SMR vs VCP
abcoltsfan
Posts: 802 ✭✭✭
Is the SMR guide an ok alternative to get prices on graded or raw cards. The VCP prices memberships are way to high I think. The only other price guide I can think of is beckett and they really don't have much if anything on grading?
Working on the following sets
1980's and 1990's Topps Baseball BBCE FASC - Cello or Wax Boxes
1952 Bowman US Presidents PSA 7 & up
Pro Football Hall of Fame Indianapolis Colts PSA Registry Set
June 9th Cubs full ticket or stubs - 1981 to 2020
Andre Dawson Topps Basic registry PSA 10's
Mark Grace Topps Basic registry PSA 10's
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Comments
Joe
Always looking for Topps Salesman Samples, pre '51 unopened packs, E90-2, E91a, N690 Kalamazoo Bats, and T204 Square Frame Ramly's
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Probstein123
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<< <i>SMR isn't bad if you're buying a set. It's too high for many cards and way too low for the low pop cards. Over the entire set, it about averages out. If you want an accurate assessment of what a particular card's market value is, there's really no substitute for VCP. >>
Doug
Liquidating my collection for the 3rd and final time. Time for others to enjoy what I have enjoyed over the last several decades. Money could be put to better use.
http://www.unisquare.com/store/brick/
Ralph
<< <i>SMR is conjecture and theoretical, VCP is actual realized sales. >>
I agree on both counts, except VCP doesn't capture half the sales of a set I collect which rendered my membership pretty useless. As others said, ebay sales info is great.
any certain cards or set for. You need to keep in mind that weather it be SMR, VCP or even Completed Ebay sales. NONE of these venues were delivered from the Montain by Moses, and NONE are a set in stone guarantee of what you should get or what you should pay for any certain cards or sets. The ONLY guarantee and most accurate guide is the fact that they are ONLY worth what someone is willing to give you for them, and SUPPLY and DEMAND play the biggest part.
Just remember... Nobody automatically owes you a set price for anything in this hobby, reguardless of what you paid for it or what any "Price Guides" says.
Do any of these so called guides take into the account the steep wholesale price many of the big dealers buy at?
Here's another example:
The PSA Set Registry (which drives a lot of the competition for cards)
Lets take the 1972 Topps Football set for example.
Most of the top 10 sets are already completed. Some of the high prices gave for many of the "Low Pop" and tougher commons were grossly inflated by the competition for those cards. VCP and Completed ebay sales refelect those prices, but now that the top buyers have complete those sets, The demand is now less for those cards. So if one of those top 10 collectors decides to resell the cards it is unrealistic that he will get the price he paid for them. Even more so now that none of the other set builders he competed with getting the cards, no longer need them to complete their sets. SUPPLY and DEMAND. Yes it is possible that some of the others lower on the registry will move up to keep the demand active. (see below about PATIENCE)
SOOO chances are if you are involved in a certain set that has a lot of compition for them now, you have more than likely overpaid for a certain % of them. Yes VCP, SMR and the completed Ebay sales have recorded these types of transactions. What they can't record is competition and supply and Demand. The problem then, is when people try to resell some of those cards, only to find that demand has went down or Supply has went up(Or Both) and can't understand why no one is willing to to give them VCP price for the card(s).
Yes there are certain cards that always seem to carry a certain demand and are more easily and accurately tracked by the "Price Guides" Stars and certain knowen rarities, etc..
The best advise I can give you is this. PATIENCE!!! If you are interested in starting a new set or collection, You would be wise to try and gauge how heavy the competition for that particular item is. If it is a registry set, wait until the majority of the competing collectors and buyers have pasted by. PATIENCE! when you start to see certain cards sit for sale at VCP prices for long periods of time, then you can ease your way in and offer a lower price. Yes there are sets and cards that will always seem to have strong competition, In that case your simply going to have to buck up and pay the price sometimes, but that doesn't mean you still can't make an educated and smart decision as to when to do so.
One other note: Every card is different. There may be 100 1968 PSA 8 Johnny Bench Rookies. Each one will have its own Particular "Fingerprint" as far as Centering, corners, card surface etc.. as well as overall eye appeal. I think most collectors are savy enough to know their not going to give top grade price for a less eye appealing card at the lower end of that particular grade. So it has been said before and will always hold true........ BUY THE CARD NOT THE HOLDER(LABEL)
Of coarse if money is no object, Just go ahead an get what you want! who gives a rats a** about price!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
John
SMR is vaguely inaccurate. There are some issues that I'll pay well over SMR on (many times multiples of the SMR price) and others that sell for a fraction of the SMR listing.
I've utilized several formulas to determine values of lower or higher grade vintage cards when an example does not exist (dropping a grade I use a .60 multiplier and bumping a grade I use a 1.67 multiplier -- repeating as necessary to achieve the grade level that I require). They have proven to be pretty accurate over the long haul, however. Half grades have proven to be a bit more difficult to zero in on.
Your mileage may vary, however...