Is Shaquille O'Neal [Refractor, w/Coating] #R9 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1998 Topps Roundball Royalty · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Shaquille O'Neal [Refractor, w/Coating] #R9 sells for $660 against $73.50 raw: a $587 spread, 9.0× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($600) 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)
- $73.50
- Grade 9.5
- $660
- PSA 9
- $600
- Gem premium
- 9.0×
- 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 | $660 | +$562 | +$537 | +$437 |
| PSA 9 | $600 | +$502 | +$477 | +$377 |
| PSA 8 | $500 | +$402 | +$377 | +$277 |
Net = sale price − $73.50 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% | $615 | +$492 |
| 50% | $630 | +$507 |
| 75% | $645 | +$522 |
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 →Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1998 Topps Roundball Royalty cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![John Stockton [Refractor] #R11 1998 Topps Roundball Royalty card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/I-gAAeSwur5qD2Fy/s-l500.jpg)
![Kobe Bryant [Refractor] #R18 1998 Topps Roundball Royalty card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/PksAAeSw3ehqR-2V/s-l500.jpg)
![Shaquille O'Neal [Refractor] #R9 1998 Topps Roundball Royalty card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/Av4AAeSwgqhqm5Ux/s-l500.jpg)
![Michael Jordan [w/Coating] #R1 1998 Topps Roundball Royalty card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/gd8AAeSwZZBqDTOg/s-l500.jpg)
![Kobe Bryant [Refractor, w/Coating] #R18 1998 Topps Roundball Royalty card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/bK0AAeSwGFpqlPXC/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Shaquille O'Neal [Refractor, w/Coating] #R9 — FAQ
Is Shaquille O'Neal [Refractor, w/Coating] #R9 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Shaquille O'Neal [Refractor, w/Coating] #R9 sells for $660 against $73.50 raw: a $587 spread, 9.0× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($600) 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.
Best on iPhone & Android
Check your basketball card in the Midpoint app
Scan with your camera to measure centering to the millimeter, get an AI grade with corner and edge close-ups, see what your copy is worth, and track it in your portfolio. Free to start.
