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Shaquille O'Neal [Black Refractor] #1 (Basketball Cards 2002 Topps Chrome) — is it worth grading?

Is Shaquille O'Neal [Black Refractor] #1 worth grading?

Basketball · Basketball Cards 2002 Topps Chrome · full price guide →

Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw

A Grade 9.5 Shaquille O'Neal [Black Refractor] #1 sells for $697 against $424 raw: a $273 spread, 1.6× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($634) 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)
$424
Grade 9.5
$697
PSA 9
$634
Gem premium
1.6×
As of
Sep 4, 2026

Break-even by outcome and fee

Shaquille O'Neal [Black Refractor] #1: net result of grading versus selling raw, by outcome and fee tier
If it comes back…Sells forEconomy / bulk (~$25.00)Standard (~$50.00)Express (~$150)
Gem — Grade 9.5$697+$248+$223+$123
PSA 9$634+$185+$160+$59.72
PSA 8$576+$127+$102+$1.72

Net = sale price − $424 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?

Shaquille O'Neal [Black Refractor] #1: expected value of submitting by gem probability
Chance it gemsExpected saleExpected net (standard fee)
25%$650+$175
50%$666+$191
75%$681+$207

Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.

Shaquille O'Neal [Black Refractor] #1 graded prices by company and grade
GradeGraded
9.5$697
9$634
8$576
7$113

Run your own numbers

Should I pay this?

Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.

Other 2002 Topps Chrome cards worth checking

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Grading Shaquille O'Neal [Black Refractor] #1 — FAQ

Is Shaquille O'Neal [Black Refractor] #1 worth grading?

A Grade 9.5 Shaquille O'Neal [Black Refractor] #1 sells for $697 against $424 raw: a $273 spread, 1.6× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($634) 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.

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