![Shaquille O'Neal [Refractor] #SB21 (Basketball Cards 1998 Topps Chrome Season's Best) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/CpEAAeSwnN9qYyyV/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Shaquille O'Neal [Refractor] #SB21 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1998 Topps Chrome Season's Best · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Shaquille O'Neal [Refractor] #SB21 sells for $448 against $36.52 raw: a $412 spread, 12× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($159) 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)
- $36.52
- PSA 10
- $448
- PSA 9
- $159
- Gem premium
- 12×
- 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 | $448 | +$387 | +$362 | +$262 |
| PSA 9 | $159 | +$97.49 | +$72.49 | −$27.51 |
| PSA 8 | $51.00 | −$10.52 | −$35.52 | −$136 |
Net = sale price − $36.52 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% | $231 | +$145 |
| 50% | $304 | +$217 |
| 75% | $376 | +$289 |
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 | $583 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $448 | −$135 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $269 | −$314 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $269 | −$314 | 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 | $448 | $269 | $583 | $269 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $175 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $159 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $51.00 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1998 Topps Chrome Season's Best cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Bobby Jackson [Refractor] #SB30 1998 Topps Chrome Season's Best card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/1OsAAeSwgH9pr6ty/s-l500.jpg)
![Steve Smith [Refractor] #SB8 1998 Topps Chrome Season's Best card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/lhQAAeSwvU5qT7Ln/s-l500.jpg)
![Glenn Robinson [Refractor] #SB14 1998 Topps Chrome Season's Best card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/BQkAAeSw28ppxZm6/s-l500.jpg)
![Shareef Abdur-Rahim [Refractor] #SB13 1998 Topps Chrome Season's Best card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/4scAAeSwRfVqIxaC/s-l500.jpg)
![Hakeem Olajuwon [Refractor] #SB25 1998 Topps Chrome Season's Best card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/6UcAAeSwAY9qY7xE/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Shaquille O'Neal [Refractor] #SB21 — FAQ
Is Shaquille O'Neal [Refractor] #SB21 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Shaquille O'Neal [Refractor] #SB21 sells for $448 against $36.52 raw: a $412 spread, 12× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($159) 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 [Refractor] #SB21 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Shaquille O'Neal [Refractor] #SB21 (Basketball Cards 1998 Topps Chrome Season's Best) sells for about $448 versus $36.52 for a raw near-mint copy — a 12× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Shaquille O'Neal [Refractor] #SB21?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $583, ahead of PSA 10 at $448. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Shaquille O'Neal [Refractor] #SB21 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.
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.
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