergency Blast Off #53?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $429, ahead of PSA 10 at $330. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Emergency Blast Off #53 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.
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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