All PSA Graded Cards Created Equal?
DaveSpiwak
Posts: 40 ✭✭
I’m a relative newbie to the graded card era of trading and have a question. I look at PSA graded cards as being fungible commodities (all identical and of equal value/worth). For example, one 2011 Update PSA 10 should not be more desirable than another 2011 Update PSA 10.
I think there are some things I’m missing though. I’m looking at buying a 1986 Bonds TT and there’s a big discrepancy in how some of these are trading. For example there are several of them that end on eBay in about 7 hrs. One of them is at $619 and has 93 bids. Another is $405 and has 15 bids. There are pictures of the cards and, to me, the one with lower bids actually looks more well centered. What might be drawing bidders to the $619 card that I may not be thinking of? Thanks!
Comments
You might want to move this conversation to Trading Cards & Memorabilia Forum. This is for selling and buying.
Yes, you might want to move this conversation to Trading Cards & Memorabilia Forum.
Lots of factors involved here. One could be that the one with lower bids might have a couple of bidders that have set snipes, so their bids aren't reflected in the current bidding.
What you are possibly missing is that a lot of this stuff doesn't make a lot of sense. People bid/buy a lot on emotion and impulse.
I'm going to move it.
Technically auctions have no quantifiable properties till it is over. A lot of people don't place bids and set a snipe. Could also be the seller and the presentation in the listing. You should post the listings here so we can give you a "definitive" but subjective option.
Buy the card, not the holder. No all PSA graded cards aren’t equal. Centering, registration corners etc. I’ve seen PSA 5’s with better eye appeal than 9’s. A small barely detectable wrinkle will knock a gorgeous card to a 5. I’ll take them all day long over a PSA OC.
"I spent 50% of my money on alcohol, women, and gambling. The other half I wasted.
PSA cards are not fungible. Remember that every card is unique and PSA has to assign it to one of fewer than 20 buckets. A good example can be seen on the coin side, even though they have many more possible grades. There is a price guide showing what is paid for coins in certain grades sight unseen, which can be assumed to be the worst possible "just made it" coin. The coins rarely trade at those prices because they now trade with images, but the prices tend to be 20-70% of the sight-seen price.