![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 $858 against $348 raw: a $510 spread, 2.5× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($780) 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
- $858
- PSA 9
- $780
- Gem premium
- 2.5×
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $858 | +$485 | +$460 | +$360 |
| PSA 9 | $780 | +$407 | +$382 | +$282 |
| 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% | $800 | +$402 |
| 50% | $819 | +$421 |
| 75% | $839 | +$441 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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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 $858 against $348 raw: a $510 spread, 2.5× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($780) 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.
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