Is Shaquille O'Neal #55 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1996 Ultra · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Shaquille O'Neal #55 sells for $93.48 against $2.82 raw: a $90.66 spread, 33× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($39.99) 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)
- $2.82
- PSA 10
- $93.48
- PSA 9
- $39.99
- Gem premium
- 33×
- 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 | $93.48 | +$65.66 | +$40.66 | −$59.34 |
| PSA 9 | $39.99 | +$12.17 | −$12.83 | −$113 |
| PSA 8 | $11.99 | −$15.83 | −$40.83 | −$141 |
Net = sale price − $2.82 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% | $53.36 | +$0.54 |
| 50% | $66.73 | +$13.91 |
| 75% | $80.11 | +$27.29 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 24%. 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 | $122 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $93.48 | −$28.52 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $56.00 | −$66.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $56.00 | −$66.00 | 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 #55 — FAQ
Is Shaquille O'Neal #55 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Shaquille O'Neal #55 sells for $93.48 against $2.82 raw: a $90.66 spread, 33× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($39.99) 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 #55 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Shaquille O'Neal #55 (Basketball Cards 1996 Ultra) sells for about $93.48 versus $2.82 for a raw near-mint copy — a 33× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Shaquille O'Neal #55?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $122, ahead of PSA 10 at $93.48. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Shaquille O'Neal #55 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 #55 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Shaquille O'Neal #55 breaks even when it gems about 24% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $39.99).
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