Is Frank Howard worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1969 Topps Decals · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Frank Howard sells for $668 against $4.75 raw: a $663 spread, 141× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($47.00) 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)
- $4.75
- PSA 10
- $668
- PSA 9
- $47.00
- Gem premium
- 141×
- 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 | $668 | +$638 | +$613 | +$513 |
| PSA 9 | $47.00 | +$17.25 | −$7.75 | −$108 |
| PSA 8 | $43.17 | +$13.42 | −$11.58 | −$112 |
Net = sale price − $4.75 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% | $202 | +$147 |
| 50% | $357 | +$303 |
| 75% | $513 | +$458 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 1%. 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 | $868 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $668 | −$200 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $401 | −$467 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $401 | −$467 | 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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Grading Frank Howard — FAQ
Is Frank Howard worth grading?
A PSA 10 Frank Howard sells for $668 against $4.75 raw: a $663 spread, 141× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($47.00) 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 Howard worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Frank Howard (Baseball Cards 1969 Topps Decals) sells for about $668 versus $4.75 for a raw near-mint copy — a 141× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Frank Howard?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $868, ahead of PSA 10 at $668. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Frank Howard 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 Howard break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Frank Howard breaks even when it gems about 1% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $47.00).
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