Is Frank Thomas #51 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 2001 Topps Archives Autographs · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
Grade 9.5 copies of Frank Thomas #51 sell for $24.00, only $13.00 above the $11.00 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($21.50) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $11.00
- Grade 9.5
- $24.00
- PSA 9
- $21.50
- Gem premium
- 2.2×
- 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 | $24.00 | −$12.00 | −$37.00 | −$137 |
| PSA 9 | $21.50 | −$14.50 | −$39.50 | −$140 |
| PSA 8 | $7.28 | −$28.72 | −$53.72 | −$154 |
Net = sale price − $11.00 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% | $22.13 | −$38.88 |
| 50% | $22.75 | −$38.25 |
| 75% | $23.38 | −$37.63 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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Other 2001 Topps Archives Autographs cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Frank Thomas #51 — FAQ
Is Frank Thomas #51 worth grading?
Grade 9.5 copies of Frank Thomas #51 sell for $24.00, only $13.00 above the $11.00 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($21.50) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
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