[Fred]

The bottom line is that the prices realized in the auctions influenced by house or consignor bidding creates a somewhat inflated view of the prices realized.

Whose to say that the house doesn't put a maximum bid on an item and that the consignor doesn't also bid it up. What happens if the house and consignor bid up the auction as the only two bidders (because the actual market value for the item is less) and the final hammer price (including juice) is used as a bench mark in value for that particular card. It's all bull$hit... lets make some money and to heck with the hobby(ist)... I suppose the above scenario doesn't play out too often but once is too much...