Is Shaquille O'Neal #H2 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1998 Finest Hardwood Honors · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Shaquille O'Neal #H2 sells for $283 against $200 raw: a $83.01 spread, 1.4× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($257) 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)
- $200
- Grade 9.5
- $283
- PSA 9
- $257
- Gem premium
- 1.4×
- 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 | $283 | +$58.01 | +$33.01 | −$66.99 |
| PSA 9 | $257 | +$32.01 | +$7.01 | −$92.99 |
Net = sale price − $200 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% | $264 | +$13.51 |
| 50% | $270 | +$20.01 |
| 75% | $277 | +$26.51 |
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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Grading Shaquille O'Neal #H2 — FAQ
Is Shaquille O'Neal #H2 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Shaquille O'Neal #H2 sells for $283 against $200 raw: a $83.01 spread, 1.4× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($257) 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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