Is Hakeem Olajuwon #61 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1997 Metal Universe Championship · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 114× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Hakeem Olajuwon #61 sells for $162 against $1.42 raw: a $161 spread, 114× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($23.00) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $1.42
- PSA 10
- $162
- PSA 9
- $23.00
- Gem premium
- 114×
- As of
- Jul 11, 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 | $162 | +$136 | +$111 | +$10.83 |
| PSA 9 | $23.00 | −$3.42 | −$28.42 | −$128 |
| PSA 8 | $13.40 | −$13.02 | −$38.02 | −$138 |
Net = sale price − $1.42 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% | $57.81 | +$6.39 |
| 50% | $92.63 | +$41.20 |
| 75% | $127 | +$76.02 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 20%. 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 | $211 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $162 | −$48.75 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $97.00 | −$114 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $97.00 | −$114 | 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.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $162 | $97.00 | $211 | $97.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $32.04 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $23.00 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $13.40 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $9.99 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1997 Metal Universe Championship cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Hakeem Olajuwon #61 — FAQ
Is Hakeem Olajuwon #61 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Hakeem Olajuwon #61 sells for $162 against $1.42 raw: a $161 spread, 114× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($23.00) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Hakeem Olajuwon #61 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Hakeem Olajuwon #61 (Basketball Cards 1997 Metal Universe Championship) sells for about $162 versus $1.42 for a raw near-mint copy — a 114× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Hakeem Olajuwon #61?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $211, ahead of PSA 10 at $162. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Hakeem Olajuwon #61 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 Hakeem Olajuwon #61 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Hakeem Olajuwon #61 breaks even when it gems about 20% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $23.00).
Is your basketball card centered well enough to grade?
Centering makes or breaks a PSA 10. Scan any card with Midpoint to measure its exact centering, get a grade estimate, and see what your copy is actually worth.
Check my card free
