Is Hakeem Olajuwon #24 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1996 Topps Chrome Season's Best · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 30× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Hakeem Olajuwon #24 sells for $126 against $4.20 raw: a $121 spread, 30× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($20.00) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $4.20
- PSA 10
- $126
- PSA 9
- $20.00
- Gem premium
- 30×
- 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 | $126 | +$96.36 | +$71.36 | −$28.64 |
| PSA 9 | $20.00 | −$9.20 | −$34.20 | −$134 |
| PSA 8 | $13.20 | −$16.00 | −$41.00 | −$141 |
Net = sale price − $4.20 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% | $46.39 | −$7.81 |
| 50% | $72.78 | +$18.58 |
| 75% | $99.17 | +$44.97 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 32%. 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 | $163 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $126 | −$37.44 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $75.00 | −$88.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $75.00 | −$88.00 | 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 1996 Topps Chrome Season's Best cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Hakeem Olajuwon #24 — FAQ
Is Hakeem Olajuwon #24 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Hakeem Olajuwon #24 sells for $126 against $4.20 raw: a $121 spread, 30× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($20.00) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Hakeem Olajuwon #24 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Hakeem Olajuwon #24 (Basketball Cards 1996 Topps Chrome Season's Best) sells for about $126 versus $4.20 for a raw near-mint copy — a 30× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Hakeem Olajuwon #24?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $163, ahead of PSA 10 at $126. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Hakeem Olajuwon #24 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 #24 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Hakeem Olajuwon #24 breaks even when it gems about 32% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $20.00).
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.
