Is Hakeem Olajuwon #2 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1996 Topps Chrome Season's Best · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Hakeem Olajuwon #2 sells for $157 against $5.50 raw: a $151 spread, 29× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($35.00) 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)
- $5.50
- PSA 10
- $157
- PSA 9
- $35.00
- Gem premium
- 29×
- 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 | $157 | +$126 | +$101 | +$1.39 |
| PSA 9 | $35.00 | +$4.50 | −$20.50 | −$121 |
| PSA 8 | $9.99 | −$20.51 | −$45.51 | −$146 |
Net = sale price − $5.50 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% | $65.47 | +$9.97 |
| 50% | $95.94 | +$40.44 |
| 75% | $126 | +$70.92 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 17%. 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 | $204 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $157 | −$47.11 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $94.00 | −$110 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $94.00 | −$110 | 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 | $157 | $94.00 | $204 | $94.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $55.07 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $35.00 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $9.99 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1996 Topps Chrome Season's Best cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Hakeem Olajuwon #2 — FAQ
Is Hakeem Olajuwon #2 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Hakeem Olajuwon #2 sells for $157 against $5.50 raw: a $151 spread, 29× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($35.00) 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 Hakeem Olajuwon #2 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Hakeem Olajuwon #2 (Basketball Cards 1996 Topps Chrome Season's Best) sells for about $157 versus $5.50 for a raw near-mint copy — a 29× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Hakeem Olajuwon #2?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $204, ahead of PSA 10 at $157. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Hakeem 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 Hakeem Olajuwon #2 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Hakeem Olajuwon #2 breaks even when it gems about 17% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $35.00).
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
