![Frank Thomas [Die Cut] #135 (Baseball Cards 1998 Upper Deck UD3) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/Wx4AAeSwunhopm4E/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Frank Thomas [Die Cut] #135 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1998 Upper Deck UD3 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Frank Thomas [Die Cut] #135 sells for $146 against $5.00 raw: a $141 spread, 29× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($30.42) 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)
- $5.00
- PSA 10
- $146
- PSA 9
- $30.42
- Gem premium
- 29×
- As of
- Jul 11, 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 | $146 | +$116 | +$90.53 | −$9.47 |
| PSA 9 | $30.42 | +$0.42 | −$24.58 | −$125 |
| PSA 8 | $15.16 | −$14.84 | −$39.84 | −$140 |
Net = sale price − $5.00 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% | $59.20 | +$4.20 |
| 50% | $87.97 | +$32.97 |
| 75% | $117 | +$61.75 |
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 | $189 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $146 | −$43.47 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $87.00 | −$102 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $87.00 | −$102 | 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 →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $146 | $87.00 | $189 | $87.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $51.93 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $30.42 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $15.16 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1998 Upper Deck UD3 cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Tony Gwynn [Die Cut] #90 1998 Upper Deck UD3 card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/6igAAeSwINxqUlp4/s-l500.jpg)
![Bernie Williams [Die Cut] #179 1998 Upper Deck UD3 card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/QC8AAOSwZD1iX3DJ/s-l500.jpg)
![Hideo Nomo [Die Cut] #62 1998 Upper Deck UD3 card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/-IEAAeSwAftpF7Ar/s-l500.jpg)
![Hideo Nomo [Die Cut] #152 1998 Upper Deck UD3 card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/QLYAAeSwoPNqS~Zq/s-l500.jpg)
![Derek Jeter [Die Cut] #79 1998 Upper Deck UD3 card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/onoAAeSwAzZqY8kn/s-l500.jpg)
![Greg Maddux [Die Cut] #165 1998 Upper Deck UD3 card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/KqgAAeSwoqVn4NZj/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Frank Thomas [Die Cut] #135 — FAQ
Is Frank Thomas [Die Cut] #135 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Frank Thomas [Die Cut] #135 sells for $146 against $5.00 raw: a $141 spread, 29× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($30.42) 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 Frank Thomas [Die Cut] #135 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Frank Thomas [Die Cut] #135 (Baseball Cards 1998 Upper Deck UD3) sells for about $146 versus $5.00 for a raw near-mint copy — a 29× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Frank Thomas [Die Cut] #135?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $189, ahead of PSA 10 at $146. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Frank Thomas [Die Cut] #135 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 Frank Thomas [Die Cut] #135 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Frank Thomas [Die Cut] #135 breaks even when it gems about 21% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $30.42).
Is your baseball card centered well enough to grade?
Centering makes or breaks a PSA 10. Scan any card with Midpoint to measure its exact centering, get a grade estimate, and see what your copy is actually worth.
Check my card free