![Frank Thomas [White Back] #153 (Baseball Cards 1956 Topps) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/D4oAAeSw5epqRXcA/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Frank Thomas [White Back] #153 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1956 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Frank Thomas [White Back] #153 sells for $84,448 against $395 raw: a $84,053 spread, 214× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($12,661) 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)
- $395
- PSA 10
- $84,448
- PSA 9
- $12,661
- Gem premium
- 214×
- As of
- Aug 9, 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 | $84,448 | +$84,028 | +$84,003 | +$83,903 |
| PSA 9 | $12,661 | +$12,241 | +$12,216 | +$12,116 |
| PSA 8 | $4,856 | +$4,436 | +$4,411 | +$4,311 |
Net = sale price − $395 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% | $30,607 | +$30,162 |
| 50% | $48,554 | +$48,109 |
| 75% | $66,501 | +$66,056 |
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 | $109,783 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $84,448 | −$25,335 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $50,669 | −$59,114 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $50,669 | −$59,114 | 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 | $84,448 | $50,669 | $109,783 | $50,669 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $23,067 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $12,661 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $4,856 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
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Grading Frank Thomas [White Back] #153 — FAQ
Is Frank Thomas [White Back] #153 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Frank Thomas [White Back] #153 sells for $84,448 against $395 raw: a $84,053 spread, 214× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($12,661) 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 [White Back] #153 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Frank Thomas [White Back] #153 (Baseball Cards 1956 Topps) sells for about $84,448 versus $395 for a raw near-mint copy — a 214× premium as of Aug 9, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Frank Thomas [White Back] #153?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $109,783, ahead of PSA 10 at $84,448. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Frank Thomas [White Back] #153 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.
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.
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