Is Shaquille O'Neal #3 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1993 Finest · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Shaquille O'Neal #3 sells for $825 against $21.31 raw: a $804 spread, 39× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($63.00) 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)
- $21.31
- PSA 10
- $825
- PSA 9
- $63.00
- Gem premium
- 39×
- 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 | $825 | +$779 | +$754 | +$654 |
| PSA 9 | $63.00 | +$16.69 | −$8.31 | −$108 |
| PSA 8 | $35.50 | −$10.81 | −$35.81 | −$136 |
Net = sale price − $21.31 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% | $254 | +$182 |
| 50% | $444 | +$373 |
| 75% | $635 | +$563 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 1%. 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 | $1,073 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $825 | −$248 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $495 | −$578 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $95.50 | −$978 | 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.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →Swipe the table for the other grading companies →
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1993 Finest cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Hakeem Olajuwon [Refractor] #76 1993 Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/DIYAAeSwPvJqUw3E/s-l500.jpg)
![Karl Malone [Refractor] #215 1993 Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/Bk0AAeSwYOlnzgc1/s-l500.jpg)
![Shaquille O'Neal [Refractor] #3 1993 Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/-M8AAeSw-4NqUugt/s-l500.jpg)
![Chris Webber [Refractor] #212 1993 Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/3FkAAeSw50hqS6pR/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Shaquille O'Neal #3 — FAQ
Is Shaquille O'Neal #3 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Shaquille O'Neal #3 sells for $825 against $21.31 raw: a $804 spread, 39× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($63.00) 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 Shaquille O'Neal #3 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Shaquille O'Neal #3 (Basketball Cards 1993 Finest) sells for about $825 versus $21.31 for a raw near-mint copy — a 39× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Shaquille O'Neal #3?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $1,073, ahead of PSA 10 at $825. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Shaquille O'Neal #3 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 Shaquille O'Neal #3 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Shaquille O'Neal #3 breaks even when it gems about 1% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $63.00).
Best on iPhone & Android
Check your basketball card in the Midpoint app
Scan with your camera to measure centering to the millimeter, get an AI grade with corner and edge close-ups, see what your copy is worth, and track it in your portfolio. Free to start.
