Is Mike Trout [Background] #2B worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 2018 Topps on Demand Black & White · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Mike Trout [Background] #2B sells for $160 against $99.99 raw: a $60.01 spread, 1.6× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($146) 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)
- $99.99
- Grade 9.5
- $160
- PSA 9
- $146
- Gem premium
- 1.6×
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $160 | +$35.01 | +$10.01 | −$89.99 |
| PSA 9 | $146 | +$20.80 | −$4.20 | −$104 |
Net = sale price − $99.99 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% | $149 | −$0.65 |
| 50% | $153 | +$2.90 |
| 75% | $156 | +$6.46 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 30%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
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Grading Mike Trout [Background] #2B — FAQ
Is Mike Trout [Background] #2B worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Mike Trout [Background] #2B sells for $160 against $99.99 raw: a $60.01 spread, 1.6× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($146) 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.
What gem rate makes grading Mike Trout [Background] #2B break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Mike Trout [Background] #2B breaks even when it gems about 30% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $146).
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