Is Lionel Messi #16 worth grading?
Soccer · Soccer Cards 2015 Panini Select Ultimate Team · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 8.9× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Lionel Messi #16 sells for $150 against $16.95 raw: a $133 spread, 8.9× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($25.15) 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)
- $16.95
- PSA 10
- $150
- PSA 9
- $25.15
- Gem premium
- 8.9×
- 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 | $150 | +$108 | +$83.29 | −$16.71 |
| PSA 9 | $25.15 | −$16.80 | −$41.80 | −$142 |
| PSA 8 | $16.91 | −$25.04 | −$50.04 | −$150 |
Net = sale price − $16.95 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% | $56.42 | −$10.53 |
| 50% | $87.70 | +$20.75 |
| 75% | $119 | +$52.02 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 33%. 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 | $195 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $150 | −$44.76 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $90.00 | −$105 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $90.00 | −$105 | 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 2015 Panini Select Ultimate Team cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Lionel Messi [Tie Dye Prizm] #16 2015 Panini Select Ultimate Team card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/v7MAAeSwjQxplNNQ/s-l500.jpg)
![Cristiano Ronaldo [Red Prizm] #15 2015 Panini Select Ultimate Team card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/2YEAAeSw4NdqZ8SZ/s-l500.jpg)
![Lionel Messi [Red Prizm] #16 2015 Panini Select Ultimate Team card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/eAoAAeSw2WZqqxvH/s-l500.jpg)
![Lionel Messi [Camo Prizm] #16 2015 Panini Select Ultimate Team card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/ooYAAeSwbtBqJFkC/s-l500.jpg)
![Cristiano Ronaldo [Orange Prizm] #15 2015 Panini Select Ultimate Team card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/A60AAeSwjSVqutdy/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Lionel Messi #16 — FAQ
Is Lionel Messi #16 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Lionel Messi #16 sells for $150 against $16.95 raw: a $133 spread, 8.9× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($25.15) 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 #16 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Lionel Messi #16 (Soccer Cards 2015 Panini Select Ultimate Team) sells for about $150 versus $16.95 for a raw near-mint copy — a 8.9× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Lionel Messi #16?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $195, ahead of PSA 10 at $150. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Lionel Messi #16 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 #16 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Lionel Messi #16 breaks even when it gems about 33% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $25.15).
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.
