![Shaquille O'Neal [Black Refractor] #1 (Basketball Cards 2002 Topps Chrome) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/tx0AAeSw3mlqWjTz/s-l1600.jpg)
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 $459 raw: a $238 spread, 1.5× 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)
- $459
- Grade 9.5
- $697
- PSA 9
- $634
- Gem premium
- 1.5×
- As of
- Jul 11, 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 | $697 | +$213 | +$188 | +$87.66 |
| PSA 9 | $634 | +$150 | +$125 | +$24.66 |
| PSA 8 | $576 | +$91.66 | +$66.66 | −$33.34 |
Net = sale price − $459 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% | $650 | +$140 |
| 50% | $666 | +$156 |
| 75% | $681 | +$172 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | Graded |
|---|---|
| 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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![Michael Jordan [Black Refractor] #10 2002 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/bKIAAeSwgpJopZXB/s-l500.jpg)
![Michael Jordan [White Refractor] #10 2002 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/K7kAAeSw7LFp9gxF/s-l500.jpg)
![Shaquille O'Neal [Refractor] #1 2002 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/tAsAAeSwh8lqNBQj/s-l500.jpg)
![Kobe Bryant [Refractor] #21 2002 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/0QoAAeSwknpqRFhe/s-l500.jpg)
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 $459 raw: a $238 spread, 1.5× 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.
Is your basketball card centered well enough to grade?
Centering makes or breaks a PSA 10. Scan any card with Midpoint to measure its exact centering, get a grade estimate, and see what your copy is actually worth.
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