Which Price Guide is most accurate?

jacktheknife

It seems like a huge task to get it right for all coins all the time. Is it possible? What about low pop/high end items that don't trade often or trade privately?
It might be open for abuse, but what about a "wiki-priceguide", where hundreds of members can enter data on sales? Other thoughts?


Jack

CoinZip

I don't think one size fits all in this case.

CoinBuyer12

Tonight on Great Collections I saw a nice MS66 BTW half dollar, it would of been around $95 with juice.

PCGS price guide showed $150, and I almost jumped on it, until I look at eBay completed, and saw another one selling for only $102.

I also (on eBay) saw a super low grade (AG-3) Colombian Expo sell for (gasp) $300! PCGS Price guide: $15.

IMO, your half-nuts to spend $300 on a AG-3 Expo half, but then again, I guess the person wanted this for a low-ball set.

So we have one coin PCGS sez is worth $150, selling for $102 on eBay, and we have one that they say is worth $15, selling for $300.

Not the best, but a good example of how price guides are not the best.

Price guides don't always take into consideration things like "monster toning",die cracks, etc.

I think eBay completed auctions are a good source for determining a good value.

RYK

<< <i>It seems like a huge task to get it right for all coins all the time. Is it possible? What about low pop/high end items that don't trade often or trade privately?
It might be open for abuse, but what about a "wiki-priceguide", where hundreds of members can enter data on sales? Other thoughts?


Jack >>


I agree that it is a problem. The best price guide is the one I have in my head. Second to that, I like CoinFacts, as it compiles auction information (which is not necessarily relevant to all collectors and coins) and private sales.

A wiki-guide would theoretically be excellent, but without verification, it could be easily abused and used as a tool for price manipulation.

The perfect price guide is one of the holy grails of the hobby.

CoinBuyer12

While were on the subject of price guides, I hate the grey sheet. I call it the "wishlist", because you only "wish" you can buy coins that cheap.

Two coin collectors I know only use the greysheet, and leave most auctions empty handed, I wonder why...

Greysheet might be fine and dandy if your a dealer, and buying wholesale lots, or something, but for a collector, it's the worst price guide, IMO.

TahoeDale

Jack,

I feel your pain re the coins that trade infrequently--never guided high enough if they are nice.

But DH does a great job of getting them current after auction sales, and dealer transactions.

Before such occurs, you almost have to guess, and an auction may be required. When the last sale is 10 years ago,
and the coin is in the top 5 grade-wise, and more than one collector wants it bad, the next price may be
more than twice the last one. Add some wow color and the sky is the only limit.

I do not remember when the 1884 and 85 Trade dollars last went to auction. Or when the 93-S morgan in 67 traded.

PCGS gets us current pricing better than any other source.

DeliaBug

I feel that the price guides are applicable for sight unseen trading of a commodity.

But for the majority of coins that aren't traded like that there are way too many variables to lock a coin to a price.

lusterlover

I'm seeing more people using auction results these days. The problem with that is you can't tell if it a fair representation without seeing the quality of the coins sold. A few dogs in a row can skew things downward and vice versa. As said, everything is just a guide and PQ coins will sell themselves and the market should dictate superior prices.

joeykoins

We had a huge discussion on this topic many weeks ago,keep checking past threads to find.Alot of good info.in that thread! -joey

derryb

ebay completed sales show what buyers are paying. Everything else is a guide for what sellers should ask.

jacktheknife

Thanks for the great replies.
TahoeDale, you really articulated one of my main points. For truly rare items, it really comes down to what the market will bear. However, when those items trade hands, the transactions are often not acknowledged in the "price guides".
Thanks, Joey. I will try to find the thread.
Jack

yellowkid

Price "guides" are just that, guides, look at ebay and auction results to get a feel for what a piece might be worth, and remember there can be huge spreads within a grade.

s4ny

83% of PCGS.

magikbilly

"Oh, any of 'em, all of 'em..." - Pres. Candidate

They are just guides.

Eric

STONE

Your wallet is the final dictator of how much you will pay!!!!!!!