Is Mike Trout #HMT69 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 2018 Topps Chrome Update · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
PSA 10 copies of Mike Trout #HMT69 sell for $24.77, only $22.40 above the $2.37 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($10.00) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $2.37
- PSA 10
- $24.77
- PSA 9
- $10.00
- Gem premium
- 10×
- As of
- Sep 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 | $24.77 | −$2.60 | −$27.60 | −$128 |
| PSA 9 | $10.00 | −$17.37 | −$42.37 | −$142 |
| PSA 8 | $9.25 | −$18.12 | −$43.12 | −$143 |
Net = sale price − $2.37 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% | $13.69 | −$38.68 |
| 50% | $17.38 | −$34.98 |
| 75% | $21.08 | −$31.29 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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 | $34.68 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $24.77 | −$9.91 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $15.00 | −$19.68 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $15.00 | −$19.68 | 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 →Swipe the table for the other grading companies →
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 2018 Topps Chrome Update cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Shohei Ohtani [Refractor] #HMT1 2018 Topps Chrome Update card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/AcoAAeSwzp1p3LBj/s-l500.jpg)
![Shohei Ohtani [Pink Refractor] #HMT1 2018 Topps Chrome Update card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/MzUAAeSw9JZqMb6S/s-l500.jpg)
![Shohei Ohtani [Gold Refractor] #HMT32 2018 Topps Chrome Update card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/tVMAAeSwPENpwss0/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Mike Trout #HMT69 — FAQ
Is Mike Trout #HMT69 worth grading?
PSA 10 copies of Mike Trout #HMT69 sell for $24.77, only $22.40 above the $2.37 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($10.00) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
How much is a PSA 10 Mike Trout #HMT69 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Mike Trout #HMT69 (Baseball Cards 2018 Topps Chrome Update) sells for about $24.77 versus $2.37 for a raw near-mint copy — a 10× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Mike Trout #HMT69?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $34.68, ahead of PSA 10 at $24.77. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Mike Trout #HMT69 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.
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