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 $21,296 against $10,000 raw: a $11,296 spread, 2.1× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($19,360) 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
- $21,296
- PSA 9
- $19,360
- Gem premium
- 2.1×
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $21,296 | +$11,271 | +$11,246 | +$11,146 |
| PSA 9 | $19,360 | +$9,335 | +$9,310 | +$9,210 |
| PSA 8 | $17,600 | +$7,575 | +$7,550 | +$7,450 |
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% | $19,844 | +$9,794 |
| 50% | $20,328 | +$10,278 |
| 75% | $20,812 | +$10,762 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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Full set checklist →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 $21,296 against $10,000 raw: a $11,296 spread, 2.1× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($19,360) 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.
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