Is Shaquille O'Neal #TM19 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1993 Upper Deck Team MVP's · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Shaquille O'Neal #TM19 sells for $72.00 against $1.81 raw: a $70.19 spread, 40× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($65.00) 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)
- $1.81
- Grade 9.5
- $72.00
- PSA 9
- $65.00
- Gem premium
- 40×
- 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 | $72.00 | +$45.19 | +$20.19 | −$79.81 |
| PSA 9 | $65.00 | +$38.19 | +$13.19 | −$86.81 |
| PSA 8 | $39.50 | +$12.69 | −$12.31 | −$112 |
Net = sale price − $1.81 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% | $66.75 | +$14.94 |
| 50% | $68.50 | +$16.69 |
| 75% | $70.25 | +$18.44 |
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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Grading Shaquille O'Neal #TM19 — FAQ
Is Shaquille O'Neal #TM19 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Shaquille O'Neal #TM19 sells for $72.00 against $1.81 raw: a $70.19 spread, 40× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($65.00) 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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