Is Shaquille O'Neal #70 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1996 Bowman's Best · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Shaquille O'Neal #70 sells for $53.43 against $3.46 raw: a $49.97 spread, 15× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($31.57) 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)
- $3.46
- PSA 10
- $53.43
- PSA 9
- $31.57
- Gem premium
- 15×
- 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 | $53.43 | +$24.97 | −$0.03 | −$100 |
| PSA 9 | $31.57 | +$3.11 | −$21.89 | −$122 |
| PSA 8 | $16.95 | −$11.51 | −$36.51 | −$137 |
Net = sale price − $3.46 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% | $37.04 | −$16.42 |
| 50% | $42.50 | −$10.96 |
| 75% | $47.96 | −$5.50 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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 | $69.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $53.43 | −$15.57 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $32.00 | −$37.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $32.00 | −$37.00 | 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.
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Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
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Grading Shaquille O'Neal #70 — FAQ
Is Shaquille O'Neal #70 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Shaquille O'Neal #70 sells for $53.43 against $3.46 raw: a $49.97 spread, 15× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($31.57) 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 #70 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Shaquille O'Neal #70 (Basketball Cards 1996 Bowman's Best) sells for about $53.43 versus $3.46 for a raw near-mint copy — a 15× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Shaquille O'Neal #70?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $69.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $53.43. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Shaquille O'Neal #70 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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