Is Frank Thomas [Artist's Proof] #101 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1996 Pinnacle Starburst · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
Grade 9.5 copies of Frank Thomas [Artist's Proof] #101 sell for $39.00, only $21.48 above the $17.52 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($35.50) 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)
- $17.52
- Grade 9.5
- $39.00
- PSA 9
- $35.50
- Gem premium
- 2.2×
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $39.00 | −$3.52 | −$28.52 | −$129 |
| PSA 9 | $35.50 | −$7.02 | −$32.02 | −$132 |
Net = sale price − $17.52 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% | $36.38 | −$31.14 |
| 50% | $37.25 | −$30.27 |
| 75% | $38.13 | −$29.39 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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Grading Frank Thomas [Artist's Proof] #101 — FAQ
Is Frank Thomas [Artist's Proof] #101 worth grading?
Grade 9.5 copies of Frank Thomas [Artist's Proof] #101 sell for $39.00, only $21.48 above the $17.52 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($35.50) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
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