![Mickey Mantle [Black] #7 (Baseball Cards 2006 Topps) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/sp8AAeSwgMtqaVV1/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Mickey Mantle [Black] #7 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 2006 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Mickey Mantle [Black] #7 sells for $121 against $66.50 raw: a $54.50 spread, 1.8× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($110) 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)
- $66.50
- Grade 9.5
- $121
- PSA 9
- $110
- Gem premium
- 1.8×
- As of
- Jul 11, 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 | $121 | +$29.50 | +$4.50 | −$95.50 |
| PSA 9 | $110 | +$18.50 | −$6.50 | −$107 |
| PSA 8 | $100 | +$8.50 | −$16.50 | −$117 |
Net = sale price − $66.50 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% | $113 | −$3.75 |
| 50% | $116 | −$1.00 |
| 75% | $118 | +$1.75 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 59%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | Graded |
|---|---|
| 9.5 | $121 |
| 9 | $110 |
| 8 | $100 |
| 7 | $18.04 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
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Grading Mickey Mantle [Black] #7 — FAQ
Is Mickey Mantle [Black] #7 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Mickey Mantle [Black] #7 sells for $121 against $66.50 raw: a $54.50 spread, 1.8× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($110) 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 Mickey Mantle [Black] #7 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Mickey Mantle [Black] #7 breaks even when it gems about 59% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $110).
Is your baseball card centered well enough to grade?
Centering makes or breaks a PSA 10. Scan any card with Midpoint to measure its exact centering, get a grade estimate, and see what your copy is actually worth.
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