Is Shaquille O'Neal #L5 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1998 Topps Legacies · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Shaquille O'Neal #L5 sells for $272 against $25.25 raw: a $247 spread, 11× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($247) 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)
- $25.25
- Grade 9.5
- $272
- PSA 9
- $247
- Gem premium
- 11×
- 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 | $272 | +$222 | +$197 | +$96.75 |
| PSA 9 | $247 | +$197 | +$172 | +$71.75 |
| PSA 8 | $125 | +$74.75 | +$49.75 | −$50.25 |
Net = sale price − $25.25 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% | $253 | +$178 |
| 50% | $260 | +$184 |
| 75% | $266 | +$191 |
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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Grading Shaquille O'Neal #L5 — FAQ
Is Shaquille O'Neal #L5 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Shaquille O'Neal #L5 sells for $272 against $25.25 raw: a $247 spread, 11× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($247) 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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