Is Vader and His Snowtroopers #165 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 Vader and His Snowtroopers #165 sells for $469 against $1.08 raw: a $468 spread, 434× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($426) 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)
- $1.08
- Grade 9.5
- $469
- PSA 9
- $426
- Gem premium
- 434×
- 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 | $469 | +$443 | +$418 | +$318 |
| PSA 9 | $426 | +$400 | +$375 | +$275 |
Net = sale price − $1.08 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% | $437 | +$386 |
| 50% | $448 | +$396 |
| 75% | $458 | +$407 |
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 Vader and His Snowtroopers #165 — FAQ
Is Vader and His Snowtroopers #165 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Vader and His Snowtroopers #165 sells for $469 against $1.08 raw: a $468 spread, 434× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($426) 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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