![Lionel Messi [Black] #173 (Soccer Cards 2024 Topps Now MLS) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/PAEAAOSwbuNnirNI/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Lionel Messi [Black] #173 worth grading?
Soccer · Soccer Cards 2024 Topps Now MLS · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 4.4× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Lionel Messi [Black] #173 sells for $205 against $47.00 raw: a $158 spread, 4.4× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($33.00) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $47.00
- PSA 10
- $205
- PSA 9
- $33.00
- Gem premium
- 4.4×
- 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 | $205 | +$133 | +$108 | +$7.58 |
| PSA 9 | $33.00 | −$39.00 | −$64.00 | −$164 |
Net = sale price − $47.00 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% | $75.90 | −$21.10 |
| 50% | $119 | +$21.79 |
| 75% | $162 | +$64.69 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 37%. 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 | $266 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $205 | −$61.42 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $123 | −$143 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $123 | −$143 | 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 | $205 | $123 | $266 | $123 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $36.00 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $33.00 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
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Grading Lionel Messi [Black] #173 — FAQ
Is Lionel Messi [Black] #173 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Lionel Messi [Black] #173 sells for $205 against $47.00 raw: a $158 spread, 4.4× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($33.00) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Lionel Messi [Black] #173 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Lionel Messi [Black] #173 (Soccer Cards 2024 Topps Now MLS) sells for about $205 versus $47.00 for a raw near-mint copy — a 4.4× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Lionel Messi [Black] #173?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $266, ahead of PSA 10 at $205. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Lionel Messi [Black] #173 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 [Black] #173 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Lionel Messi [Black] #173 breaks even when it gems about 37% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $33.00).
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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