Is Shawn Kemp #5 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1996 Skybox Z Force Big Men on Court · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Shawn Kemp #5 sells for $255 against $149 raw: a $106 spread, 1.7× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($232) 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)
- $149
- Grade 9.5
- $255
- PSA 9
- $232
- Gem premium
- 1.7×
- 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 | $255 | +$81.00 | +$56.00 | −$44.00 |
| PSA 9 | $232 | +$58.05 | +$33.05 | −$66.95 |
| PSA 8 | $131 | −$43.48 | −$68.48 | −$168 |
Net = sale price − $149 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% | $238 | +$38.79 |
| 50% | $244 | +$44.53 |
| 75% | $249 | +$50.26 |
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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Other 1996 Skybox Z Force Big Men on Court cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Shaquille O'Neal [Z-Peat] #8 1996 Skybox Z Force Big Men on Court card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/Z2IAAeSwpolqnKtV/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Shawn Kemp #5 — FAQ
Is Shawn Kemp #5 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Shawn Kemp #5 sells for $255 against $149 raw: a $106 spread, 1.7× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($232) 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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