Is Shaquille O'Neal [Bordered Refractor] #M12 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1996 Topps Mystery Finest · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Shaquille O'Neal [Bordered Refractor] #M12 sells for $114 against $31.38 raw: a $82.62 spread, 3.6× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($103) 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)
- $31.38
- Grade 9.5
- $114
- PSA 9
- $103
- Gem premium
- 3.6×
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $114 | +$57.62 | +$32.62 | −$67.38 |
| PSA 9 | $103 | +$47.08 | +$22.08 | −$77.92 |
| PSA 8 | $63.00 | +$6.62 | −$18.38 | −$118 |
Net = sale price − $31.38 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% | $106 | +$24.72 |
| 50% | $109 | +$27.35 |
| 75% | $111 | +$29.98 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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Raw conditions & history →Run your own numbers
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![Shaquille O'Neal [Refractor] #M12 1996 Topps Mystery Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/BPoAAeSw-jdqUAz~/s-l500.jpg)
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Grading Shaquille O'Neal [Bordered Refractor] #M12 — FAQ
Is Shaquille O'Neal [Bordered Refractor] #M12 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Shaquille O'Neal [Bordered Refractor] #M12 sells for $114 against $31.38 raw: a $82.62 spread, 3.6× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($103) 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.
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