Is The Walkers Close In #311 worth grading?
Star Wars · 1980 Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 The Walkers Close In #311 sells for $129 against $2.86 raw: a $126 spread, 45× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($35.99) 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)
- $2.86
- PSA 10
- $129
- PSA 9
- $35.99
- Gem premium
- 45×
- 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 | $129 | +$101 | +$76.14 | −$23.86 |
| PSA 9 | $35.99 | +$8.13 | −$16.87 | −$117 |
| PSA 8 | $11.99 | −$15.87 | −$40.87 | −$141 |
Net = sale price − $2.86 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% | $59.24 | +$6.38 |
| 50% | $82.50 | +$29.64 |
| 75% | $106 | +$52.89 |
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 | $168 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $129 | −$39.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $77.00 | −$91.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $77.00 | −$91.00 | 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 | $129 | $77.00 | $168 | $77.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $40.00 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $35.99 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $11.99 |
Run your own numbers
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Full set checklist →Grading The Walkers Close In #311 — FAQ
Is The Walkers Close In #311 worth grading?
A PSA 10 The Walkers Close In #311 sells for $129 against $2.86 raw: a $126 spread, 45× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($35.99) 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 The Walkers Close In #311 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 The Walkers Close In #311 (1980 Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back) sells for about $129 versus $2.86 for a raw near-mint copy — a 45× premium as of Aug 16, 2026.
Which grading company is best for The Walkers Close In #311?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $168, ahead of PSA 10 at $129. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does The Walkers Close In #311 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 The Walkers Close In #311 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting The Walkers Close In #311 breaks even when it gems about 18% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $35.99).
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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