![Frank Thomas [Refractor] #29 (Baseball Cards 1996 Topps Chrome) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/LTcAAeSwvPlpTML7/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Frank Thomas [Refractor] #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 [Refractor] #29 sells for $4,540 against $163 raw: a $4,377 spread, 28× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($441) 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)
- $163
- PSA 10
- $4,540
- PSA 9
- $441
- Gem premium
- 28×
- 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 | $4,540 | +$4,352 | +$4,327 | +$4,227 |
| PSA 9 | $441 | +$254 | +$229 | +$129 |
| PSA 8 | $321 | +$133 | +$108 | +$8.19 |
Net = sale price − $163 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% | $1,466 | +$1,253 |
| 50% | $2,490 | +$2,278 |
| 75% | $3,515 | +$3,302 |
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 | $5,901 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $4,540 | −$1,361 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $2,724 | −$3,177 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $2,724 | −$3,177 | 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 | $4,540 | $2,724 | $5,901 | $2,724 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $1,252 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $441 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $321 |
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)
![Albert Belle [Refractor] #17 1996 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/S1QAAeSw1~1qQl3G/s-l500.jpg)
![Mike Mussina [Refractor] #23 1996 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/iYcAAeSwmd1qSuAN/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Frank Thomas [Refractor] #29 — FAQ
Is Frank Thomas [Refractor] #29 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Frank Thomas [Refractor] #29 sells for $4,540 against $163 raw: a $4,377 spread, 28× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($441) 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 [Refractor] #29 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Frank Thomas [Refractor] #29 (Baseball Cards 1996 Topps Chrome) sells for about $4,540 versus $163 for a raw near-mint copy — a 28× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Frank Thomas [Refractor] #29?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $5,901, ahead of PSA 10 at $4,540. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Frank Thomas [Refractor] #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.
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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