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 $400 against $5.88 raw: a $394 spread, 68× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($46.00) 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)
- $5.88
- PSA 10
- $400
- PSA 9
- $46.00
- Gem premium
- 68×
- As of
- Jul 11, 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 | $400 | +$369 | +$344 | +$244 |
| PSA 9 | $46.00 | +$15.12 | −$9.88 | −$110 |
| PSA 8 | $20.00 | −$10.88 | −$35.88 | −$136 |
Net = sale price − $5.88 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% | $135 | +$78.62 |
| 50% | $223 | +$167 |
| 75% | $312 | +$256 |
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 | $520 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $400 | −$120 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $240 | −$280 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $41.00 | −$479 | 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 →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $400 | $240 | $520 | $41.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $88.16 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $46.00 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $20.00 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $10.71 |
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 →![Karl Malone [Refractor] #215 1993 Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/Bk0AAeSwYOlnzgc1/s-l500.jpg)
![Hakeem Olajuwon [Refractor] #76 1993 Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/DIYAAeSwPvJqUw3E/s-l500.jpg)
![Chris Webber [Refractor] #212 1993 Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/3FkAAeSw50hqS6pR/s-l500.jpg)
![Larry Bird [Refractor] #2 1993 Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/qt4AAOSwV~JmCa-E/s-l500.jpg)
![Shaquille O'Neal [Refractor] #3 1993 Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/-M8AAeSw-4NqUugt/s-l500.jpg)
![Shaquille O'Neal [Refractor] #99 1993 Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/XfYAAeSwT55qVAhC/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 $400 against $5.88 raw: a $394 spread, 68× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($46.00) 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 $400 versus $5.88 for a raw near-mint copy — a 68× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Shaquille O'Neal #3?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $520, ahead of PSA 10 at $400. 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 3% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $46.00).
Is your basketball card centered well enough to grade?
Centering makes or breaks a PSA 10. Scan any card with Midpoint to measure its exact centering, get a grade estimate, and see what your copy is actually worth.
Check my card free