Is Shaquille O'Neal #220 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1996 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Shaquille O'Neal #220 sells for $90.25 against $1.31 raw: a $88.94 spread, 69× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($27.34) 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)
- $1.31
- PSA 10
- $90.25
- PSA 9
- $27.34
- Gem premium
- 69×
- 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 | $90.25 | +$63.94 | +$38.94 | −$61.06 |
| PSA 9 | $27.34 | +$1.03 | −$23.97 | −$124 |
| PSA 8 | $7.99 | −$18.32 | −$43.32 | −$143 |
Net = sale price − $1.31 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% | $43.07 | −$8.24 |
| 50% | $58.80 | +$7.48 |
| 75% | $74.52 | +$23.21 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 38%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
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 | $117 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $90.25 | −$26.75 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $54.00 | −$63.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $54.00 | −$63.00 | 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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Grading Shaquille O'Neal #220 — FAQ
Is Shaquille O'Neal #220 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Shaquille O'Neal #220 sells for $90.25 against $1.31 raw: a $88.94 spread, 69× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($27.34) 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 #220 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Shaquille O'Neal #220 (Basketball Cards 1996 Topps) sells for about $90.25 versus $1.31 for a raw near-mint copy — a 69× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Shaquille O'Neal #220?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $117, ahead of PSA 10 at $90.25. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Shaquille O'Neal #220 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.
What gem rate makes grading Shaquille O'Neal #220 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Shaquille O'Neal #220 breaks even when it gems about 38% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $27.34).
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