Is Hakeem Olajuwon #A8 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1998 Topps Chrome Apparitions · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Hakeem Olajuwon #A8 sells for $71.60 against $7.00 raw: a $64.60 spread, 10× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($43.99) 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)
- $7.00
- PSA 10
- $71.60
- PSA 9
- $43.99
- Gem premium
- 10×
- 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 | $71.60 | +$39.60 | +$14.60 | −$85.40 |
| PSA 9 | $43.99 | +$11.99 | −$13.01 | −$113 |
| PSA 8 | $19.36 | −$12.64 | −$37.64 | −$138 |
Net = sale price − $7.00 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% | $50.89 | −$6.11 |
| 50% | $57.80 | +$0.80 |
| 75% | $64.70 | +$7.70 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 47%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
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 | $93.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $71.60 | −$21.40 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $43.00 | −$50.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $43.00 | −$50.00 | 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.
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Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
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Grading Hakeem Olajuwon #A8 — FAQ
Is Hakeem Olajuwon #A8 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Hakeem Olajuwon #A8 sells for $71.60 against $7.00 raw: a $64.60 spread, 10× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($43.99) 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 Hakeem Olajuwon #A8 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Hakeem Olajuwon #A8 (Basketball Cards 1998 Topps Chrome Apparitions) sells for about $71.60 versus $7.00 for a raw near-mint copy — a 10× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Hakeem Olajuwon #A8?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $93.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $71.60. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Hakeem Olajuwon #A8 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.
What gem rate makes grading Hakeem Olajuwon #A8 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Hakeem Olajuwon #A8 breaks even when it gems about 47% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $43.99).
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