Is Akeem Olajuwon #2 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1989 Fleer Sticker · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Akeem Olajuwon #2 sells for $797 against $1.81 raw: a $795 spread, 440× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($30.00) 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
- PSA 10
- $797
- PSA 9
- $30.00
- Gem premium
- 440×
- 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 | $797 | +$770 | +$745 | +$645 |
| PSA 9 | $30.00 | +$3.19 | −$21.81 | −$122 |
| PSA 8 | $12.05 | −$14.76 | −$39.76 | −$140 |
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% | $222 | +$170 |
| 50% | $414 | +$362 |
| 75% | $605 | +$553 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 3%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
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 | $1,036 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $797 | −$239 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $478 | −$558 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $478 | −$558 | 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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Grading Akeem Olajuwon #2 — FAQ
Is Akeem Olajuwon #2 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Akeem Olajuwon #2 sells for $797 against $1.81 raw: a $795 spread, 440× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($30.00) 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.
How much is a PSA 10 Akeem Olajuwon #2 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Akeem Olajuwon #2 (Basketball Cards 1989 Fleer Sticker) sells for about $797 versus $1.81 for a raw near-mint copy — a 440× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Akeem Olajuwon #2?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $1,036, ahead of PSA 10 at $797. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Akeem Olajuwon #2 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.
What gem rate makes grading Akeem Olajuwon #2 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Akeem Olajuwon #2 breaks even when it gems about 3% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $30.00).
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