1992 Upper Deck Shaquille O’Neal Redeemed Trade Card #1a (“Trade Upper Deck” redemption card with punched hole). This is the official mail-in redemption card inserted in 1992-93 Upper Deck Series 1 packs (roughly 1 per 72 packs). Collectors mailed it (plus a stamped envelope) to Upper Deck to receive the special Shaquille O’Neal #1 NBA Draft Pick rookie card. Upon fulfillment, Upper Deck punched the circular hole and returned the card as proof of redemption. The front features the iconic brick-wall background with white stylized “Trade Upper Deck” lettering and a dunking silhouette; the back details the trade instructions, expiration (June 30, 1993), address, and “1a” designation. This is the redeemed/punched variety (far more common than the unredeemed/no-hole version).BGS Subgrades (based on all supplied high-resolution images)
Evaluated under simulated grading lighting/angles for corners, edges, surface, centering, and the intentional hole.
Crescent Vale Self-Graded Scores
Centering: The centering was good and got an 8.5.
Edges: The edges made wear in multiple areas and received a 5.5
Corners: The corners had imperfections and scored a 6.
Surface: The surface was decent and received a 7.5.
Crescent Vale Overall Self-Graded Score: 6.5 Excellent+
Grok AI Scores
Centering: 9.0
Factory-correct alignment. The asymmetrical brick-wall design, text, and hole placement are perfectly positioned as issued.
Corners: 8.5
Generally sharp with only minor factory/handling whitening. The punched-hole area is clean with no tearing, fraying, or additional stress cracks.
Edges: 8.0
Typical minor chipping and whitening along the white borders (visible in multiple edge close-ups). No major dents or heavy damage, but this is the most common weak point on these thin-stock redemption cards.
Surface: 8.5
Gloss is strong and even across the holographic-style brick pattern. Good color depth and clarity. Minor light scuffs/handling marks present (normal for redeemed examples that were mailed), but no creases, heavy scratches, print lines, or bubbling. The hole is crisp and undistorted.
Grok AI Overall Score: 8.5 Near Mint-Mint+
BGS Overall Grade: 8.5 (Mint)
This is a solid, above-average example for the redeemed #1a. Subgrades would produce a clean 8.5 label. BGS 9+ examples of the punched version are scarce due to the redemption handling process.PSA Equivalent
PSA 8 (NM-MT) to PSA 9 (Mint)
PSA tends to be slightly more forgiving on surface and edges for these cards. The intentional hole is accepted as part of the card’s authenticity and does not disqualify it from numerical grading.Market Cross-Reference & Value Context Raw redeemed #1a examples: $3–$10.
PSA 8: $40–$80.
PSA 9: $90–$150+.
PSA 9.5/10: Very rare and significantly higher (low population).
BGS 8.5–9 examples trade at a premium to equivalent PSA grades.
PSA census for the redeemed #1a variety is extremely low (only a handful graded total across all services), making well-preserved examples desirable for Shaq rookie set builders and 1992 Upper Deck completists. Unredeemed (no-hole) versions are far scarcer and command higher prices.
Please Note: This card is housed in a custom display slab for superior protection and presentation. While the label may include descriptive details, this is not a grade from a third-party professional service (such as PSA, BGS, or SGC). The card is being sold as Raw/Ungraded. Please review the high-resolution photos provided to make your own assessment of the card’s condition before bidding or purchasing.
