![Lionel Messi [Gold] #LS-LM (Soccer Cards 2017 Topps Chrome UEFA Champions League Lightning Strike) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/L2AAAeSwC6Vou00V/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Lionel Messi [Gold] #LS-LM worth grading?
Soccer · Soccer Cards 2017 Topps Chrome UEFA Champions League Lightning Strike · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
PSA 10 copies of Lionel Messi [Gold] #LS-LM sell for $1,588, only $0.00 above the $3,510 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($224) 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)
- $3,510
- PSA 10
- $1,588
- PSA 9
- $224
- Gem premium
- 0.5×
- 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 | $1,588 | −$1,947 | −$1,972 | −$2,072 |
| PSA 9 | $224 | −$3,311 | −$3,336 | −$3,436 |
Net = sale price − $3,510 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% | $565 | −$2,995 |
| 50% | $906 | −$2,654 |
| 75% | $1,247 | −$2,313 |
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 | $2,065 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $1,588 | −$477 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $953 | −$1,112 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $953 | −$1,112 | 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 2017 Topps Chrome UEFA Champions League Lightning Strike cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Lionel Messi [Gold] #LS-LM — FAQ
Is Lionel Messi [Gold] #LS-LM worth grading?
PSA 10 copies of Lionel Messi [Gold] #LS-LM sell for $1,588, only $0.00 above the $3,510 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($224) 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] #LS-LM worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Lionel Messi [Gold] #LS-LM (Soccer Cards 2017 Topps Chrome UEFA Champions League Lightning Strike) sells for about $1,588 versus $3,510 for a raw near-mint copy — a 0.5× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Lionel Messi [Gold] #LS-LM?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $2,065, ahead of PSA 10 at $1,588. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Lionel Messi [Gold] #LS-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.
Best on iPhone & Android
Check your soccer card in the Midpoint app
Scan with your camera to measure centering to the millimeter, get an AI grade with corner and edge close-ups, see what your copy is worth, and track it in your portfolio. Free to start.
