1998 Metal Universe Gem Master

[boilerup218]

Hey everyone - this is my first post and I just joined the forum. In the last few months I finally collected all of my childhood basketball and baseball cards from my parents house. Most the cards are 1996-2001 basketball cards, including many of the Metal sets. All cards were kept in penny sleeves and top loaders and rarely moved in the last 20 years. I've started going through them and am wanting to sell what I can.

The reason for this post is I have the 1998 Metal Universe Hakeem Olajuwon Gem Master 1/1. I have struggled to find any previous auction sales of a 1998 Gem Master. After being out the hobby for 20 years, I've done some reading and research the last week and have seem the desirability for these Metal Universe sets. I have a couple questions for the forum:

1. Should I get it graded before selling? Does that make sense to do with a 1/1? I'm guessing it would come back at a PSA 7 or 8.

2. Any idea on the current market value for this card? I know it's tough because of the 1/1 status.

Any thoughts or comments are greatly appreciated!

[GeechQuest]

Originally Posted by boilerup218

Hey everyone - this is my first post and I just joined the forum. In the last few months I finally collected all of my childhood basketball and baseball cards from my parents house. Most the cards are 1996-2001 basketball cards, including many of the Metal sets. All cards were kept in penny sleeves and top loaders and rarely moved in the last 20 years. I've started going through them and am wanting to sell what I can.

The reason for this post is I have the 1998 Metal Universe Hakeem Olajuwon Gem Master 1/1. I have struggled to find any previous auction sales of a 1998 Gem Master. After being out the hobby for 20 years, I've done some reading and research the last week and have seem the desirability for these Metal Universe sets. I have a couple questions for the forum:

1. Should I get it graded before selling? Does that make sense to do with a 1/1? I'm guessing it would come back at a PSA 7 or 8.

2. Any idea on the current market value for this card? I know it's tough because of the 1/1 status.

Any thoughts or comments are greatly appreciated!

That is a HUGE card.

I’m never pro-grading, but if you’re selling it getting it graded is probably the best idea. The grade on something like that is likely irrelevant. Those don’t grade Gem and the guys going after it are going to pay up if it’s a 6,7,8,etc...

Honestly the value is a complete crap shoot. 5 figures wouldn’t surprise me.

Do not undersell it you’re plan is to sell. Send it to an auction house (PWCC, Goldin) and let them run it for 30 days.

Alan Henderson did $4K. Do not undersell to sharks who will reach out. Auction house or don’t sell.

[BLongley]

Grading could add value to help confirm authentication, but otherwise graded doesn’t add much value on a card like this.

It will be worth a lot .... who knows how much though ..., $20k, $30k? This market is hot on rare late 90s and there are a few big collectors that chase the gem masters when they show up.

[ClipsandVols]

I'd grade it for authentication purposes. Congrats on your brand new car!

[GiantPirate]

Absolutely grade it and take every measure to ensure it gets done safely and quickly, don't spare expense in this area. That's a huge card!

[4Rookie4]

That is a big time card! Good luck with whatever you decide to do with it.

[thenwhatjk]

Absolutely do not sell it to anyone sending you messages on here

[ClipsandVols]

Originally Posted by thenwhatjk

Absolutely do not sell it to anyone sending you messages on here

100%. This needs to be auctioned if you want to maximize your return.

[Zedlaw]

The 98 David Robinson PMG just got $2.7k last night. The gem masters has got to be a 10x multiplier. Nuts, amazing card. I echo sending it to an auction house after grading. Let the big boys fight it out, there’s really no telling how high it could go

[cboog3105]

Pics op pics!

Would love to see this baby

Sent from my GM1915 using Tapatalk

[Jopeal]

Take your time with this card.

[kobebeast2020]

Allen Henderson raw just sold for 4K (already mentioned my bad)

[tyrith]

Grading, in this case, serves the following purposes -

1) Authentication, as has been said.
2) Putting a grade on it means that the buyer and the seller are on the same page about the condition of the card.
3) The best auction houses are generally only selling slabbed cards now.

Like others have said - for something like this, pay the $500-$1000 it'll take to get it slabbed, then send it to a high grade auction. You don't want to risk selling it yourself, because even with graded cards there can be complications, and this is a lot of money.

[adam711]

Definitely need to see a pic of this one! Did you pull it from a pack? If Alan Henderson gets 4k who knows what Hakeem would get.

[kobebeast2020]

I would guess btwn 30 and 40 K ??

[kobebeast2020]

Congrats on the killer find !

[bberns]

OP - lots of good advice in this thread re: grading and auction house.

[jcardstore]

Originally Posted by GeechQuest

That is a HUGE card.

I’m never pro-grading, but if you’re selling it getting it graded is probably the best idea. The grade on something like that is likely irrelevant. Those don’t grade Gem and the guys going after it are going to pay up if it’s a 6,7,8,etc...

Honestly the value is a complete crap shoot. 5 figures wouldn’t surprise me.

Do not undersell it you’re plan is to sell. Send it to an auction house (PWCC, Goldin) and let them run it for 30 days.

Alan Henderson did $4K. Do not undersell to sharks who will reach out. Auction house or don’t sell.

This is excellent advice.

[Ericc5Bears]

Yeah lol if a career 7 PPG scorer went for 4k raw I'd imagine that a top 20 player of all time would do at least 10x that. Absolutely massive card and please listen to the advice in this thread, 100% get it graded 100% send it to PWCC.

[rainmaker]

Kudos you are sitting on a small fortune and now is possibly the best time to find it. If your intent is to sell you should get it authenticated and auction between now and spring training. Basketball market is scorching hot and only going to get hotter for the foreseeable future. Capitalize on it

And do share a photo please!

[PelicanFly]

Has there been a Metal Gem Masters sold since the 2018 boom? There's a Bobby Jackson on Worthpoint from 2017. Put it on ebay 10 day auction and let it rip or make sure that thing is insured(make sure you scan it, take pictures, and document the thing) and send it off to an auction house. Congrats OP on holding this long.

[Orangejello727]

Originally Posted by PelicanFly

Has there been a Metal Gem Masters sold since the 2018 boom? There's a Bobby Jackson on Worthpoint from 2017. Put it on ebay 10 day auction and let it rip or make sure that thing is insured(make sure you scan it, take pictures, and document the thing) and send it off to an auction house. Congrats OP on holding this long.

some guy bought a pippen on a steal this past year. Though I dont think he has the card, he never showed it. I always thought someone bought it from under him and he was compensated for it

[boilerup218]

THANK YOU for all the advice, it is greatly appreciated. My plan is to pay the $1000 to have it graded at PSA and sell via auction at PWCC. It's been a blast going through all of my old cards. I'm finding multiples of players for the 1997 and 1998 metal universe sets. It's wild to me how these sets have taken off in value!

To give you the story of the card. On Christmas day in 1998 my brother and I received two boxes of basketball cards, one 1998 topps chrome and one 1998 metal universe. We pulled the Olajuwon Gem Master out of the 1998 metal universe box and the Vince Carter rookie refractor out of the topps chrome box. We knew the value at the time, etc. We stopped collecting around 2002 and our collection has been sitting in a closet in my parents house untouched.

I didn't realize how valuable these actually were today! Again, thank you for all comments and suggestions. My plan is send off anything with value to get graded and sell at PWCC.

Here's a couple pics of the Olajuwon! Visible scratches are on the case, not the card. It's been in the case since it was pulled.

[GeechQuest]

Originally Posted by boilerup218

THANK YOU for all the advice, it is greatly appreciated. My plan is to pay the $1000 to have it graded at PSA and sell via auction at PWCC. It's been a blast going through all of my old cards. I'm finding multiples of players for the 1997 and 1998 metal universe sets. It's wild to me how these sets have taken off in value!

To give you the story of the card. On Christmas day in 1998 my brother and I received two boxes of basketball cards, one 1998 topps chrome and one 1998 metal universe. We pulled the Olajuwon Gem Master out of the 1998 metal universe box and the Vince Carter rookie refractor out of the topps chrome box. We knew the value at the time, etc. We stopped collecting around 2002 and our collection has been sitting in a closet in my parents house untouched.

I didn't realize how valuable these actually were today! Again, thank you for all comments and suggestions. My plan is send off anything with value to get graded and sell at PWCC.

Here's a couple pics of the Olajuwon! Visible scratches are on the case, not the card. It's been in the case since it was pulled.

Absolutely insane story man. Congratulations!

I’ll be watching for it and cheering you on from the sidelines.

[kingofsnake]

Originally Posted by boilerup218

THANK YOU for all the advice, it is greatly appreciated. My plan is to pay the $1000 to have it graded at PSA and sell via auction at PWCC. It's been a blast going through all of my old cards. I'm finding multiples of players for the 1997 and 1998 metal universe sets. It's wild to me how these sets have taken off in value!

To give you the story of the card. On Christmas day in 1998 my brother and I received two boxes of basketball cards, one 1998 topps chrome and one 1998 metal universe. We pulled the Olajuwon Gem Master out of the 1998 metal universe box and the Vince Carter rookie refractor out of the topps chrome box. We knew the value at the time, etc. We stopped collecting around 2002 and our collection has been sitting in a closet in my parents house untouched.

I didn't realize how valuable these actually were today! Again, thank you for all comments and suggestions. My plan is send off anything with value to get graded and sell at PWCC.

Here's a couple pics of the Olajuwon! Visible scratches are on the case, not the card. It's been in the case since it was pulled.

Very nice Hakeem card (and nice-looking). Congratulations.