![New York Mets [Golden Mirror Variation] #291 (Baseball Cards 2026 Topps) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/tX4AAeSwdJBqCn2i/s-l1600.jpg)
Is New York Mets [Golden Mirror Variation] #291 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 2026 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 New York Mets [Golden Mirror Variation] #291 sells for $168 against $31.58 raw: a $136 spread, 5.3× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($58.79) 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)
- $31.58
- PSA 10
- $168
- PSA 9
- $58.79
- Gem premium
- 5.3×
- As of
- Sep 3, 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 | $168 | +$111 | +$86.33 | −$13.67 |
| PSA 9 | $58.79 | +$2.21 | −$22.79 | −$123 |
| PSA 8 | $33.27 | −$23.31 | −$48.31 | −$148 |
Net = sale price − $31.58 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% | $86.07 | +$4.49 |
| 50% | $113 | +$31.77 |
| 75% | $141 | +$59.05 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 21%. 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 | $218 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $168 | −$50.09 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $101 | −$117 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $101 | −$117 | 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.
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Full set checklist →Grading New York Mets [Golden Mirror Variation] #291 — FAQ
Is New York Mets [Golden Mirror Variation] #291 worth grading?
A PSA 10 New York Mets [Golden Mirror Variation] #291 sells for $168 against $31.58 raw: a $136 spread, 5.3× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($58.79) 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.
How much is a PSA 10 New York Mets [Golden Mirror Variation] #291 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 New York Mets [Golden Mirror Variation] #291 (Baseball Cards 2026 Topps) sells for about $168 versus $31.58 for a raw near-mint copy — a 5.3× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for New York Mets [Golden Mirror Variation] #291?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $218, ahead of PSA 10 at $168. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does New York Mets [Golden Mirror Variation] #291 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 New York Mets [Golden Mirror Variation] #291 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting New York Mets [Golden Mirror Variation] #291 breaks even when it gems about 21% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $58.79).
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