Is Lionel Messi [Red] #1 worth grading?
Soccer · Soccer Cards 2023 Panini Donruss Crunch Time · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Lionel Messi [Red] #1 sells for $72.85 against $7.99 raw: a $64.86 spread, 9.1× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($38.24) clears the raw price after an economy-tier ~$25 fee, so a near-miss still comes out ahead. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $7.99
- PSA 10
- $72.85
- PSA 9
- $38.24
- Gem premium
- 9.1×
- 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 | $72.85 | +$39.86 | +$14.86 | −$85.14 |
| PSA 9 | $38.24 | +$5.25 | −$19.75 | −$120 |
| PSA 8 | $31.96 | −$1.03 | −$26.03 | −$126 |
Net = sale price − $7.99 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% | $46.89 | −$11.10 |
| 50% | $55.55 | −$2.45 |
| 75% | $64.20 | +$6.21 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 57%. 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 | $95.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $72.85 | −$22.15 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $44.00 | −$51.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $27.66 | −$67.34 | 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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Full set checklist →Grading Lionel Messi [Red] #1 — FAQ
Is Lionel Messi [Red] #1 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Lionel Messi [Red] #1 sells for $72.85 against $7.99 raw: a $64.86 spread, 9.1× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($38.24) clears the raw price after an economy-tier ~$25 fee, so a near-miss still comes out ahead. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Lionel Messi [Red] #1 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Lionel Messi [Red] #1 (Soccer Cards 2023 Panini Donruss Crunch Time) sells for about $72.85 versus $7.99 for a raw near-mint copy — a 9.1× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Lionel Messi [Red] #1?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $95.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $72.85. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Lionel Messi [Red] #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 [Red] #1 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Lionel Messi [Red] #1 breaks even when it gems about 57% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $38.24).
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