Is Frank Thomas #LJ-17 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 2004 Leaf Limited Lumberjacks · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Frank Thomas #LJ-17 sells for $256 against $19.36 raw: a $237 spread, 13× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($56.83) 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)
- $19.36
- PSA 10
- $256
- PSA 9
- $56.83
- Gem premium
- 13×
- 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 | $256 | +$212 | +$187 | +$87.07 |
| PSA 9 | $56.83 | +$12.47 | −$12.53 | −$113 |
| PSA 8 | $31.63 | −$12.73 | −$37.73 | −$138 |
Net = sale price − $19.36 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% | $107 | +$37.37 |
| 50% | $157 | +$87.27 |
| 75% | $207 | +$137 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 6%. 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 | $333 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $256 | −$76.57 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $154 | −$179 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $154 | −$179 | 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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Other 2004 Leaf Limited Lumberjacks cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Frank Thomas #LJ-17 — FAQ
Is Frank Thomas #LJ-17 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Frank Thomas #LJ-17 sells for $256 against $19.36 raw: a $237 spread, 13× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($56.83) 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 #LJ-17 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Frank Thomas #LJ-17 (Baseball Cards 2004 Leaf Limited Lumberjacks) sells for about $256 versus $19.36 for a raw near-mint copy — a 13× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Frank Thomas #LJ-17?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $333, ahead of PSA 10 at $256. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Frank Thomas #LJ-17 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 #LJ-17 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Frank Thomas #LJ-17 breaks even when it gems about 6% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $56.83).
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