![Mike Trout [Sparkle] #1 (Baseball Cards 2014 Topps) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/2lgAAeSwzEppaBpH/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Mike Trout [Sparkle] #1 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 2014 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Mike Trout [Sparkle] #1 sells for $1,047 against $599 raw: a $448 spread, 1.7× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($952) 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)
- $599
- Grade 9.5
- $1,047
- PSA 9
- $952
- Gem premium
- 1.7×
- 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 | $1,047 | +$423 | +$398 | +$298 |
| PSA 9 | $952 | +$328 | +$303 | +$203 |
| PSA 8 | $865 | +$241 | +$216 | +$116 |
Net = sale price − $599 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% | $976 | +$327 |
| 50% | $1000 | +$351 |
| 75% | $1,023 | +$374 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | Graded |
|---|---|
| 9.5 | $1,047 |
| 9 | $952 |
| 8 | $865 |
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 Mike Trout [Sparkle] #1 — FAQ
Is Mike Trout [Sparkle] #1 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Mike Trout [Sparkle] #1 sells for $1,047 against $599 raw: a $448 spread, 1.7× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($952) 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.
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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