Is Hayden Birdsong [Golden Mirror Image Variation] #699 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 2025 Topps Series 2 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Hayden Birdsong [Golden Mirror Image Variation] #699 sells for $248 against $57.02 raw: a $191 spread, 4.3× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($93.05) 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)
- $57.02
- PSA 10
- $248
- PSA 9
- $93.05
- Gem premium
- 4.3×
- 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 | $248 | +$166 | +$141 | +$40.62 |
| PSA 9 | $93.05 | +$11.03 | −$13.97 | −$114 |
| PSA 8 | $54.58 | −$27.44 | −$52.44 | −$152 |
Net = sale price − $57.02 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% | $132 | +$24.68 |
| 50% | $170 | +$63.32 |
| 75% | $209 | +$102 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 9%. 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 | $322 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $248 | −$74.36 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $149 | −$173 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $149 | −$173 | 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 Series 2 cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Shohei Ohtani [True Photo Variation] #400 2025 Topps Series 2 card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/WeUAAeSwrj5qjLGa/s-l500.jpg)
![Shohei Ohtani [Golden Mirror Image Variation] #400 2025 Topps Series 2 card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/~v4AAeSwQUtqS3Kj/s-l500.jpg)
![Hyeseong Kim [Gold Foil Real One Autograph] #573 2025 Topps Series 2 card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/ktUAAeSwm5BqF1J1/s-l500.jpg)
![Shohei Ohtani [Hot Dog] #400 2025 Topps Series 2 card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/FwsAAeSwDhxqaMPI/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Hayden Birdsong [Golden Mirror Image Variation] #699 — FAQ
Is Hayden Birdsong [Golden Mirror Image Variation] #699 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Hayden Birdsong [Golden Mirror Image Variation] #699 sells for $248 against $57.02 raw: a $191 spread, 4.3× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($93.05) 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 Hayden Birdsong [Golden Mirror Image Variation] #699 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Hayden Birdsong [Golden Mirror Image Variation] #699 (Baseball Cards 2025 Topps Series 2) sells for about $248 versus $57.02 for a raw near-mint copy — a 4.3× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Hayden Birdsong [Golden Mirror Image Variation] #699?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $322, ahead of PSA 10 at $248. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Hayden Birdsong [Golden Mirror Image Variation] #699 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 Hayden Birdsong [Golden Mirror Image Variation] #699 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Hayden Birdsong [Golden Mirror Image Variation] #699 breaks even when it gems about 9% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $93.05).
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.
