Is Hakeem Olajuwon #12 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1996 Metal Cyber Metal · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Hakeem Olajuwon #12 sells for $81.00 against $2.49 raw: a $78.51 spread, 33× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($74.00) 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)
- $2.49
- Grade 9.5
- $81.00
- PSA 9
- $74.00
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $81.00 | +$53.51 | +$28.51 | −$71.49 |
| PSA 9 | $74.00 | +$46.51 | +$21.51 | −$78.49 |
| PSA 8 | $67.59 | +$40.10 | +$15.10 | −$84.90 |
Net = sale price − $2.49 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% | $75.75 | +$23.26 |
| 50% | $77.50 | +$25.01 |
| 75% | $79.25 | +$26.76 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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Full set checklist →Grading Hakeem Olajuwon #12 — FAQ
Is Hakeem Olajuwon #12 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Hakeem Olajuwon #12 sells for $81.00 against $2.49 raw: a $78.51 spread, 33× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($74.00) 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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