Is Lionel Messi #1 worth grading?
Soccer · Soccer Cards 2026 Panini Prizm Monopoly FIFA World Cup · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Lionel Messi #1 sells for $299 against $3.25 raw: a $296 spread, 92× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($32.50) 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)
- $3.25
- PSA 10
- $299
- PSA 9
- $32.50
- Gem premium
- 92×
- As of
- Jul 11, 2026
Break-even by outcome and fee
| If it comes back… | Sells for | Economy / bulk (~$25.00) | Standard (~$50.00) | Express (~$150) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gem — PSA 10 | $299 | +$271 | +$246 | +$146 |
| PSA 9 | $32.50 | +$4.25 | −$20.75 | −$121 |
| PSA 8 | $8.02 | −$20.23 | −$45.23 | −$145 |
Net = sale price − $3.25 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% | $99.13 | +$45.88 |
| 50% | $166 | +$113 |
| 75% | $232 | +$179 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 8%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
Which grader pays the most — and what a 10 takes
All centering standards →| Grader | 10 sells for | vs best | Front centering for a 10 | Back |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BGS 10 | $389 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $299 | −$90.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $179 | −$210 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $179 | −$210 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
Tolerances are each company's published centering standard for its top grade; surface, corners and edges must also be clean. Centering is the one you can measure yourself before you pay.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $299 | $179 | $389 | $179 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $36.00 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $32.50 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $8.02 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
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Grading Lionel Messi #1 — FAQ
Is Lionel Messi #1 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Lionel Messi #1 sells for $299 against $3.25 raw: a $296 spread, 92× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($32.50) 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.
How much is a PSA 10 Lionel Messi #1 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Lionel Messi #1 (Soccer Cards 2026 Panini Prizm Monopoly FIFA World Cup) sells for about $299 versus $3.25 for a raw near-mint copy — a 92× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Lionel Messi #1?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $389, ahead of PSA 10 at $299. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Lionel Messi #1 need for a BGS 10?
BGS publishes 55/45 front and 70/30 back centering as the tolerance for a 10 (Gem Mint). Off-center copies are capped below the top grade regardless of surface — measure yours before paying the fee.
What gem rate makes grading Lionel Messi #1 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Lionel Messi #1 breaks even when it gems about 8% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $32.50).
Is your soccer card centered well enough to grade?
Centering makes or breaks a PSA 10. Scan any card with Midpoint to measure its exact centering, get a grade estimate, and see what your copy is actually worth.
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