Shaquille O’Neal has broken records on the court — and now, he’s doing it in the collectibles world too. On November 9, a 2013 Panini Prizm Gold Prizm card featuring the NBA legend sold for an eye-popping $31,200 at auction. The card, serial-numbered to just ten copies and graded PSA 10 Gem Mint, now holds the title of most expensive Shaquille O’Neal Prizm card ever sold.
That kind of number speaks volumes about where the sports card hobby stands today. What was once a quiet corner of fandom has evolved into a global market where athletes, investors, and die-hard collectors all compete for rare pieces of basketball history. Early Panini-era Gold Prizms, especially those from 2012 and 2013, have become the crown jewels for collectors chasing that perfect mix of nostalgia, design, and scarcity.
To put this sale into perspective, Shaq’s 2013 Gold Prizm outperformed a BGS 9.5 copy of the same card by more than $25,000, and even edged out a BGS 10 Pristine of his 2012 Gold Prizm, which usually sells for more than PSA 10s. Clearly, collectors are seeing something special in the 2013 version.
And it’s easy to understand why. The 2013 Prizms have an unmistakable shimmer that photos can’t quite capture — they just pop in person. Plus, the gold border of this card perfectly complements Shaq’s iconic Lakers jersey, creating that coveted “color match” effect that modern collectors love. The result? A card that doesn’t just represent a moment in time — it glows with it.
While it’s impossible to predict the future of card values, one thing seems certain: the Gold Prizm /10 series has secured its place in hobby history. As the hobby moves further away from Panini’s NBA licensing era, cards like these — particularly the 2012 and 2013 Gold Prizms — are being recognized as defining pieces of modern basketball collecting.
Shaq himself is no stranger to the world of collectibles. Beyond his own cards, he’s been known to surprise fans with signed memorabilia and has even shown interest in the growing digital collectibles scene. For someone who’s always larger than life — from the hardwood to Hollywood — it’s only fitting that his cards continue to make headlines decades after his playing days.
Whether this latest sale becomes a lasting benchmark or just the start of another wave, one thing’s clear: when it comes to Shaq Diesel, everything he touches — including his trading cards — tends to turn to gold.