![Frank Thomas [Mirror Red] #1 (Baseball Cards 1996 Select Certified) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/sDAAAOSwweNiMqX7/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Frank Thomas [Mirror Red] #1 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1996 Select Certified · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Frank Thomas [Mirror Red] #1 sells for $1,600 against $496 raw: a $1,104 spread, 3.2× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($825) 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)
- $496
- PSA 10
- $1,600
- PSA 9
- $825
- Gem premium
- 3.2×
- 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 — PSA 10 | $1,600 | +$1,079 | +$1,054 | +$954 |
| PSA 9 | $825 | +$304 | +$279 | +$179 |
| PSA 8 | $750 | +$229 | +$204 | +$104 |
Net = sale price − $496 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% | $1,019 | +$473 |
| 50% | $1,213 | +$667 |
| 75% | $1,406 | +$860 |
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 | $2,080 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $1,600 | −$480 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $960 | −$1,120 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $960 | −$1,120 | 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 →
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Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1996 Select Certified cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Alex Rodriguez [Mirror Gold] #6 1996 Select Certified card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/wDQAAeSw7OFqna4O/s-l500.jpg)
![Randy Johnson [Mirror Gold] #17 1996 Select Certified card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/MWsAAOSwlXlnBdnV/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Frank Thomas [Mirror Red] #1 — FAQ
Is Frank Thomas [Mirror Red] #1 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Frank Thomas [Mirror Red] #1 sells for $1,600 against $496 raw: a $1,104 spread, 3.2× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($825) 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 [Mirror Red] #1 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Frank Thomas [Mirror Red] #1 (Baseball Cards 1996 Select Certified) sells for about $1,600 versus $496 for a raw near-mint copy — a 3.2× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Frank Thomas [Mirror Red] #1?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $2,080, ahead of PSA 10 at $1,600. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Frank Thomas [Mirror Red] #1 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.
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