Is Drake Baldwin [Alternate Cartoon Variation] #561 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 2025 Topps Heritage High Number · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 5.1× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Drake Baldwin [Alternate Cartoon Variation] #561 sells for $157 against $31.00 raw: a $126 spread, 5.1× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($55.71) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $31.00
- PSA 10
- $157
- PSA 9
- $55.71
- Gem premium
- 5.1×
- 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 — PSA 10 | $157 | +$101 | +$76.00 | −$24.00 |
| PSA 9 | $55.71 | −$0.29 | −$25.29 | −$125 |
| PSA 8 | $31.67 | −$24.33 | −$49.33 | −$149 |
Net = sale price − $31.00 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% | $81.03 | +$0.03 |
| 50% | $106 | +$25.36 |
| 75% | $132 | +$50.68 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 25%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
Which grader pays the most — and what a 10 takes
All centering standards →| Grader | 10 sells for | vs best | Front centering for a 10 | Back |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BGS 10 | $204 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $157 | −$47.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $94.00 | −$110 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $94.00 | −$110 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
Tolerances are each company's published centering standard for its top grade; surface, corners and edges must also be clean. Centering is the one you can measure yourself before you pay.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →Swipe the table for the other grading companies →
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 2025 Topps Heritage High Number cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Kristian Campbell [Image Variation] #725 2025 Topps Heritage High Number card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/s4EAAeSwDe5qEgLD/s-l500.jpg)
![Drake Baldwin [Image Variation] #561 2025 Topps Heritage High Number card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/J94AAeSwMrlpQ2VC/s-l500.jpg)
![Nick Kurtz [Bicentennial SP] #706 2025 Topps Heritage High Number card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/ZlEAAeSwaVxqooLc/s-l500.jpg)
![Nick Kurtz [Black SP] #706 2025 Topps Heritage High Number card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/5xcAAeSwkC5ppa8N/s-l500.jpg)
![Nick Kurtz [Blue Refractor Chrome SP] #706 2025 Topps Heritage High Number card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/jHoAAeSwijdqlYNo/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Drake Baldwin [Alternate Cartoon Variation] #561 — FAQ
Is Drake Baldwin [Alternate Cartoon Variation] #561 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Drake Baldwin [Alternate Cartoon Variation] #561 sells for $157 against $31.00 raw: a $126 spread, 5.1× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($55.71) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Drake Baldwin [Alternate Cartoon Variation] #561 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Drake Baldwin [Alternate Cartoon Variation] #561 (Baseball Cards 2025 Topps Heritage High Number) sells for about $157 versus $31.00 for a raw near-mint copy — a 5.1× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Drake Baldwin [Alternate Cartoon Variation] #561?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $204, ahead of PSA 10 at $157. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Drake Baldwin [Alternate Cartoon Variation] #561 need for a BGS 10?
BGS publishes 55/45 front and 70/30 back centering as the tolerance for a 10 (Gem Mint). Off-center copies are capped below the top grade regardless of surface — measure yours before paying the fee.
What gem rate makes grading Drake Baldwin [Alternate Cartoon Variation] #561 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Drake Baldwin [Alternate Cartoon Variation] #561 breaks even when it gems about 25% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $55.71).
Best on iPhone & Android
Check your baseball card in the Midpoint app
Scan with your camera to measure centering to the millimeter, get an AI grade with corner and edge close-ups, see what your copy is worth, and track it in your portfolio. Free to start.