![Shaquille O'Neal [Borderless Refractor] #M12 (Basketball Cards 1996 Topps Mystery Finest) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/gxEAAeSweqlquDto/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Shaquille O'Neal [Borderless 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 [Borderless Refractor] #M12 sells for $195 against $51.00 raw: a $144 spread, 3.8× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($178) 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)
- $51.00
- Grade 9.5
- $195
- PSA 9
- $178
- Gem premium
- 3.8×
- 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 | $195 | +$119 | +$94.00 | −$6.00 |
| PSA 9 | $178 | +$102 | +$76.50 | −$23.50 |
| PSA 8 | $79.50 | +$3.50 | −$21.50 | −$122 |
Net = sale price − $51.00 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% | $182 | +$80.88 |
| 50% | $186 | +$85.25 |
| 75% | $191 | +$89.63 |
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
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1996 Topps Mystery Finest cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Scottie Pippen [Borderless Refractor] #M1 1996 Topps Mystery Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/t2YAAeSwzotphT61/s-l500.jpg)
![Dennis Rodman [Refractor] #M7 1996 Topps Mystery Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/wD0AAeSwi8lqrMW0/s-l500.jpg)
![Shaquille O'Neal [Refractor] #M12 1996 Topps Mystery Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/BPoAAeSw-jdqUAz~/s-l500.jpg)
![Anfernee Hardaway [Borderless Refractor] #M3 1996 Topps Mystery Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/cIwAAeSwYQVqlr58/s-l500.jpg)
![Michael Jordan [Borderless] #M14 1996 Topps Mystery Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/mjYAAeSwsqlqeynF/s-l500.jpg)
![Michael Jordan [Super Team NBA Finals] #M14 1996 Topps Mystery Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/PnMAAeSw5ctqdWBn/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Shaquille O'Neal [Borderless Refractor] #M12 — FAQ
Is Shaquille O'Neal [Borderless Refractor] #M12 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Shaquille O'Neal [Borderless Refractor] #M12 sells for $195 against $51.00 raw: a $144 spread, 3.8× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($178) 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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