Is Frank Thomas #29 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1996 Topps Chrome · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Frank Thomas #29 sells for $139 against $1.93 raw: a $137 spread, 72× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($27.92) 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)
- $1.93
- PSA 10
- $139
- PSA 9
- $27.92
- Gem premium
- 72×
- As of
- Jul 11, 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 | $139 | +$112 | +$86.93 | −$13.07 |
| PSA 9 | $27.92 | +$0.99 | −$24.01 | −$124 |
| PSA 8 | $14.64 | −$12.29 | −$37.29 | −$137 |
Net = sale price − $1.93 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% | $55.66 | +$3.73 |
| 50% | $83.39 | +$31.46 |
| 75% | $111 | +$59.20 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 22%. 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 | $181 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $139 | −$42.14 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $83.00 | −$98.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $83.00 | −$98.00 | 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 →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $139 | $83.00 | $181 | $83.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $34.17 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $27.92 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $14.64 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1996 Topps Chrome cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Troy Percival [Refractor] #16 1996 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/mysAAOSwWRZnn5hJ/s-l500.jpg)
![Derek Jeter [Refractor] #80 1996 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/m7YAAeSwZPJp29OE/s-l500.jpg)
![Mike Mussina [Refractor] #23 1996 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/iYcAAeSwmd1qSuAN/s-l500.jpg)
![Frank Thomas [Refractor] #29 1996 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/LTcAAeSwvPlpTML7/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Frank Thomas #29 — FAQ
Is Frank Thomas #29 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Frank Thomas #29 sells for $139 against $1.93 raw: a $137 spread, 72× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($27.92) 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 #29 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Frank Thomas #29 (Baseball Cards 1996 Topps Chrome) sells for about $139 versus $1.93 for a raw near-mint copy — a 72× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Frank Thomas #29?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $181, ahead of PSA 10 at $139. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Frank Thomas #29 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 #29 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Frank Thomas #29 breaks even when it gems about 22% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $27.92).
Is your baseball card centered well enough to grade?
Centering makes or breaks a PSA 10. Scan any card with Midpoint to measure its exact centering, get a grade estimate, and see what your copy is actually worth.
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