![Shaquille O'Neal [Hot Packs] #8 (Basketball Cards 1995 Ultra Scoring Kings) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/ko8AAeSwRydqc5Jy/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Shaquille O'Neal [Hot Packs] #8 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1995 Ultra Scoring Kings · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Shaquille O'Neal [Hot Packs] #8 sells for $1,238 against $71.17 raw: a $1,167 spread, 17× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,125) 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)
- $71.17
- Grade 9.5
- $1,238
- PSA 9
- $1,125
- Gem premium
- 17×
- 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 | $1,238 | +$1,142 | +$1,117 | +$1,017 |
| PSA 9 | $1,125 | +$1,029 | +$1,004 | +$904 |
| PSA 8 | $55.05 | −$41.12 | −$66.12 | −$166 |
Net = sale price − $71.17 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% | $1,153 | +$1,032 |
| 50% | $1,182 | +$1,060 |
| 75% | $1,210 | +$1,089 |
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 1995 Ultra Scoring Kings cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
![Grant Hill [Hot Packs] #2 1995 Ultra Scoring Kings card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/53EAAeSwNEdpyrbq/s-l500.jpg)
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Grading Shaquille O'Neal [Hot Packs] #8 — FAQ
Is Shaquille O'Neal [Hot Packs] #8 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Shaquille O'Neal [Hot Packs] #8 sells for $1,238 against $71.17 raw: a $1,167 spread, 17× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,125) 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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