Is Frank Thomas #270 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1994 Topps Bilingual · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Frank Thomas #270 sells for $325 against $1.99 raw: a $323 spread, 163× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($49.00) 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)
- $1.99
- PSA 10
- $325
- PSA 9
- $49.00
- Gem premium
- 163×
- 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 | $325 | +$298 | +$273 | +$173 |
| PSA 9 | $49.00 | +$22.01 | −$2.99 | −$103 |
| PSA 8 | $20.00 | −$6.99 | −$31.99 | −$132 |
Net = sale price − $1.99 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% | $118 | +$66.01 |
| 50% | $187 | +$135 |
| 75% | $256 | +$204 |
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 | $423 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $325 | −$98.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $195 | −$228 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $195 | −$228 | 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 1994 Topps Bilingual cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Frank Thomas #270 — FAQ
Is Frank Thomas #270 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Frank Thomas #270 sells for $325 against $1.99 raw: a $323 spread, 163× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($49.00) 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 Thomas #270 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Frank Thomas #270 (Baseball Cards 1994 Topps Bilingual) sells for about $325 versus $1.99 for a raw near-mint copy — a 163× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Frank Thomas #270?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $423, ahead of PSA 10 at $325. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Frank Thomas #270 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 #270 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Frank Thomas #270 breaks even when it gems about 1% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $49.00).
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