Is Shaquille O'Neal #4 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1997 Metal Universe Championship Galaxy · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Shaquille O'Neal #4 sells for $2,649 against $750 raw: a $1,899 spread, 3.5× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($2,425) 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)
- $750
- PSA 10
- $2,649
- PSA 9
- $2,425
- Gem premium
- 3.5×
- As of
- Nov 8, 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 | $2,649 | +$1,874 | +$1,849 | +$1,749 |
| PSA 9 | $2,425 | +$1,650 | +$1,625 | +$1,525 |
| PSA 8 | $403 | −$372 | −$397 | −$497 |
Net = sale price − $750 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% | $2,481 | +$1,681 |
| 50% | $2,537 | +$1,737 |
| 75% | $2,593 | +$1,793 |
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 | $3,444 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $2,649 | −$795 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $1,589 | −$1,855 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $1,060 | −$2,384 | 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 1997 Metal Universe Championship Galaxy cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Shaquille O'Neal #4 — FAQ
Is Shaquille O'Neal #4 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Shaquille O'Neal #4 sells for $2,649 against $750 raw: a $1,899 spread, 3.5× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($2,425) 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 #4 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Shaquille O'Neal #4 (Basketball Cards 1997 Metal Universe Championship Galaxy) sells for about $2,649 versus $750 for a raw near-mint copy — a 3.5× premium as of Nov 8, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Shaquille O'Neal #4?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $3,444, ahead of PSA 10 at $2,649. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Shaquille O'Neal #4 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.
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.
