Is Hakeem Olajuwon [Rainbow] #BN3 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1994 Hoops Big Numbers · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Hakeem Olajuwon [Rainbow] #BN3 sells for $77.00 against $1.53 raw: a $75.47 spread, 50× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($69.75) 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)
- $1.53
- Grade 9.5
- $77.00
- PSA 9
- $69.75
- Gem premium
- 50×
- 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 | $77.00 | +$50.47 | +$25.47 | −$74.53 |
| PSA 9 | $69.75 | +$43.22 | +$18.22 | −$81.78 |
Net = sale price − $1.53 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% | $71.56 | +$20.03 |
| 50% | $73.38 | +$21.84 |
| 75% | $75.19 | +$23.66 |
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 1994 Hoops Big Numbers cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Shaquille O'Neal [Rainbow] #BN5 1994 Hoops Big Numbers card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/dSUAAeSwiipqnh~T/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Hakeem Olajuwon [Rainbow] #BN3 — FAQ
Is Hakeem Olajuwon [Rainbow] #BN3 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Hakeem Olajuwon [Rainbow] #BN3 sells for $77.00 against $1.53 raw: a $75.47 spread, 50× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($69.75) 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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