Is R2-D2 [Rainbow Refractor] #43 worth grading?
Star Wars · Star Wars 2024 Topps Chrome Black · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 8.7× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 R2-D2 [Rainbow Refractor] #43 sells for $65.00 against $7.49 raw: a $57.51 spread, 8.7× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($17.38) 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)
- $7.49
- PSA 10
- $65.00
- PSA 9
- $17.38
- Gem premium
- 8.7×
- As of
- Oct 4, 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 | $65.00 | +$32.51 | +$7.51 | −$92.49 |
| PSA 9 | $17.38 | −$15.11 | −$40.11 | −$140 |
Net = sale price − $7.49 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% | $29.29 | −$28.20 |
| 50% | $41.19 | −$16.30 |
| 75% | $53.09 | −$4.40 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 84%. 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 | $85.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $65.00 | −$20.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $39.00 | −$46.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $39.00 | −$46.00 | 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.
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Full set checklist →Grading R2-D2 [Rainbow Refractor] #43 — FAQ
Is R2-D2 [Rainbow Refractor] #43 worth grading?
A PSA 10 R2-D2 [Rainbow Refractor] #43 sells for $65.00 against $7.49 raw: a $57.51 spread, 8.7× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($17.38) 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 R2-D2 [Rainbow Refractor] #43 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 R2-D2 [Rainbow Refractor] #43 (Star Wars 2024 Topps Chrome Black) sells for about $65.00 versus $7.49 for a raw near-mint copy — a 8.7× premium as of Oct 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for R2-D2 [Rainbow Refractor] #43?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $85.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $65.00. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does R2-D2 [Rainbow Refractor] #43 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 R2-D2 [Rainbow Refractor] #43 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting R2-D2 [Rainbow Refractor] #43 breaks even when it gems about 84% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $17.38).
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