![Frank Thomas [Refractor] #256 (Baseball Cards 1999 Bowman Chrome International) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/RHEAAeSwsnJosyii/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Frank Thomas [Refractor] #256 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1999 Bowman Chrome International · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Frank Thomas [Refractor] #256 sells for $868 against $348 raw: a $520 spread, 2.5× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($789) 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)
- $348
- Grade 9.5
- $868
- PSA 9
- $789
- Gem premium
- 2.5×
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $868 | +$495 | +$470 | +$370 |
| PSA 9 | $789 | +$416 | +$391 | +$291 |
| PSA 8 | $305 | −$68.00 | −$93.00 | −$193 |
Net = sale price − $348 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% | $809 | +$411 |
| 50% | $828 | +$430 |
| 75% | $848 | +$450 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | Graded |
|---|---|
| 9.5 | $868 |
| 9 | $789 |
| 8 | $305 |
Run your own numbers
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Other 1999 Bowman Chrome International cards worth checking
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Grading Frank Thomas [Refractor] #256 — FAQ
Is Frank Thomas [Refractor] #256 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Frank Thomas [Refractor] #256 sells for $868 against $348 raw: a $520 spread, 2.5× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($789) 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.
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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