Is Frank Thomas #144 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 2009 Upper Deck Goudey · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
PSA 10 copies of Frank Thomas #144 sell for $22.00, only $21.33 above the $0.67 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($11.07) 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)
- $0.67
- PSA 10
- $22.00
- PSA 9
- $11.07
- Gem premium
- 33×
- 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 | $22.00 | −$3.67 | −$28.67 | −$129 |
| PSA 9 | $11.07 | −$14.60 | −$39.60 | −$140 |
| PSA 8 | $5.71 | −$19.96 | −$44.96 | −$145 |
Net = sale price − $0.67 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% | $13.80 | −$36.87 |
| 50% | $16.54 | −$34.13 |
| 75% | $19.27 | −$31.40 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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 | $29.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $22.00 | −$7.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $13.00 | −$16.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $13.00 | −$16.00 | 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 →Swipe the table for the other grading companies →
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 2009 Upper Deck Goudey cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Frank Thomas #144 — FAQ
Is Frank Thomas #144 worth grading?
PSA 10 copies of Frank Thomas #144 sell for $22.00, only $21.33 above the $0.67 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($11.07) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
How much is a PSA 10 Frank Thomas #144 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Frank Thomas #144 (Baseball Cards 2009 Upper Deck Goudey) sells for about $22.00 versus $0.67 for a raw near-mint copy — a 33× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Frank Thomas #144?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $29.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $22.00. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Frank Thomas #144 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.
Best on iPhone & Android
Check your baseball card in the Midpoint app
Scan with your camera to measure centering to the millimeter, get an AI grade with corner and edge close-ups, see what your copy is worth, and track it in your portfolio. Free to start.