Is Shaquille O'Neal #8 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1993 Ultra Scoring Kings · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Shaquille O'Neal #8 sells for $15,629 against $447 raw: a $15,182 spread, 35× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,602) 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)
- $447
- PSA 10
- $15,629
- PSA 9
- $1,602
- Gem premium
- 35×
- 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 | $15,629 | +$15,157 | +$15,132 | +$15,032 |
| PSA 9 | $1,602 | +$1,130 | +$1,105 | +$1,005 |
| PSA 8 | $1,102 | +$630 | +$605 | +$505 |
Net = sale price − $447 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% | $5,108 | +$4,611 |
| 50% | $8,615 | +$8,118 |
| 75% | $12,122 | +$11,625 |
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 | $20,317 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $15,629 | −$4,689 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $9,377 | −$10,940 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $9,377 | −$10,940 | 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 Shaquille O'Neal #8 — FAQ
Is Shaquille O'Neal #8 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Shaquille O'Neal #8 sells for $15,629 against $447 raw: a $15,182 spread, 35× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,602) 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 #8 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Shaquille O'Neal #8 (Basketball Cards 1993 Ultra Scoring Kings) sells for about $15,629 versus $447 for a raw near-mint copy — a 35× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Shaquille O'Neal #8?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $20,317, ahead of PSA 10 at $15,629. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Shaquille O'Neal #8 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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