Something I've never understood about valuation of complete sets.......

RonBurgundy

Why are complete sets valued at less than the total breakup value of the individual cards? It would seem to me that a set's value ought to at least equal the value of the individual cards, or maybe even carry a premium for being fully complete. I don't get it. Anyone have a rational explanation?




Ron

bhelser

quick version....You have 5 different cards for $5 a piece.....someone wants all 5.....you would more than likely cut them a deal, something like all 5 for $20 or something like that

earlycalguy

I would say because you can make money off of shipping by selling the cards one by one but that got the last guy into a lot of trouble for saying that.

WinPitcher

Not sure that is entirely true Ron. However a set broken up brings more dough (at times) simply by way of more transactions. A set will carry a premium but in most cases a set is worth more broken up.
It also depends on the set. Sets in the 80's were worth 20.00 yet broken up the best 20 cards could yield that.


I bet certain vintage sets get more sold as whole then they would if broken up. Sets from the 30's IMO.

Steve

RipublicaninMass

I think alot might have to do with some of the lower pops and competitiors for some of the cards. SMR is in the toilet for many cards individually and therefore even more so on the sets as a whole. I think someone buying, or affording a whole set at once could really care less about the difficulty of obtaining each card and paying for shipping on each one.

preownedautos

earlycalguy, Go wash your mouth out with soap! Just kidding!

Steve was right - almost every set is worth more broken up especially in higher grade. When I was building my '72 Topps baseball, I bought most of the cards from a high grade set break. The dealers know that we all get more of an enjoyment out of building a set rather than buying a set and that over the long run spend more to build that set than what we could have bought it for. I know that I paid book or higher for a lot of the cards and I have way more into it than it books for.

metalmike

This question is as old as I am. If you sell a complete set,it is a good way to get rid of the common cards. For example a 1987 Topps Barry Bonds is an easy sell at 3-5 per but if you combine One Bonds with the other 791 cards you have 791 less cards in inventory. So, instead of selling 1 card at a premium you get rid of basically 791 other cards that a dealer may or may not sell otherwise. Mike