Is Artoo's Bumpy Landing #174 worth grading?
Star Wars · 1980 Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Artoo's Bumpy Landing #174 sells for $136 against $1.49 raw: a $134 spread, 91× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($33.00) 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)
- $1.49
- PSA 10
- $136
- PSA 9
- $33.00
- Gem premium
- 91×
- 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 | $136 | +$109 | +$84.16 | −$15.84 |
| PSA 9 | $33.00 | +$6.51 | −$18.49 | −$118 |
| PSA 8 | $30.00 | +$3.51 | −$21.49 | −$121 |
Net = sale price − $1.49 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% | $58.66 | +$7.17 |
| 50% | $84.33 | +$32.84 |
| 75% | $110 | +$58.50 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 18%. 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 | $176 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $136 | −$40.35 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $81.00 | −$95.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $81.00 | −$95.00 | 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 | $136 | $81.00 | $176 | $81.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $36.00 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $33.00 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $30.00 |
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 Artoo's Bumpy Landing #174 — FAQ
Is Artoo's Bumpy Landing #174 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Artoo's Bumpy Landing #174 sells for $136 against $1.49 raw: a $134 spread, 91× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($33.00) 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.
How much is a PSA 10 Artoo's Bumpy Landing #174 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Artoo's Bumpy Landing #174 (1980 Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back) sells for about $136 versus $1.49 for a raw near-mint copy — a 91× premium as of Aug 16, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Artoo's Bumpy Landing #174?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $176, ahead of PSA 10 at $136. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Artoo's Bumpy Landing #174 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 Artoo's Bumpy Landing #174 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Artoo's Bumpy Landing #174 breaks even when it gems about 18% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $33.00).
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