Is Lionel Messi #3 worth grading?
Soccer · Soccer Cards 2023 Panini Obsidian White Night · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Lionel Messi #3 sells for $910 against $405 raw: a $505 spread, 2.2× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($442) 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)
- $405
- PSA 10
- $910
- PSA 9
- $442
- Gem premium
- 2.2×
- As of
- Jul 11, 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 | $910 | +$480 | +$455 | +$355 |
| PSA 9 | $442 | +$12.17 | −$12.83 | −$113 |
| PSA 8 | $300 | −$130 | −$155 | −$255 |
Net = sale price − $405 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% | $559 | +$104 |
| 50% | $676 | +$221 |
| 75% | $793 | +$338 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 3%. 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 | $1,183 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $910 | −$273 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $546 | −$637 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $546 | −$637 | 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 →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $910 | $546 | $1,183 | $546 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $823 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $442 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $300 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
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Grading Lionel Messi #3 — FAQ
Is Lionel Messi #3 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Lionel Messi #3 sells for $910 against $405 raw: a $505 spread, 2.2× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($442) 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 #3 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Lionel Messi #3 (Soccer Cards 2023 Panini Obsidian White Night) sells for about $910 versus $405 for a raw near-mint copy — a 2.2× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Lionel Messi #3?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $1,183, ahead of PSA 10 at $910. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Lionel Messi #3 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 #3 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Lionel Messi #3 breaks even when it gems about 3% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $442).
Is your soccer card centered well enough to grade?
Centering makes or breaks a PSA 10. Scan any card with Midpoint to measure its exact centering, get a grade estimate, and see what your copy is actually worth.
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