Is Lionel Messi #AA-1 worth grading?
Soccer · Soccer Cards 2021 Topps Merlin Chrome UEFA Ageless Alchemy · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 15× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Lionel Messi #AA-1 sells for $135 against $9.15 raw: a $126 spread, 15× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($23.50) 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)
- $9.15
- PSA 10
- $135
- PSA 9
- $23.50
- Gem premium
- 15×
- 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 | $135 | +$101 | +$75.85 | −$24.15 |
| PSA 9 | $23.50 | −$10.65 | −$35.65 | −$136 |
| PSA 8 | $12.09 | −$22.06 | −$47.06 | −$147 |
Net = sale price − $9.15 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% | $51.38 | −$7.77 |
| 50% | $79.25 | +$20.10 |
| 75% | $107 | +$47.97 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 32%. 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 | $176 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $135 | −$41.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $81.00 | −$95.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $81.00 | −$95.00 | 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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Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
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Grading Lionel Messi #AA-1 — FAQ
Is Lionel Messi #AA-1 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Lionel Messi #AA-1 sells for $135 against $9.15 raw: a $126 spread, 15× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($23.50) 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 #AA-1 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Lionel Messi #AA-1 (Soccer Cards 2021 Topps Merlin Chrome UEFA Ageless Alchemy) sells for about $135 versus $9.15 for a raw near-mint copy — a 15× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Lionel Messi #AA-1?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $176, ahead of PSA 10 at $135. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Lionel Messi #AA-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 #AA-1 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Lionel Messi #AA-1 breaks even when it gems about 32% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $23.50).
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