Is Cincinnati Reds [Golden Mirror Variation] #488 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 2026 Topps Series 2 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Cincinnati Reds [Golden Mirror Variation] #488 sells for $299 against $39.17 raw: a $260 spread, 7.6× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($102) 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)
- $39.17
- PSA 10
- $299
- PSA 9
- $102
- Gem premium
- 7.6×
- 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 | $299 | +$235 | +$210 | +$110 |
| PSA 9 | $102 | +$37.97 | +$12.97 | −$87.03 |
| PSA 8 | $57.65 | −$6.52 | −$31.52 | −$132 |
Net = sale price − $39.17 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% | $151 | +$62.25 |
| 50% | $201 | +$112 |
| 75% | $250 | +$161 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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 | $389 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $299 | −$89.75 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $180 | −$209 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $180 | −$209 | 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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Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
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Grading Cincinnati Reds [Golden Mirror Variation] #488 — FAQ
Is Cincinnati Reds [Golden Mirror Variation] #488 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Cincinnati Reds [Golden Mirror Variation] #488 sells for $299 against $39.17 raw: a $260 spread, 7.6× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($102) 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 Cincinnati Reds [Golden Mirror Variation] #488 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Cincinnati Reds [Golden Mirror Variation] #488 (Baseball Cards 2026 Topps Series 2) sells for about $299 versus $39.17 for a raw near-mint copy — a 7.6× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Cincinnati Reds [Golden Mirror Variation] #488?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $389, ahead of PSA 10 at $299. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Cincinnati Reds [Golden Mirror Variation] #488 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.
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