the trouble with cards that don't often come to market

[rand1com]

VCP has the limited pricing for graded cards in the 1936 Goudey Borderless set. I see that a Jimmie Foxx in a 6 sold for $1100 or so in 2022.

You did not say which HOFers you have but there are only 5 in the set and Foxx is by far the best.

As you stated, it is difficult to price cards like this. True auctions generally garner the best results but they would need to be in a major auction to bring in the most potential bidders and sometimes even rare items fall through the cracks.

You can always throw up a price you would be happy with on here and see if there is any interest.

To be honest, the vast majority of items for sale here do not sell because of high pricing.

I know because I list a few items here from time to time and rarely sell anything even though I think I price reasonably. That is because I am the seller. I tend to overvalue my own items and undervalue everyone else's items. Human nature! Ha.Ha.

If you ever undervalue an item, it sells immediately on here but that does not happen all that often.

I have probably listed 25 or so items over the last year and sold a couple of them. Needless to say, someone thought they were priced fairly in those instances but not in the vast majority of cases.

My advise would be to post clear scans and an asking price you can live with and see if you get any nibbles. If not, no harm.

Just be sure the price you list is one you can live with if someone is willing to pay it on here.

[obcbobd]

Originally Posted by rand1com

I know because I list a few items here from time to time and rarely sell anything even though I think I price reasonably. That is because I am the seller. I tend to overvalue my own items and undervalue everyone else's items. Human nature! Ha.Ha.

I am so impressed by your self awareness and honesty!

[brunswickreeves]

You could consign them to online auction, and set a minimum that you would accept. This way, the market will determine the value and price accordingly, but you can also predetermine what you would effectively purchase for at the min if you were the buyer.

[raulus]

I would posit that there are two types of rare items:

1) stuff that everyone knows and wants
2) stuff that is obscure with thin demand

I suppose there will always be stuff that falls between these two poles as well, which means you get to guess about which approach will yield the better result.

An example of #1 is the 1914 Baltimore News Ruth. Or the T206 Wagner.

An example of #2 might be a Venezuelan topps issue. Or maybe Bazooka complete boxes. Among many others, of course.

For group #1, an auction is almost always going to be a brilliant approach, particularly when the market is strong and everyone seems determined to go nuts paying astronomical prices for these items. List it, get out of the way, and watch the price go to the moon.

For group #2, my experience is that auctions are often a poor way to sell. Often the buyer is either someone who just happens to be in the market at that time for that precise item, or an opportunistic buyer who knows that they can get it for a steal now and then wait patiently for the right buyer to come along who will pay a king’s ransom to buy it and avoid having to wait years or decades for another one to come onto the market. Unfortunately, when it comes to the auction format, you need multiple highly motivated bidders who all can’t live without your item. The odds of that happening for items in group #2 tend to be very much hit or miss.

Naturally, if you’re going to sell an item from group #2 outside of an auction setting, then you will probably need to pack your patience, as you might need to be willing to wait months or years before someone comes along who is willing to pay a price that you think is fair. Of course, selling through an auction assures that you sell on a specific timeline, but might easily result in the item selling for a relative bargain.

That’s the trade-off, and unfortunately when you’re selling items from group #2, your options are often to go fast and take your chances with the auction results, or go slow with more control, but a much longer timeframe outside of an auction.

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by raulus

I would posit that there are two types of rare items:

1) stuff that everyone knows and wants
2) stuff that is obscure with thin demand

I suppose there will always be stuff that falls between these two poles as well, which means you get to guess about which approach will yield the better result.

An example of #1 is the 1914 Baltimore News Ruth. Or the T206 Wagner.

An example of #2 might be a Venezuelan topps issue. Or maybe Bazooka complete boxes. Among many others, of course.

For group #1, an auction is almost always going to be a brilliant approach, particularly when the market is strong and everyone seems determined to go nuts paying astronomical prices for these items. List it, get out of the way, and watch the price go to the moon.

For group #2, my experience is that auctions are often a poor way to sell. Often the buyer is either someone who just happens to be in the market at that time for that precise item, or an opportunistic buyer who knows that they can get it for a steal now and then wait patiently for the right buyer to come along who will pay a king’s ransom to buy it and avoid having to wait years or decades for another one to come onto the market. Unfortunately, when it comes to the auction format, you need multiple highly motivated bidders who all can’t live without your item. The odds of that happening for items in group #2 tend to be very much hit or miss.

Naturally, if you’re going to sell an item from group #2 outside of an auction setting, then you will probably need to pack your patience, as you might need to be willing to wait months or years before someone comes along who is willing to pay a price that you think is fair. Of course, selling through an auction assures that you sell on a specific timeline, but might easily result in the item selling for a relative bargain.

That’s the trade-off, and unfortunately when you’re selling items from group #2, your options are often to go fast and take your chances with the auction results, or go slow with more control, but a much longer timeframe outside of an auction.

The part I made bold above is spot on in my 35+ years of experience. I have several hundred cards that are only known or less than 5 known. I have found they usually sell for peanuts when auctioned or for decent money when you find the right buyer. Problem is that right buyer might take many many years to find.

So if needing to sell I would list on here first at your best price. Then move them to eBay at your best BIN price. Then list on eBay as a 10 day auction starting on a Thursday night starting at the min you would take. Then as last resort send to an AH.

[rjackson44]

Just bought 3 1952 coca cola tips cards im not selling them ,,and i never see them for sale ,,im happy

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

Originally Posted by bnorth

Then as last resort send to an AH.

You're dead to me

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

Seriously though there's obviously a lot of safety in spending the time searching for the right buyer. That being said, we've handled some incredibly rare (some even previously unknown) pre war items in the last couple years and have done very well with them.



The only known (and newly discovered at the time) 1909 Rose Post Card of Cy Young. Only 3 known total, this one and two 1908 versions.



A whole slew of 1921 W-UNC Self-Developing Strip Cards. We actually added a pile of these to the known checklist and even of the known examples many of these were the first to ever come to auction. With guys like Marranville and Sisler going for over $1000 not just the Cobb, Mathewson, Johnson and Ruth!

So there's definitely more risk in going the auction route, but there can be big rewards. Give me a shout if you want to talk more.

[abothebear]

Originally Posted by raulus

I would posit that there are two types of rare items:

1) stuff that everyone knows and wants
2) stuff that is obscure with thin demand

For group #2, my experience is that auctions are often a poor way to sell. Often the buyer is either someone who just happens to be in the market at that time for that precise item, or an opportunistic buyer who knows that they can get it for a steal now and then wait patiently for the right buyer to come along who will pay a king’s ransom to buy it and avoid having to wait years or decades for another one to come onto the market. Unfortunately, when it comes to the auction format, you need multiple highly motivated bidders who all can’t live without your item. The odds of that happening for items in group #2 tend to be very much hit or miss.

Yes, this is my fear. I don’t need to squeeze maximum value out of these cards, but I also don’t want to take a bath on them either. I’ve been burned trying to auction rare cards of category 2 variety to the wrong audience before. I’ve also benefited being on the other side. I tried to auction two cards here one time and got no bids. In the right time and place, they could have gone for 4x the opening bud. I ended up selling or trading them, but still for much lower than they would have gone in the proper setting.

Thanks for all of the advice so far, everyone, This is helpful.

.

[Leon]

Just reading through this thread. Nice analysis.

Originally Posted by raulus

I would posit that there are two types of rare items:

1) stuff that everyone knows and wants
2) stuff that is obscure with thin demand

I suppose there will always be stuff that falls between these two poles as well, which means you get to guess about which approach will yield the better result.

An example of #1 is the 1914 Baltimore News Ruth. Or the T206 Wagner.

An example of #2 might be a Venezuelan topps issue. Or maybe Bazooka complete boxes. Among many others, of course.

For group #1, an auction is almost always going to be a brilliant approach, particularly when the market is strong and everyone seems determined to go nuts paying astronomical prices for these items. List it, get out of the way, and watch the price go to the moon.

For group #2, my experience is that auctions are often a poor way to sell. Often the buyer is either someone who just happens to be in the market at that time for that precise item, or an opportunistic buyer who knows that they can get it for a steal now and then wait patiently for the right buyer to come along who will pay a king’s ransom to buy it and avoid having to wait years or decades for another one to come onto the market. Unfortunately, when it comes to the auction format, you need multiple highly motivated bidders who all can’t live without your item. The odds of that happening for items in group #2 tend to be very much hit or miss.

Naturally, if you’re going to sell an item from group #2 outside of an auction setting, then you will probably need to pack your patience, as you might need to be willing to wait months or years before someone comes along who is willing to pay a price that you think is fair. Of course, selling through an auction assures that you sell on a specific timeline, but might easily result in the item selling for a relative bargain.

That’s the trade-off, and unfortunately when you’re selling items from group #2, your options are often to go fast and take your chances with the auction results, or go slow with more control, but a much longer timeframe outside of an auction.

[isiahfan]

Originally Posted by raulus

I would posit that there are two types of rare items:

1) stuff that everyone knows and wants
2) stuff that is obscure with thin demand

I suppose there will always be stuff that falls between these two poles as well, which means you get to guess about which approach will yield the better result.

An example of #1 is the 1914 Baltimore News Ruth. Or the T206 Wagner.

An example of #2 might be a Venezuelan topps issue. Or maybe Bazooka complete boxes. Among many others, of course.

For group #1, an auction is almost always going to be a brilliant approach, particularly when the market is strong and everyone seems determined to go nuts paying astronomical prices for these items. List it, get out of the way, and watch the price go to the moon.

For group #2, my experience is that auctions are often a poor way to sell. Often the buyer is either someone who just happens to be in the market at that time for that precise item, or an opportunistic buyer who knows that they can get it for a steal now and then wait patiently for the right buyer to come along who will pay a king’s ransom to buy it and avoid having to wait years or decades for another one to come onto the market. Unfortunately, when it comes to the auction format, you need multiple highly motivated bidders who all can’t live without your item. The odds of that happening for items in group #2 tend to be very much hit or miss.

Naturally, if you’re going to sell an item from group #2 outside of an auction setting, then you will probably need to pack your patience, as you might need to be willing to wait months or years before someone comes along who is willing to pay a price that you think is fair. Of course, selling through an auction assures that you sell on a specific timeline, but might easily result in the item selling for a relative bargain.

That’s the trade-off, and unfortunately when you’re selling items from group #2, your options are often to go fast and take your chances with the auction results, or go slow with more control, but a much longer timeframe outside of an auction.

I may be off on this...as I am not a big auction guy either....but I agree with this statement on #2...If it is semi-rare/rare and not well known...only a select group will be interetsed....depending on the era of the card a lot of PCers don't even use auction houses...but I seem to think that almost everyone checks eBay...except may for the few extreme high $ collectors. I think IMO my point is ...on average...that if you list on eBay you will miss fewer potential buyers than if you go with an auction house....plus there is only one eBay and there are dozens of AH.

[raulus]

Originally Posted by isiahfan

I may be off on this...as I am not a big auction guy either....but I agree with this statement on #2...If it is semi-rare/rare and not well known...only a select group will be interetsed....depending on the era of the card a lot of PCers don't even use auction houses...but I seem to think that almost everyone checks eBay...except may for the few extreme high $ collectors. I think IMO my point is ...on average...that if you list on eBay you will miss fewer potential buyers than if you go with an auction house....plus there is only one eBay and there are dozens of AH.

I think the issue with eBay is not eyeballs as much as timing for your auction needing to coincide with demand from multiple parties for the specific obscure and relatively unknown item. For a lot of really obscure pieces, there might only be 1 or 2 people in the market for it at any one time.

For the price to get above the starting bid, you need at least two bidders. And to get a really nice price they need to both be very motivated. If your item is on eBay in an auction for 7 or 10 days, for a really obscure item, the odds are low that you’ll get that kind of action, unless you’ve got a few buyers who have been looking for it for a long time, are desperate to buy now, and are paying attention during the 7-10 day window when your auction is running.

Sometimes you catch lightning in a bottle, the stars align, and your piece gets a good price. But my experience is that is really the exception rather than the rule for items like this, even on eBay.

Obviously you can start the initial bid on eBay at a high price. But a lot of those aren’t really auctions - they’re more like buy it nows masquerading as an auction in the hopes that more than one bidder will be interested and might bid it up some more.

[BobC]

Doesn't Ebay still have it where you can save searches and get notified via email when certain items you're interested in are listed? Makes it so that people interested in such rare items that rarely come up for sale do get notified of them, and don't miss the chance to go after them.

Meanwhile, in regards to all the different AHs out there, has anyone come up with an app or anything else that monitors all the different card auctions, and that people can then save their want lists to, and thus get notified when a card or item they are interested in does come up for sale? That can also then let them know which AH is going to have it for sale so they can get a chance to register for it, if they aren't already, and then bid on those cards/items they really want and not miss out? I'm not aware of one, but would think that such an app or site could be a great item for people in the hobby, and something that AHs, and/or large independent sellers that aren't on Ebay, would possibly really want to participate in as well.

[Tyruscobb]

Originally Posted by rand1com

To be honest, the vast majority of items for sale here do not sell because of high pricing.

I know because I list a few items here from time to time and rarely sell anything even though I think I price reasonably. That is because I am the seller. I tend to overvalue my own items and undervalue everyone else's items.

Reasonably priced cards typically sell within a few days. However, high-priced cards do not, and the seller’s thread typically contains several “bump” or “ttt” posts. Surprisingly, the seller sometimes won’t even lower the price even after the fourth bump or ttt post. How did Einstein define insanity?

eBay’s fees are right around 15%. It’s has millions of eyes viewing items. Net54 may have several hundred eyes viewing a card. So, if the average eBay sale price is $100.00, list the card at $85.00 or $90.00. It’s a win-win. The seller nets more than an eBay sale, and the buyer saves money.

It’s not rocket science. Unless it’s a rare item or has extremely high eye-appeal, I’ll never pay eBay prices for a card listed on this site. Why would anyone?

[Touch'EmAll]

To realize best prices, time of year also matters. Selling in March & April always seem to be strong sales months.

eBay will have the most eyes looking at your items. For rare stuff, all it may take is a few extra eyes looking/bidding to help get a nice price.

A reputable (supposedly) ebay dealer who often offers old vintage/Pre-War cards may be a smart way to go. They also can take hassles out of your hands and make selling the easiest on you. And the speed at which you get paid may be fast this way as well. I may be wrong, but consigning to an eBay seller may cost you no more in fees than doing it yourself.

[Mungo Hungo]

At one time, eBay had a section allowing people to basically post their want lists. COMC has promised before to do that. But it doesn't look like there's any buy-sell site that really offers anything like that at the moment. Frustrating, because plenty of both buyers and sellers would benefit from that.

[gabrinus]

Just picked up this rare back and quite frankly the guy who sold it to me was a bit of a hard ass...Jerry

[CobbSpikedMe]

Originally Posted by gabrinus

Just picked up this rare back and quite frankly the guy who sold it to me was a bit of a hard ass...Jerry

Sorry you feel that way Jerry, but it's a pretty rare card and was hard to let go. FWIW, I thought you were easy to deal with.

[Casey2296]

Originally Posted by gabrinus

Just picked up this rare back and quite frankly the guy who sold it to me was a bit of a hard ass...Jerry

Congrats Jerry, the Hustler back will be a nice addition to your magazine collection.

[gabrinus]

Thanks Phil...sorry Andy...was blowing off steam after the Arkansas-Kentucky game...it was a fair price...Jerry