Is the registry driving up prices ?

Todd

Is the set registry driving up prices or is it just my imagination? I am working on 74topps and 66topps. Rushoeless has several PSA 9 74's on ebay right now and it looks like the average high bid is about $50. Several PSA 8 66 commons just ended yesterday all in the $30 range. Carlos I know you know something about the 74's, doesn't this seem high? Anyone with any opinion on the 66's.

Vargha

Set collectors in general drive the prices up. I don't know that the Registry, in and of itself, is much of a mitigating factor.

RayBShotz

Yes. I can tell you for sure that the 1969 Prices are up sharply in the last 6 months. Dealers grading for PSA 9 could only break even on PSA 8 Commons. Today most PSA 8 Commons routinely exceed $16.00. Bargains are fewer and far betweener (betweener?...Is that a word?).
The registry has raised new interested players and expanded the collecting habits of existing players. Many of the focused one set builders are working on secondary and tertiary sets now causing an increase in the demand for product especially Commons and Minor stars.
This makes it tough on the cash limited among us.
This is not all bad, however. A hobby revival may be taking place which makes it all the more fun to share our efforts and experiences with others. (Like we are doing now on these "boards").
I confess that I have even entertained thoughts of secondary sets due to the elevated "fun" quotient.
This is a great post. I am looking forward to the opinion of others.
RayB69Topps

acowa

I watched a 1961 PSA 9 Sandy Koufax (SMR-$2000) go for $1275 the other night...I think the registry might affect "low population" commons more than the stars. All you need are 2 people with more money than sense to get a bidding war going. I think that these bidding wars happened BEFORE the registry as well. Also, now that there is a ton of information regarding relative scarcities of cards (pop reports,etc)..the bidding wars get more intense.


Regards,


Alan

FB

I think you're all right.

The Registry has raised the awareness AND the competitive spirit for set collecting once again. A year or two ago, I could pick up 72 PSA 8 commons for $10 - $11 apiece (yeah, I know and walked 32 miles to school - BOTH WAYS!) and it was only the stars that were a bit pricey. I'm watching more folks pay $20 - $30 for specific commons (mostly Cubs, Dodgers and Reds) in PSA 8 and the rest of the commons are ending up around the $16 - $17 range.

But hey - I remember buying a REALLY sweet SEAVER Rookie in 1974 for $2.50 so this is just part of the cycle.

dude

The Registry has certainly created a demand for graded commons. It's clear that a lot more commons are being graded and listed on eBay too. So it all comes down to the populations of the cards. The scarce ones are selling better than they did 6 months ago and the over-populated ones are not doing anything special.

FB

Dude,

Good point on Population. If anyone is looking for an inexpensive semi-star. Check out eBay for a 72 Vida Blue. Gaspipe26 sent in 35 at one time and got back 35 - PSA 8's. No 9's - no 7's. You can buy em for $8.00 almost any day on eBay now.

bleacherbum

These posts are all right on the money. The other thing I've noticed is that while commons have gone up, stars have come down. Whereas lately I've had to pay $25+ for 1963 PSA 8 commons, I was able to purchase a '63 PSA 8 Musial for $175.

Also, with the set registry specials coming back for everyone I'll be interested to see how this impacts prices. I have to believe that common populations are going to rise significantly as a result of the special.

Steve

mikeschmidt

On a surprising side-note, though, at one time I hoarded many Phillies PSA 9 cards. In that process, I accumulated many 1968 Topps Grant Jackson PSA 9 MINT cards. Since then, I have upgraded to PSA 10. I have thus been getting rid of most of my Grant Jackson PSA 9 cards. Most have sold on Buy It Now, with other hitting $16 - $22.

I don't understand why they sell for so much for a card that has something like one hundred MINT or better examples extant. They are always on Ebay, too. No scarcity whatsoever, but there is still a lot of demand for this MINT common.

Oh well, since I'm selling them, I am happy that they are selling well.

mcastaldi

I'm not so sure the set registry itself is increasing the competition or the price. I think the competition has always been there. I think what the set registry has done more than anything else is to identify some of the competitors and also the needs of some competitors.

Mike

carkim

Carlos I know you know something about the 74's, doesn't this seem high?

Todd,

Yes this is very high. There is a guy bidding on these cards with VERY deep pockets (NOT Vargha). As you can see I don't go against him. Others will learn to do the same.

Carlos

waitilltheytrytosell

On one hand rising prices are good, as they increase the value of the cards you already have; and on the other hand it is bad, as you have to pay more for the cards you don't have. Rising prices mean that there is growth and more interest in our area of collecting. It is only going to get stronger as more and more people see this, and want to get involved. When you see new people get involved at the Home Shopping level, you feel helpless and sorry for them. When you see new people coming in at the PSA level, you are relieved to see them starting out in the right direcion.

NickM

mikeschmidt - I attribute the Grant Jackson prices to collectors who don't know that the mint population of this card is way out of line with the rest of the set. If that had the normal PSA population of a high number card of a common/semi-star, those prices would not be out of line.

Nick