Is Frank Thomas #U243 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1996 Fleer Update · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
PSA 10 copies of Frank Thomas #U243 sell for $23.58, only $21.79 above the $1.79 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($18.12) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $1.79
- PSA 10
- $23.58
- PSA 9
- $18.12
- 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 | $23.58 | −$3.21 | −$28.21 | −$128 |
| PSA 9 | $18.12 | −$8.67 | −$33.67 | −$134 |
| PSA 8 | $8.90 | −$17.89 | −$42.89 | −$143 |
Net = sale price − $1.79 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% | $19.48 | −$32.30 |
| 50% | $20.85 | −$30.94 |
| 75% | $22.21 | −$29.57 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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 | $31.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $23.58 | −$7.42 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $14.00 | −$17.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $14.00 | −$17.00 | 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 →Swipe the table for the other grading companies →
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1996 Fleer Update cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
![Rickey Henderson [Tiffany] #U197 1996 Fleer Update card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/RQQAAeSw6xdopIkg/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Frank Thomas #U243 — FAQ
Is Frank Thomas #U243 worth grading?
PSA 10 copies of Frank Thomas #U243 sell for $23.58, only $21.79 above the $1.79 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($18.12) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
How much is a PSA 10 Frank Thomas #U243 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Frank Thomas #U243 (Baseball Cards 1996 Fleer Update) sells for about $23.58 versus $1.79 for a raw near-mint copy — a 13× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Frank Thomas #U243?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $31.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $23.58. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Frank Thomas #U243 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.
Best on iPhone & Android
Check your baseball card in the Midpoint app
Scan with your camera to measure centering to the millimeter, get an AI grade with corner and edge close-ups, see what your copy is worth, and track it in your portfolio. Free to start.
