A Cards Worth

[Blitzu]

I wanted to take a second to start a discussion regarding a cards worth. All too often I see people "astonished" or confused at the price a card sold at either auction or elsewhere. One thing I've learned after collecting and dealing in cards for over 25 years is a cards worth not only what someone will pay for it, but also what someone will sell it for. Each card, regardless of commonality is unique. General Beckett prices and other price guides do attempt to make a unilateral standard to gauge market prices but the final price is always determined by the seller and the buyer.

I think it should be even more obvious that price standards or market prices can't accurately gauge what a less common card in an incredibly popular set like the T206's will sell for.

Point is I've learned over the years that nothing surprises me anymore and people will sell and buy a specific card for what they feel it's worth. Market prices can be used to estimate a selling price but that one card might be worth more to that seller than it is to other sellers. Doesn't matter if there are a dozen more just like it selling for a fraction less, that card is worth that much to that owner and no one else will ever have it unless they pay that price. So each card is in fact unique and each card is worth something different. I think all too often consumers think it's as easy as comparing apples to apples, but with something so highly collected prices can vary tremendously.

That's all I really have to say on the subject but I'm interested in hearing others opinions. Thx!

[sportscardpete]

It's not so much and issue if ONE person really wants the card; it becomes a problem when TWO OR MORE people really want a card.

[barrysloate]

I agree with Blitzu that nothing surprises me either. Most sales will fall within an expected range, but there will always be extremes too. Every time I ran an auction there were a few lots that went way higher than I expected. So since it happened virtually every time, I could say with near certainty that it would occur in my next auction too. I just couldn't identify ahead of time which lots they would be.

But you can be sure that every time it happens, there is a reason for it. And if you could interview the two highest bidders, you would discover why.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by barrysloate

I agree with Blitzu that nothing surprises me either. Most sales will fall within an expected range, but there will always be extremes too. Every time I ran an auction there were a few lots that went way higher than I expected. So since it happened virtually every time, I could say with near certainty that it would occur in my next auction too. I just couldn't identify ahead of time which lots they would be.

But you can be sure that every time it happens, there is a reason for it. And if you could interview the two highest bidders, you would discover why.

Hey Barry,
You mean like these 2? (e98 Clarke- blue background) and the 1927 dated Sports Co of America,....

[frankbmd]

Originally Posted by Leon

When valuing cards, especially to buy, I have two ways of going about it. One for my collection and one for resale. If it is for my collection, and I don't think I will see another "ever", or at least very soon, then you can forget about a guide or a perceived value. Those ideas are shot to hell. I will bid with my heart and not my brain (depending on my resources at the time). When I am bidding/buying for resale, I (try) to bid more with my brain than my heart. On those purchases I will try to get a comparable value, no different than any other kind of buying in life. Great question though and hopefully some others will chime in with their thoughts. best regards

My problem is that I usually bid with my finger.

[Leon]

When valuing cards, especially to buy, I have two ways of going about it. One for my collection and one for resale. If it is for my collection, and I don't think I will see another "ever", or at least very soon, then you can forget about a guide or a perceived value. Those ideas are shot to hell. I will bid with my heart and not my brain (depending on my resources at the time). When I am bidding/buying for resale, I (try) to bid more with my brain than my heart. On those purchases I will try to get a comparable value, no different than any other kind of buying in life. Great question though and hopefully some others will chime in with their thoughts. best regards

[jefferyepayne]

Since I don't resell cards but hope that someday they will be worth something, I tend to try to do both of these things at once when I buy cards. I usually try to figure out what price a dealer will pay for the card assuming a standard markup for resale. I always bid more than what I believe dealers will pay so I don't get sniped by a dealer. Now I'm down (in theory) to collectors and base my final bid on a variety of factors: 1) determined value of the card, 2) how many/frequent are the bids on this lot, 3) how close to my determined value the auction is already, 4) how close to completing the set I am. The higher these variables are, the higher my bid will probably be. I use gavelsnipe not just for its bidding convenience but also so I'm not tempted to bid up a card that goes beyond what I've already decided its worth to me. Once I set my max bid price I just forget about it until the auction ends. I'm not interested in a bidding war with another collector and will just wait for the next card to come along if I get outbid.

jeff

Originally Posted by Leon

When valuing cards, especially to buy, I have two ways of going about it. One for my collection and one for resale. If it is for my collection, and I don't think I will see another "ever", or at least very soon, then you can forget about a guide or a perceived value. Those ideas are shot to hell. I will bid with my heart and not my brain (depending on my resources at the time). When I am bidding/buying for resale, I (try) to bid more with my brain than my heart. On those purchases I will try to get a comparable value, no different than any other kind of buying in life. Great question though and hopefully some others will chime in with their thoughts. best regards

[glchen]

I think there are other factors also, such as how well the card is advertised and whether the seller knows what he has. You see cards that are sold at estate sales for a few bucks, which are worth thousands of dollars. This is because the sellers don't realize what they have and too few buyers were able to view the card.

[ScottFandango]

i think a card's worth has been partially determined already by its PERCEIVED RARITY LEVEL that was established by the hobby pioneers (in the pre technology days)...

i feel some cards that are historically considered rare, are in fact not that rare, while another card that may have been thought of as uncommon, may indeed be rare.

the advent of technology (available data) should work to readjust these perceived rarities and therefore alter/re-adjust the worth...