1977 Topps Star Wars Market Update: On Fire? Warming Up? Here’s What I’m Seeing

Good afternoon, good evening, good zinta, good y’all—whatever it is where you are. I’m NotSportsCards. Like, comment, subscribe—small channels like this live on that stuff. Today we’re talking the 1977 Topps Star Wars market. Is it “on fire”? I won’t go full hyperbole, but it’s picking up nicely.

The Big One: Luke #1 PSA 10 on Heritage

I’ve said before: if a PSA 10 Luke popped up after that Kurosawa $100k sale, it could beat it. Well—one’s up now. With weeks left, bidding was already pushing into serious money in my look-through. There are only nine PSA 10s. Most are locked in registry sets, and these surface maybe once every couple of years—likely less as time goes on. I’m watching to see where the ceiling really is.

Bellwether Check: Luke #1 in Mid-Grades

Luke’s the bellwether. Specifically, the PSA 8 tends to tell you where the set is headed. Recent sales are jumpy by eye appeal and label generation—old labels make people twitchy—but the drift is up. PSA 7s, which dipped under $200 for a minute, are back in the $300–350 neighborhood that felt “normal” for years. Eye appeal matters more than ever: not all 6s, 7s, or 8s are created equal.

Grading Flow: Why Supply Feels Tighter

• Through the boom: 2022–2024 saw heavy grading—tens of thousands slabbed.
• 2025 pace: Back-of-napkin from my video session: way fewer on pace this year than 2023/2024.
• Gem rate drift: TENS are rare; gem % slid from ~8.5% down near ~4% in my notes—people learned these don’t gem easily.
• No May 4th special: Without a PSA Star Wars promo this year, fewer submissions made economic sense.
• And the big one: A lot of easy raw copies are already picked over. As prices rise, that could change—but right now, the funnel is smaller.

Riser Spotlight: Han Solo #58 (Vertical)

Han has two “rookies” in 1977: #4 (horizontal) and #58 (vertical). #4 historically outsold, but #58 has been ripping. PSA 7s that were teen-dollar cards a couple years ago now sell around a hundred; PSA 8s that lived under $100 are showing ~$300 handles. Population-wise there are plenty graded, but high-grade dries up fast (tiny PSA 10 pop, limited new nines). A Harrison Ford signing likely juiced demand for nice copies, and the momentum stuck.

Other Key Cards Moving

• Darth Vader #7: Brutal to grade; tiny PSA 10 pop. Consistent premium for centered, clean copies.
• Princess Leia #5: Heavy grading volume overall, but high-grade scarcity remains—nines and tens are thin.
• Obi-Wan #6, Tarkin #8, choice scene cards: Eights that got hammered during the glut are rebounding.

Series 1 Floors Repricing

When flippers flooded the market, S1 PSA 8s auctioned in the high-$20s/low-$30s. Those days are fading as inventory disperses into collector hands. You’re seeing eights and even sevens reclaim older price territory—sometimes 2× last year’s auction lows. Not a moonshot call—just normalization.

International & Foreign Issues

OPC, UK, New Zealand, Argentina, Mexico—foreign variants are catching bids too. It isn’t just the U.S. blue set moving.

How I’m Playing It (Not Advice—Just What I Said)

• Trim 7s/8s when they’re frothy; hold 9s/10s unless someone gets irrational.
• Crack/resubmit selectively on a few big cards if you truly have a shot—don’t force it.
• Eye appeal tax is real: strong 7 > weak 8 in this set more than most.

PSA vs SGC (Turnaround & Predictability)

I’m even considering sending some 1977 raws to SGC for specific plays: faster turnaround, grades closer to what I expect, and their eye-appeal bias fits vintage. Yes, they sell for less than PSA—but for certain cards (like Han #58) an SGC 8 might make more economic sense than waiting months for a PSA 7–8 outcome.

Outlook

Iconic non-sports is seeing renewed attention, and 1977 Topps sits at the center. The Luke PSA 10 auction will reset some expectations at the top; meanwhile, mid-grade keys and nice S1 commons are quietly repricing. Whether you’re buying or selling depends on your number—there’s always a price where you’re a buyer, and a price where you’re a seller.

I was a seller, not a buyer, for a couple years. Last week I bought four PSA 8s—first time in ages. Floors feel different. Could be wrong; markets move. But I like where 1977’s headed.