Who's familiar with both Beckett online and PSA/SMR?

TripleCrown

I've used "Beckett online" for my collection organization, and researching card condition/values since I began collecting again a few years ago. After finding the CU forum a few months ago I was convinced that going "graded" really was the next, best step I could take.

A few recent posts here have been beating up on the SMR for it's inaccuracies, and I believe it "comes with the package" as soon as I join the PSA Collectors Club? Fully understanding that both Beckett and SMR can only give "guidelines" to market value, I'm curious if anyone has found one or the other to be closer(reasonably) to the true selling value for cards?

Also, does PSA offer an online version of pricing guide like Becketts? I ask because I have become very used to Becketts system and if their online sytem is better I might just keep it.

Carew29

I believe if you dig in the archives here, you will also find people who keep track of what every card card sells for that they are collecting. I typically follow ebay and a few auction houses and keep track of what certain stuff sold for. It is alot of work though.

Aaronman

I follow the vintage market for both raw and graded. Thus, I am familiar with both Beckett and SMR. I don't collect anything after 1975 or before 1948. Although SMR does have it's inaccuracies it does change somewhat with the market. It usually lags the market by a little. I find the psa 7 and 8 prices to be a very useful tool. The 9's can be a little off. Over the past few years, I have become quite disenchanted with Beckett's guides (Baseball, Hockey & Football). For vintage cards the prices flat out don't change and the # number of vintage cards listed in each monthly magazine is going down all the time. Pick up a Hockey or Football becket from 5 years ago and I'm willing to bet all the prices are the same. I also feel that the concept of minor stars, semi stars and high numbers, and their subsequent pricing, is being redefined by the graded market. Beckett's series pricing does not seem to be indicative of what cards are tougher to come by. I find the PSA 6 & 7 values in the SMR to be a much better indicator of what a NM card is worth than the high column in Beckett. Unfortunately, when it comes to raw cards, Beckett is they only game in town but they clearly seem to be distancing themselves from the vintage card market.

My $.02,
Doug
drivard@optonline.net