![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 $376 raw: a $671 spread, 2.8× 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)
- $376
- Grade 9.5
- $1,047
- PSA 9
- $952
- Gem premium
- 2.8×
- 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 | $1,047 | +$646 | +$621 | +$521 |
| PSA 9 | $952 | +$551 | +$526 | +$426 |
| PSA 8 | $865 | +$464 | +$439 | +$339 |
Net = sale price − $376 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 | +$550 |
| 50% | $1000 | +$574 |
| 75% | $1,023 | +$597 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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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 $376 raw: a $671 spread, 2.8× 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.
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