Is Lionel Messi #255 worth grading?
Soccer · Soccer Cards 2017 Panini Select · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 7.5× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Lionel Messi #255 sells for $148 against $19.70 raw: a $128 spread, 7.5× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($27.50) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $19.70
- PSA 10
- $148
- PSA 9
- $27.50
- Gem premium
- 7.5×
- 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 | $148 | +$103 | +$77.80 | −$22.20 |
| PSA 9 | $27.50 | −$17.20 | −$42.20 | −$142 |
| PSA 8 | $8.80 | −$35.90 | −$60.90 | −$161 |
Net = sale price − $19.70 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% | $57.50 | −$12.20 |
| 50% | $87.50 | +$17.80 |
| 75% | $118 | +$47.80 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 35%. 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 | $192 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $148 | −$44.50 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $89.00 | −$103 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $31.03 | −$161 | 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.
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Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 2017 Panini Select cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Lionel Messi [Silver] #255 2017 Panini Select card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/IkUAAeSwNUBqMiLu/s-l500.jpg)
![Lionel Messi [White] #255 2017 Panini Select card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/Z3EAAeSwTy5qb3oy/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Lionel Messi #255 — FAQ
Is Lionel Messi #255 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Lionel Messi #255 sells for $148 against $19.70 raw: a $128 spread, 7.5× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($27.50) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Lionel Messi #255 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Lionel Messi #255 (Soccer Cards 2017 Panini Select) sells for about $148 versus $19.70 for a raw near-mint copy — a 7.5× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Lionel Messi #255?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $192, ahead of PSA 10 at $148. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Lionel Messi #255 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 #255 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Lionel Messi #255 breaks even when it gems about 35% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $27.50).
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