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pre-war prices to ponder, and my happiness...

goudeygoldgoudeygold Posts: 701 ✭
in Trading Cards & Memorabilia Forum
I was hoping to snag a 32 US Caramel card, but check the price realized...

SMR around $200.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5205832441&rd=1&sspagename=STRK:MEBI:IT&rd=1

this is VG-EX.

another beauty I have been looking 2 years for and finally got it...

SMR $100.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5205831145&rd=1&sspagename=STRK:MEWN:IT&rd=1

At the last moment I changed my snipe from $236 to $256 (good thing!). After I cross it to PSA, i'll only be 2 cards short from 100% on my 38 goudey set.

GG

Comments

  • CDsNutsCDsNuts Posts: 10,092 ✭
    You should purchase cards based on how much you're willing to pay for them rather than using SMR as a guide. If SMR says a PSA 8 Carlton Fisk RC is worth $90, I'm still willing to pay $150 for it if it's well centered. When I think about what I'm bidding on, I honestly think (sometimes out loud): "How much am I willing to pay for this card?" At no point do I ever think about what percentage of SMR am I paying. They are way off on most of the cards that aren't traded often so to use SMR as a guide for buying those cards really doesn't make any sense. There really isn't any kind of accurate guide to what you're buying because the cards are so rarely on the market, therefore any "price guide" that claims to have an accurate read on what those cards are worth is purely crap.

    It appears you did that on the second card but it seems you have some reservations on how much you paid because SMR is at $100. Hell, you waited two years for it so it shouold go for what it did right? If you're happy with it that's all that matters. Screw a guide that updates any particular set every 6 months and doesn't really follow the market all that much.

    Lee
  • iamthegreatcornholioiamthegreatcornholio Posts: 3,366
    Links for the lazy
    1
    2

    Well if you're happy with the price then that's all that matters.

    I own a subscription to the SMR and after it runs out I plan to renew, but I'd have to say pop reports might be more valuable than the actual SMR.

    The one thing I've always found alarming though - take that first card for example - it sold for $835, but that was the result of just two people - one guy was at $285 and everyone else under $200 - will the next one sell for $295? I think that's much different than if it sold for $835 with numerous bids in the 500-800 range.

    Brian

  • NickMNickM Posts: 4,895 ✭✭✭
    iam - the underbidder's snipe went off with 8 seconds left. Any snipes for less than $835 coming after that (and many people plan to snipe with 5 seconds or less left) would not register.

    Nick
    image
    Reap the whirlwind.

    Need to buy something for the wife or girlfriend? Check out Vintage Designer Clothing.
  • goudeygoldgoudeygold Posts: 701 ✭
    This is what is tough about pre-war and very high grade post war stuff. It is so scarce, it is very tough to pin down what is really a "good buy" you kinda have to use SMR as a "guide" until you really know what your getting into. But as you said, you can bid just over SMR on many things and snag a good deal, but certain cards are simply impossible especially HOFers (like the 38 goudey Doerr)

    I am satisfied with paying >250% for this "EX" card because i've found a few bargains along the way to even out my set. And I also think that the leap to get from 4 to 5 in pre-war is much bigger than the SMR leads you to believe.

    I guess I just don't have the stomach on the 32 US Caramels, the competition and scarcity is simply too much for me.

    There was a 1923 Maple crispette Babe Ruth that sold tonight as well. The only guide I found was one that sold last year as a SGC 30 for $900. This one was a 20 and although I had it with under a minute left I lost it in the end.

    http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5205832007&rd=1&sspagename=STRK:MEDW:IT&rd=1

    Still though, wouldn't it be killer to have a very scarce Babe Ruth card from the 20s?!

    maybe next time whenever that time comes...

    GG
  • iamthegreatcornholioiamthegreatcornholio Posts: 3,366
    Good point Nick, that was a dumbassumption of mine.

    Man, I don't think I'd have the stomach nor wallet for much of that pre-war stuff. I do like those goudeys though. I was out faster than a fat kid in dodgeball on my 4 card delong "set".

    Brian
  • goudeygoldgoudeygold Posts: 701 ✭
    God I miss fat kids in dodgeball!!

    GG
  • StingrayStingray Posts: 8,843 ✭✭✭
    GG,

    How long have you been putting that set together for? That is my favorite out of the Goudey sets, always wanted a high grade one, even a common with the comics (high number, correct?) just to have one. Good luck on completed your set.

    Stingray
  • goudeygoldgoudeygold Posts: 701 ✭
    I've been working on this 1938 set for two years. All i'm asking for from the nationals is maybe 6 different card upgrades for my set. If I can get that, i'll be very very happy.

    The comic cards are the second 24 cards in the set. depending on what your definition of high grade is, you can actually get the cartoon commons at the 6 level for $100-150 at times, and the 7s are quite a bit tougher and the 8s are rarely offered for sale. The last (and only) PSA 8 common I've seen went unsold for $500. It was the non cartoon version.

    The cards in the 3-4 range are often fairly reasonable and still are quite a challenge to put a whole set together (only 4 100% sets on the registry in any grade). It often is the patience game that kills you. But then again, thats nice on the wallet as well.

    GG
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