Is Darth Vader #122 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 Darth Vader #122 sells for $107 against $3.00 raw: a $104 spread, 36× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($97.17) 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)
- $3.00
- Grade 9.5
- $107
- PSA 9
- $97.17
- Gem premium
- 36×
- 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 | $107 | +$79.00 | +$54.00 | −$46.00 |
| PSA 9 | $97.17 | +$69.17 | +$44.17 | −$55.83 |
| PSA 8 | $24.94 | −$3.06 | −$28.06 | −$128 |
Net = sale price − $3.00 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% | $99.63 | +$46.63 |
| 50% | $102 | +$49.09 |
| 75% | $105 | +$51.54 |
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 Darth Vader #122 — FAQ
Is Darth Vader #122 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Darth Vader #122 sells for $107 against $3.00 raw: a $104 spread, 36× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($97.17) 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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