Is Skills of the Star Pilot #169 worth grading?
Star Wars · 1980 Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
Grade 9.5 copies of Skills of the Star Pilot #169 sell for $23.00, only $21.81 above the $1.19 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($20.50) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $1.19
- Grade 9.5
- $23.00
- PSA 9
- $20.50
- Gem premium
- 19×
- 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 | $23.00 | −$3.19 | −$28.19 | −$128 |
| PSA 9 | $20.50 | −$5.69 | −$30.69 | −$131 |
Net = sale price − $1.19 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% | $21.13 | −$30.07 |
| 50% | $21.75 | −$29.44 |
| 75% | $22.38 | −$28.82 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | Graded |
|---|---|
| 9.5 | $23.00 |
| 9 | $20.50 |
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 Skills of the Star Pilot #169 — FAQ
Is Skills of the Star Pilot #169 worth grading?
Grade 9.5 copies of Skills of the Star Pilot #169 sell for $23.00, only $21.81 above the $1.19 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($20.50) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
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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