Is Mike Trout [Black] #U-243 worth grading?

Baseball · Baseball Cards 2020 Topps Update · full price guide →

Grading rarely pays for this card

Grade 9.5 copies of Mike Trout [Black] #U-243 sell for $39.00, only $18.55 above the $20.45 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($35.75) 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): $20.45
Grade 9.5: $39.00
PSA 9: $35.75
Gem premium: 1.9×
As of: Sep 4, 2026

Break-even by outcome and fee

Mike Trout [Black] #U-243: net result of grading versus selling raw, by outcome and fee tier
If it comes back…	Sells for	Economy / bulk (~$25.00)	Standard (~$50.00)	Express (~$150)
Gem — Grade 9.5	$39.00	−$6.45	−$31.45	−$131
PSA 9	$35.75	−$9.70	−$34.70	−$135
PSA 8	$17.50	−$27.95	−$52.95	−$153

Net = sale price − $20.45 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?

Mike Trout [Black] #U-243: expected value of submitting by gem probability
Chance it gems	Expected sale	Expected net (standard fee)
25%	$36.56	−$33.89
50%	$37.38	−$33.08
75%	$38.19	−$32.26

At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.

Full grade ladder

Raw conditions & history →

Mike Trout [Black] #U-243 graded prices by company and grade
Grade	Graded
9.5	$39.00
9	$35.75
8	$17.50

Run your own numbers

Should I pay this?

Asking priceGrading fee

Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.

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