Is Shaquille O'Neal #1 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1996 Stadium Club Gallery Player's Private Issue · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Shaquille O'Neal #1 sells for $149 against $71.00 raw: a $78.00 spread, 2.1× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($135) 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)
- $71.00
- Grade 9.5
- $149
- PSA 9
- $135
- Gem premium
- 2.1×
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $149 | +$53.00 | +$28.00 | −$72.00 |
| PSA 9 | $135 | +$39.00 | +$14.00 | −$86.00 |
| PSA 8 | $67.00 | −$29.00 | −$54.00 | −$154 |
Net = sale price − $71.00 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% | $139 | +$17.50 |
| 50% | $142 | +$21.00 |
| 75% | $146 | +$24.50 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | Graded |
|---|---|
| 9.5 | $149 |
| 9 | $135 |
| 8 | $67.00 |
Run your own numbers
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Grading Shaquille O'Neal #1 — FAQ
Is Shaquille O'Neal #1 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Shaquille O'Neal #1 sells for $149 against $71.00 raw: a $78.00 spread, 2.1× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($135) 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.
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.
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