Is Frank Thomas #20 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1999 Upper Deck Encore · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Frank Thomas #20 sells for $169 against $1.63 raw: a $167 spread, 104× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($141) 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)
- $1.63
- PSA 10
- $169
- PSA 9
- $141
- Gem premium
- 104×
- 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 — PSA 10 | $169 | +$142 | +$117 | +$17.37 |
| PSA 9 | $141 | +$114 | +$89.37 | −$10.63 |
| PSA 8 | $128 | +$102 | +$76.54 | −$23.46 |
Net = sale price − $1.63 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% | $148 | +$96.37 |
| 50% | $155 | +$103 |
| 75% | $162 | +$110 |
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 | $220 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $169 | −$51.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $101 | −$119 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $101 | −$119 | 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.
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Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1999 Upper Deck Encore cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Ken Griffey Jr. [F/X Gold] #136 1999 Upper Deck Encore card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/yQ4AAeSwSIRqo3m5/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Frank Thomas #20 — FAQ
Is Frank Thomas #20 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Frank Thomas #20 sells for $169 against $1.63 raw: a $167 spread, 104× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($141) 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 #20 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Frank Thomas #20 (Baseball Cards 1999 Upper Deck Encore) sells for about $169 versus $1.63 for a raw near-mint copy — a 104× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Frank Thomas #20?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $220, ahead of PSA 10 at $169. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Frank Thomas #20 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.
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