Is Shelter on Icy Hoth #149 worth grading?
Star Wars · 1980 Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 197× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Shelter on Icy Hoth #149 sells for $195 against $0.99 raw: a $194 spread, 197× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($15.51) 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)
- $0.99
- PSA 10
- $195
- PSA 9
- $15.51
- Gem premium
- 197×
- 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 | $195 | +$169 | +$144 | +$44.01 |
| PSA 9 | $15.51 | −$10.48 | −$35.48 | −$135 |
Net = sale price − $0.99 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% | $60.38 | +$9.39 |
| 50% | $105 | +$54.27 |
| 75% | $150 | +$99.14 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 20%. 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 | $254 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $195 | −$59.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $117 | −$137 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $117 | −$137 | 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 | $195 | $117 | $254 | $117 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $17.00 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $15.51 |
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 Shelter on Icy Hoth #149 — FAQ
Is Shelter on Icy Hoth #149 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Shelter on Icy Hoth #149 sells for $195 against $0.99 raw: a $194 spread, 197× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($15.51) 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 Shelter on Icy Hoth #149 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Shelter on Icy Hoth #149 (1980 Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back) sells for about $195 versus $0.99 for a raw near-mint copy — a 197× premium as of Aug 16, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Shelter on Icy Hoth #149?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $254, ahead of PSA 10 at $195. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Shelter on Icy Hoth #149 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 Shelter on Icy Hoth #149 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Shelter on Icy Hoth #149 breaks even when it gems about 20% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $15.51).
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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