I dunno, I figure if they're quoting Beckett, they're either too out of touch or too lazy to actually know what the card is selling for in the real world - which today is online. Now I don't imagine even the most dedicated dealer is up on the value of every single one of his cards, but aren't there are cards actually undervalued in the Beckett guide? Using Beckett to price a card is like using Poor Richard's Almanac to predict the weather. Get with the times man!
I was putting together a raw nm '69 Topps set last year and a guy had some absolutely beautiful raw cards. He quoted 1/2 book value if I was buying a bunch - even for cards that were nearly impossible to find raw on ebay in nm condition at a reasonable price - like the Bobby Cox rookie. I just about cleaned him out - and I was thrilled!
I would think you guys who flip cards and/or are full-time dealers would love a guy who quotes Beckett, especially because you guys have the knowledge of what the card is actually worth! What surprises me at the card show I semi-regularly attend is that NONE of these dealers use laptops to look up prices, but they ALL have the latest Beckett.
But I agree that the biggest issue at a show is dealers who overrate, and thus overprice, the condition of their cards. I always just smile and say "Yep, that's a fair price, I'm sure you'll get it". And then I walk away.
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