Is Shaquille O'Neal [Star Rubies] #212 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1998 Skybox Premium · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Shaquille O'Neal [Star Rubies] #212 sells for $18,535 against $10,000 raw: a $8,535 spread, 1.9× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($16,850) 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)
- $10,000
- Grade 9.5
- $18,535
- PSA 9
- $16,850
- Gem premium
- 1.9×
- 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 | $18,535 | +$8,510 | +$8,485 | +$8,385 |
| PSA 9 | $16,850 | +$6,825 | +$6,800 | +$6,700 |
| PSA 8 | $4,500 | −$5,525 | −$5,550 | −$5,650 |
Net = sale price − $10,000 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% | $17,271 | +$7,221 |
| 50% | $17,693 | +$7,643 |
| 75% | $18,114 | +$8,064 |
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 | $18,535 |
| 9 | $16,850 |
| 8 | $4,500 |
| 7 | $3,600 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
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Grading Shaquille O'Neal [Star Rubies] #212 — FAQ
Is Shaquille O'Neal [Star Rubies] #212 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Shaquille O'Neal [Star Rubies] #212 sells for $18,535 against $10,000 raw: a $8,535 spread, 1.9× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($16,850) 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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