OK, I'll start a thread - I don't know how you guys do it

jrboles

I've been around a year. Don't post too often - more cyclically. Collecting wise:

I need 20 more PSA 10s to get the 1984 Fleer Update complete
I need 78 more cards to complete the 1952 set - SGC and PSA
I got about 300 graded for 1971 Topps

I am selling pretty much everything else.

Put 10 cards on ebay last week - lots of watchers to see if I'd get $20 for my PSA 4 1952 Rizzuto or 1933 Goudy PSA 2 Pepper Martin. They didn't sell. I'm guilty or lurking as well.

I sold a 1933 Goudey PSA 4 Earl Adams. It went for $19 plus $3 shipping. My cost basis (with shipping) was $18.89.

Here are the economics.

$22.00 from ebay translates to $21.06 from Paypal. I owe ebay $1.71. My Walgreen's purchased padded envelope was $1.31 and the first class postage was $1.56. My take home:

21.06
(1.71)
(1.31)
(1.56)

16.48 resulting in a loss of $2.41.

This could have been mitigated by buying bulk mailers, but still.

I've tried selling on the boards a couple times with a little success, but I think the tastes here are fairly specialized. So ebay it is.

I am fortunate in I don't need the cash to pay the bills. Instead the card money is my Vegas fund for my April 28 reunion weekend with the college boys.

So I'll continue to sell my PSA 4 1960 Mantles, PSA 9 Fleer Update Eckersleys, and raw 1933 Charlie Grimms and let the chips fall where they will However I am glad this is not my livelihood and the experience gives me a little empathy to the frequent vitriol toward ebay, paypal, and the chucklehead purchasers. I renew my commitment to be a good buyer.

I hear good things about BST, but, inertia, you know?

Oh yeah. Anyone wanna buy 5 unopened SMRs for $20?

Your pal
jr

jeffcbay

Bad acid...

jrboles

I hear ya Jeff. But don't worry. I got a full box of frozen waffles and the Allman Brothers box set on repeat shuffle. Gonna ride this trip out.

itzagoner

it gets so lonely in the belly of the whale.

CollectorAtWork

What I've learned is that you want to try to turn a profit, you need to be strict with what you buy. (If you're just collecting for fun and don't mind losing a few bucks, then that's a different story to you.) I recently sold 1933 Goudey Milton Gaston PSA 4 for $26, Ed Brandt PSA 4 for $34, Willis Hudlin PSA 4 $31, Bing Miller PSA 4 $26. I also charge $3 shipping, but I re-use Bubble Mailers. Someone recently suggested adding team names to my listings, which I think helps. I concentrate on 33 Goudeys, and basically what I did was do the 1 day VCP for $3.99. Do screenshots of every 1933 Goudey card for average prices. (I didn't drill into the detail for each grade.) Then I always take advantage of the ebay promotion for 100 free insertions for any starting price that they have every so often. I list the card at the average VCP for auction, and then see if it goes up from there. Sometimes it will, but this ensures that the card will sell for proper market value.

KbKards

There are many hobbies and activities that you can spend a lot of money on and have zero to show for it when you're done. The Goudey Adams was bought and paid for long ago for $18.89 and it served its purpose in your collection for many years. You sold the card and netted $16.48, which you're looking at as a $2.41 loss. Instead of looking at it as a $2.41 loss, look at it like your hobby paid you a dividend of $16.48. Unfortunately now you're investing the $16.48 into a weekend activity which will have zero monetary return.

ThoseBackPages

<< <i>There are many hobbies and activities that you can spend a lot of money on and have zero to show for it when you're done. The Goudey Adams was bought and paid for long ago for $18.89 and it served its purpose in your collection for many years. You sold the card and netted $16.48, which you're looking at as a $2.41 loss. Instead of looking at it as a $2.41 loss, look at it like your hobby paid you a dividend of $16.48. Unfortunately now you're investing the $16.48 into a weekend activity which will have zero monetary return. >>



GREAT post and something to keep in mind at all times.

jeffcbay

<< <i>There are many hobbies and activities that you can spend a lot of money on and have zero to show for it when you're done. >>



Very true, I have a friend who does scrap-booking... talk about lighting money on fire. My wife started doing stained glass... that's another hobby with very little return.

CollectorAtWork

<< <i>There are many hobbies and activities that you can spend a lot of money on and have zero to show for it when you're done. >>



Very true, collecting 80s-90s baseball cards.