Shaquille O'Neal had a rare combination of dominant on-court ability and an engaging and fun-loving off-court personality. This combination endeared Shaq to fans and collectors alike. When he burst onto the NBA scene, collectors took notice immediately and the chase for Shaquille O'Neal cards pushed products to record high values. Although the values have since leveled off, there is still a special place in basketball collecting for O'Neal and his particular brand of play.
At this point, there is little short-term investment opportunities for Shaquille O'Neal memorabilia due to his retirement at the end of the 2010-11 season. Once he becomes a member of the NBA Hall of Fame, his values should see a healthy bump and his autograph should hold steady unless he abuses the autograph circuit like Pete Rose. Shaquille O'Neal cards should follow suit.
Shaquille O'Neal Rookie Card Checklist
1992-93 Fleer Basketball #401
A dark time, indeed, for card design. The matted colors and gold border do not do Shaq justice. However, it is interesting to see a standing image of Shaq and see how skinny he used to be.
1992-93 Hoops Basketball #442
The Hoops card shows a classic two-handed Shaq dunk that would become a trademark of his career. The crisp white border flows decently and make it easy to spot wear and tear.
1992-93 SkyBox Baketball #382 (SP)
The first of two short prints, the SkyBox card wins the award for most color based on the seemingly pointless and somewhat transparent red background that engulfs the top half of the card.
1992-93 Stadium Club Basketball #247
Another plain card that is given a little character with an interesting image. One wonders if Shaq plans to dunk the ball or eat it.
1992-93 Topps Basketball #362
Another full-length shot with white border, this card suffers from a pixellated image that greatly cheapens the look of the card. Be on the lookout for the short printed Topps Gold parallel of this card, which is one of the most underrated (and undervalued) of all Shaquille O'Neal cards.
1992-93 Ultra Basketball #328
The Ultra card definitely took a chance at being different and the gold foil gave the card a distinct look. The faux-marble design on the bottom seems out-of-place.
1992-93 Upper Deck Basketball #1 (SP)
The cream of the crop, the Upper Deck card is one that collectors seek most fiercely. It also maintains the highest value of the group. It showcased the only non-game image used on a Shaquille O'Neal rookie card, featuring him at three separate points as he progresses though a dunk. Adding to the appeal is the fact that this is one of Shaq's few short printed rookie cards.
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Shaquille O'Neal Autographed Memorabilia Buying Guide
Below you will find an example of what Shaquille O'Neal's authentic signature looks like. This can be used as a first point of reference for determining the legitimacy of autograph memorabilia, but is not a substitute for having your items authenticated by a well-respected professional autograph authentication company.
Signed Basketball Pricing:
Average eBay Sales Price: $200
Lowest Amazon Price:
Signed Jersey Pricing
Average eBay Sales Price: $250
Lowest Amazon Price:
Signed 8x10 Photo Pricing
Average eBay Sales Price: $85
Lowest Amazon Price:
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