Is The Awesome One #164 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 The Awesome One #164 sells for $73.00 against $2.99 raw: a $70.01 spread, 24× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($65.92) 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)
- $2.99
- Grade 9.5
- $73.00
- PSA 9
- $65.92
- Gem premium
- 24×
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $73.00 | +$45.01 | +$20.01 | −$79.99 |
| PSA 9 | $65.92 | +$37.93 | +$12.93 | −$87.07 |
| PSA 8 | $38.00 | +$10.01 | −$14.99 | −$115 |
Net = sale price − $2.99 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% | $67.69 | +$14.70 |
| 50% | $69.46 | +$16.47 |
| 75% | $71.23 | +$18.24 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | Graded |
|---|---|
| 9.5 | $73.00 |
| 9 | $65.92 |
| 8 | $38.00 |
| 7 | $26.12 |
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 The Awesome One #164 — FAQ
Is The Awesome One #164 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 The Awesome One #164 sells for $73.00 against $2.99 raw: a $70.01 spread, 24× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($65.92) 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.
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.
Check my card free