Is Shaquille O'Neal #M8 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1995 Skybox Premium Meltdown · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Shaquille O'Neal #M8 sells for $12,619 against $320 raw: a $12,299 spread, 39× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($2,137) 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)
- $320
- PSA 10
- $12,619
- PSA 9
- $2,137
- Gem premium
- 39×
- 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 | $12,619 | +$12,274 | +$12,249 | +$12,149 |
| PSA 9 | $2,137 | +$1,792 | +$1,767 | +$1,667 |
| PSA 8 | $1,845 | +$1,500 | +$1,475 | +$1,375 |
Net = sale price − $320 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% | $4,757 | +$4,387 |
| 50% | $7,378 | +$7,008 |
| 75% | $9,999 | +$9,629 |
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 | $16,405 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $12,619 | −$3,786 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $7,572 | −$8,833 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $7,572 | −$8,833 | 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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Grading Shaquille O'Neal #M8 — FAQ
Is Shaquille O'Neal #M8 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Shaquille O'Neal #M8 sells for $12,619 against $320 raw: a $12,299 spread, 39× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($2,137) 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 Shaquille O'Neal #M8 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Shaquille O'Neal #M8 (Basketball Cards 1995 Skybox Premium Meltdown) sells for about $12,619 versus $320 for a raw near-mint copy — a 39× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Shaquille O'Neal #M8?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $16,405, ahead of PSA 10 at $12,619. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Shaquille O'Neal #M8 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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