Is Hakeem Olajuwon #R5 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1998 Topps Roundball Royalty · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Hakeem Olajuwon #R5 sells for $63.06 against $6.61 raw: a $56.45 spread, 9.5× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($48.54) 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)
- $6.61
- PSA 10
- $63.06
- PSA 9
- $48.54
- Gem premium
- 9.5×
- 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 — PSA 10 | $63.06 | +$31.45 | +$6.45 | −$93.55 |
| PSA 9 | $48.54 | +$16.93 | −$8.07 | −$108 |
| PSA 8 | $5.21 | −$26.40 | −$51.40 | −$151 |
Net = sale price − $6.61 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% | $52.17 | −$4.44 |
| 50% | $55.80 | −$0.81 |
| 75% | $59.43 | +$2.82 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 56%. 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 | $82.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $63.06 | −$18.94 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $38.00 | −$44.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $38.00 | −$44.00 | 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.
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Raw conditions & history →Swipe the table for the other grading companies →
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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
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![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 Hakeem Olajuwon #R5 — FAQ
Is Hakeem Olajuwon #R5 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Hakeem Olajuwon #R5 sells for $63.06 against $6.61 raw: a $56.45 spread, 9.5× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($48.54) 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.
How much is a PSA 10 Hakeem Olajuwon #R5 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Hakeem Olajuwon #R5 (Basketball Cards 1998 Topps Roundball Royalty) sells for about $63.06 versus $6.61 for a raw near-mint copy — a 9.5× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Hakeem Olajuwon #R5?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $82.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $63.06. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Hakeem Olajuwon #R5 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 #R5 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Hakeem Olajuwon #R5 breaks even when it gems about 56% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $48.54).
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