Is Shaquille O'Neal #SB21 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1998 Topps Season's Best · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Shaquille O'Neal #SB21 sells for $239 against $12.13 raw: a $227 spread, 20× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($85.72) 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)
- $12.13
- PSA 10
- $239
- PSA 9
- $85.72
- Gem premium
- 20×
- 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 — PSA 10 | $239 | +$202 | +$177 | +$77.18 |
| PSA 9 | $85.72 | +$48.59 | +$23.59 | −$76.41 |
| PSA 8 | $9.35 | −$27.78 | −$52.78 | −$153 |
Net = sale price − $12.13 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% | $124 | +$61.99 |
| 50% | $163 | +$100 |
| 75% | $201 | +$139 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
Which grader pays the most — and what a 10 takes
All centering standards →| Grader | 10 sells for | vs best | Front centering for a 10 | Back |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BGS 10 | $311 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $239 | −$71.69 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $144 | −$167 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $44.97 | −$266 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
Tolerances are each company's published centering standard for its top grade; surface, corners and edges must also be clean. Centering is the one you can measure yourself before you pay.
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Other 1998 Topps Season's Best cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Shaquille O'Neal #SB21 — FAQ
Is Shaquille O'Neal #SB21 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Shaquille O'Neal #SB21 sells for $239 against $12.13 raw: a $227 spread, 20× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($85.72) 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.
How much is a PSA 10 Shaquille O'Neal #SB21 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Shaquille O'Neal #SB21 (Basketball Cards 1998 Topps Season's Best) sells for about $239 versus $12.13 for a raw near-mint copy — a 20× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Shaquille O'Neal #SB21?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $311, ahead of PSA 10 at $239. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Shaquille O'Neal #SB21 need for a BGS 10?
BGS publishes 55/45 front and 70/30 back centering as the tolerance for a 10 (Gem Mint). Off-center copies are capped below the top grade regardless of surface — measure yours before paying the fee.
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