Is Working Against Time #177 worth grading?
Star Wars · 1980 Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 146× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Working Against Time #177 sells for $146 against $1.00 raw: a $145 spread, 146× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($5.50) 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)
- $1.00
- PSA 10
- $146
- PSA 9
- $5.50
- Gem premium
- 146×
- 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 | $146 | +$120 | +$95.00 | −$5.00 |
| PSA 9 | $5.50 | −$20.50 | −$45.50 | −$146 |
Net = sale price − $1.00 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% | $40.63 | −$10.38 |
| 50% | $75.75 | +$24.75 |
| 75% | $111 | +$59.88 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 32%. 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 | $190 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $146 | −$44.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $88.00 | −$102 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $88.00 | −$102 | 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 | $146 | $88.00 | $190 | $88.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $6.00 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $5.50 |
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 Working Against Time #177 — FAQ
Is Working Against Time #177 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Working Against Time #177 sells for $146 against $1.00 raw: a $145 spread, 146× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($5.50) 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 Working Against Time #177 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Working Against Time #177 (1980 Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back) sells for about $146 versus $1.00 for a raw near-mint copy — a 146× premium as of Aug 16, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Working Against Time #177?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $190, ahead of PSA 10 at $146. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Working Against Time #177 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 Working Against Time #177 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Working Against Time #177 breaks even when it gems about 32% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $5.50).
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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