Is Frank Thomas #ILM18 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1998 Topps Mystery Finest · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 23× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Frank Thomas #ILM18 sells for $151 against $6.61 raw: a $145 spread, 23× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($26.09) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $6.61
- PSA 10
- $151
- PSA 9
- $26.09
- Gem premium
- 23×
- 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 | $151 | +$120 | +$94.85 | −$5.15 |
| PSA 9 | $26.09 | −$5.52 | −$30.52 | −$131 |
| PSA 8 | $15.69 | −$15.92 | −$40.92 | −$141 |
Net = sale price − $6.61 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% | $57.43 | +$0.82 |
| 50% | $88.78 | +$32.17 |
| 75% | $120 | +$63.51 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 24%. 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 | $197 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $151 | −$45.54 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $91.00 | −$106 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $91.00 | −$106 | 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 | $151 | $91.00 | $197 | $91.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $53.57 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $26.09 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $15.69 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $9.05 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1998 Topps Mystery Finest cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Chipper Jones [Bordered Refractor] #M2 1998 Topps Mystery Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/lvoAAeSwkuZp-6VX/s-l500.jpg)
![Ken Griffey Jr. [Bordered] #M20 1998 Topps Mystery Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/masAAeSwxLNqYrhR/s-l500.jpg)
![Frank Thomas [Bordered Refractor] #M10 1998 Topps Mystery Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/r4YAAeSwNKlqVZ9w/s-l500.jpg)
![Cal Ripken Jr. [Bordered Refractor] #M16 1998 Topps Mystery Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/JjAAAeSwgblqYU~B/s-l500.jpg)
![Ken Griffey Jr. [Bordered Refractor] #M20 1998 Topps Mystery Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/GHQAAeSwKA1qSCdY/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Frank Thomas #ILM18 — FAQ
Is Frank Thomas #ILM18 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Frank Thomas #ILM18 sells for $151 against $6.61 raw: a $145 spread, 23× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($26.09) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Frank Thomas #ILM18 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Frank Thomas #ILM18 (Baseball Cards 1998 Topps Mystery Finest) sells for about $151 versus $6.61 for a raw near-mint copy — a 23× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Frank Thomas #ILM18?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $197, ahead of PSA 10 at $151. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Frank Thomas #ILM18 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 #ILM18 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Frank Thomas #ILM18 breaks even when it gems about 24% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $26.09).
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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