Is Lionel Messi [Gold] #S-LM worth grading?
Soccer · Soccer Cards 2016 Panini Select Signatures · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
PSA 10 copies of Lionel Messi [Gold] #S-LM sell for $7,700, only $0.00 above the $9,250 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($5,131) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $9,250
- PSA 10
- $7,700
- PSA 9
- $5,131
- Gem premium
- 0.8×
- As of
- Sep 4, 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 | $7,700 | −$1,575 | −$1,600 | −$1,700 |
| PSA 9 | $5,131 | −$4,144 | −$4,169 | −$4,269 |
Net = sale price − $9,250 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% | $5,773 | −$3,527 |
| 50% | $6,415 | −$2,885 |
| 75% | $7,058 | −$2,242 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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 | $10,010 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $7,700 | −$2,310 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $4,620 | −$5,390 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $4,620 | −$5,390 | 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 →Swipe the table for the other grading companies →
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 2016 Panini Select Signatures cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Christian Pulisic [Green] #S-CP 2016 Panini Select Signatures card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/lfQAAeSw2VhqcTCM/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Lionel Messi [Gold] #S-LM — FAQ
Is Lionel Messi [Gold] #S-LM worth grading?
PSA 10 copies of Lionel Messi [Gold] #S-LM sell for $7,700, only $0.00 above the $9,250 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($5,131) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
How much is a PSA 10 Lionel Messi [Gold] #S-LM worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Lionel Messi [Gold] #S-LM (Soccer Cards 2016 Panini Select Signatures) sells for about $7,700 versus $9,250 for a raw near-mint copy — a 0.8× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Lionel Messi [Gold] #S-LM?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $10,010, ahead of PSA 10 at $7,700. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Lionel Messi [Gold] #S-LM 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.
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