Is Lionel Messi [Purple] #1 worth grading?
Soccer · Soccer Cards 2022 Panini Donruss Pitch Kings · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
Grade 9.5 copies of Lionel Messi [Purple] #1 sell for $128, only $0.00 above the $169 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($116) 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)
- $169
- Grade 9.5
- $128
- PSA 9
- $116
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $128 | −$66.00 | −$91.00 | −$191 |
| PSA 9 | $116 | −$78.00 | −$103 | −$203 |
Net = sale price − $169 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% | $119 | −$100 |
| 50% | $122 | −$97.00 |
| 75% | $125 | −$94.00 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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Other 2022 Panini Donruss Pitch Kings cards worth checking
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![Lionel Messi [Green] #1 2022 Panini Donruss Pitch Kings card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/UB8AAeSwWUhqeM2M/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Lionel Messi [Purple] #1 — FAQ
Is Lionel Messi [Purple] #1 worth grading?
Grade 9.5 copies of Lionel Messi [Purple] #1 sell for $128, only $0.00 above the $169 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($116) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
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