What would be the most valuable original baseball photo (if it existed)?

[Splinte1941]

Originally Posted by Forever Young

Interesting... one can research sales of like items, same items, rarity, condition, etc etc etc.. but no one can tell what the $$ worth of a one of a kind item is IMO. Unless he or she is yoda, smoking a magic pow pow stick … or drunk..haha jk David. An item is worth what someone is willing to pay plain and simple.

How are you defining worth? In terms of monetary value?

An item is worth what someone is willing to pay for it, but only to that person. Just because I paid X doesn't mean it's necessarily worth X on the open market.

I said necessarily...

[drc]

If it isn't already clear, I include jokes in my posts. For example, those who know me in person know I don't drink. My motto was half tongue in cheek, half my serious opinion. I don't think something's financial worth is always what the highest bidder paid. World's records, in tight rope walking to marathons, are inherently about extreme instances that don't mean much to the rest of us.

And I don't pretend to be or advertise myself as an appraiser.

[Splinte1941]

Originally Posted by drc

I don't think something's financial worth is always what the highest bidder paid.

I find it very difficult to argue this point. Shill bids in online auctions IMO are as rampant as ever to boot.

IMO.

[drc]

That's even another good point. When you see an auction price, you can't even be sure if the price was legitimate. Beyond shilling, you sometimes don't even know if the transaction went through. How can you use an price as an iron clad value, when you don't even know that price was ever paid?

Quite a few buyers have later deduced they were probably shilled when they try and resell the item and can't even get half.

For various reasons, I think going by a single sales prices is a dubious way to determine value. Obviously, savvy dealers buy things based on what they think they can sell it for later on. They are in the very business of knowing something's real financial worth is often different and changing from what the is the purchase price. The dealer didn't pay $500 because he thought it was worth $500. He paid $500 because he thought it was worth $800. He essentially bought it because he thought the $500 price tag was wrong.

[Forever Young]

Originally Posted by drc

That's even another good point. When you see an auction price, you can't even be sure if the price was legitimate. Beyond shilling, you sometimes don't even know if the transaction went through. How can you use an price as an iron clad value, when you don't even know that price was ever paid?

Quite a few buyers have later deduced they were probably shilled when they try and resell the item and can't even get half.


For various reasons, I think going by a single sales prices is a dubious way to determine value.

COMPLETELY AGREE WITH THIS STATEMENT.

JAKE, Good point on the X statement. Two might tango on a rare item. Then another will surface and one bidder is out of the equation.

PS: I knew you weren't drunk David...hence my attempt at humor with yoda and boom boom stick... aparently some people believe Yoda truly does exist

[Splinte1941]

Originally Posted by Forever Young

COMPLETELY AGREE WITH THIS STATEMENT.

JAKE, Good point on the X statement. Two might tango on a rare item. Then another will surface and one bidder is out of the equation.

PS: I knew you weren't drunk David...hence my attempt at humor with yoda and boom boom stick... aparently some people believe Yoda truly does exist

I really hesitate to go off my shill bid rant, but suffice to say, the FBI needs to investigate the technology involved in proxy bids and how easily auction sites have access to that information. That's where the scam is.

[Forever Young]

Originally Posted by Splinte1941

I really hesitate to go off my shill bid rant, but suffice to say, the FBI needs to investigate the technology involved in proxy bids and how easily auction sites have access to that information. That's where the scam is.

I agree man... it is a big problem and I think in teh long run it would help realized prices as peeps would feel comfortable.

I did max bids in many auctions and never felt I was shilled.
BUT THEN..I did max bids in one particular MAJOR auction house about 3 years ago on 4 items(first time I did it with them). All the items were higher end. Low and behold.. I was maxed up to all of them..and not outbid on one at the end. I will NEVER bid in that auction house again as the probability was so small that this could happen on all 4 items at those high price ranges/all those bids. There was NO DOUBT in my mind I was screwed...NO DOUBT.
I have not felt that way in any other auction..probably because I have not done it to that extent. Now I just stay up all night and bid emotionally and overpay anyway. HAHA
I guess moral of the story is, trust who you buy from and expect to pay your max bid...now I do.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by Splinte1941

I really hesitate to go off my shill bid rant, but suffice to say, the FBI needs to investigate the technology involved in proxy bids and how easily auction sites have access to that information. That's where the scam is.

You are approximately 5 yrs behind. They are probably already looking for ways that auction companies counter the proxy technology.