1973 Mike Schmidt RC PSA 9 / $1800

PSARich

Last night's PWCC auction let go of a 1973 Topps Mike Schmidt rookie for $1800. I find that amazing! I had two a couple years ago and sold one on the BST Message Board for $700, which was pretty much the going price at the time. Why did this card command that price and who is paying that much? I know '73 Topps baseball is very popular right now with high number cards getting great prices but really, a couple years ago you could easily buy this card in the $700 range. Must be a real competative market among 1973 Set Registry folks.

gemint

Yep it has been going back up. Frankly I think the economy depressed the Schmidt and many other cards during the downturn. I wish I had been more of a buyer in 2009 and 2010 as I could have got some great deals. The local card shop near me had also eBayed a Schmidt RC last year and it also sold for mid-$700 range. That was the going rate back then. Before the crash, it was a $1200-$1500 card. So $1800 is high but not too far off the historical norm prior to the crash.

itzagoner

heavy $ for a fugly 9. can't help myself. gotta say it. t/b centering. ugh. consignor must be thrilled. this is the market folks.

swartz1

too much...

itzagoner

for a PSA 8. indeed.

shagrotn77

That makes absolutely no sense.

Goodsport40

Buy the card not the holder.

The set registry is a powerful drug.

Did I miss any others?

grote15

I'm guessing the color and registration is the reason it was awarded a Mint 9 grade. That said, it should be no better than an 8.5, imo, due to T/B centering.

lwehlers

wow that is big money for a schmidt nine. my seven has better centering. still a very nice card i would love to have it.

stangrider

safety bids.....

Topps29

Picked up a Schmidt RC months ago in SGC 96 for under $550. What a card and bargain...

gemint

Here's a scan of mine which I would say has ideal centering. I did have to submit it twice as it first was downgraded due to the few print spots on the Schmidt photo. Corners are gem.




Edited to add that the scan makes the PD look worse than it actually is. You have to look closely on the actual card to see it.

bobbyw8469

That isn't a safety bid. That is a gouge bid.

grote15

Centering (and corners) is definitely better on yours, John, while I'd give the edge to suface and registration to the first card. How was the back on the PWCC card?

hhmag70

<< <i>safety bids..... >>



Figured MBMiller25 would have used that other consignor and not PWCC.

70ToppsFanatic

<< <i>

<< <i>safety bids..... >>



Figured MBMiller25 would have used that other consignor and not PWCC. >>



It was not Matt's card in the PWCC auction last night. His flip
was 16843497

[L]http://forums.collectors.com/messageview.cfm?catid=27&threadid=873198[/L]

Piggs

The bottom left corner looks a little soft on the PWCC card, but has really nice color and clarity.

ldferg

Corners should have kept the one fom PWCC to an 8 at best.

wallst32

This will resell for half the price in a next 1-4 months and then people will be wondering, why did the buyer take such a big loss? It's because it probably never sold for that price to begin with. Possibly the case with that 69T PSA 10 Ryan as well.

Piggs

<< <i>This will resell for half the price in a next 1-4 months and then people will be wondering, why did the buyer take such a big loss? It's because it probably never sold for that price to begin with. Possibly the case with that 69T PSA 10 Ryan as well. >>



Can you elaborate?

cardbender

Gemints' Ron Cey RC is a beauty.

The one from ebay looks like a slider, imho.

gemint

<< <i>Gemints' Ron Cey RC is a beauty.

The one from ebay looks like a slider, imho. >>



Thanks. I like to think of it as a John Hilton RC.

gemint

ClockworkAngel

I've always felt like this was an undervalued card, particularly considering it is a high number and how difficult it is to find nice. Not to mention it's freaking Mike Schmidt, one of the classiest players ever.

I picked up his OPC rookie for $600 last year. I've said it a million times but the OPC rookies are a bargain

MattyC

Totally agree that the RC of such a famous, beloved, and collected player always seemed affordable, even at 1K for a PSA 9. I'm glad to see this card getting some love and breaking out from a pretty stagnant period. It's not like it's a late 70s issue, and it's not so easy to find without tilt.

The PWCC one in question might not be so bad in person; I've purchased a few cards in the past that have been sitting like that in the scan, with the card sitting above or below the inner line of the holder. When tapped back into normal position they looked great. Turned out to be great bargains because the scans were so unappealing and the cards looked OC.

gemint

<< <i>Totally agree that the RC of such a famous, beloved, and collected player always seemed affordable, even at 1K for a PSA 9. I'm glad to see this card getting some love and breaking out from a pretty stagnant period. It's not like it's a late 70s issue, and it's not so easy to find without tilt.

The PWCC one in question might not be so bad in person; I've purchased a few cards in the past that have been sitting like that in the scan, with the card sitting above or below the inner line of the holder. When tapped back into normal position they looked great. Turned out to be great bargains because the scans were so unappealing and the cards looked OC. >>



I agree. The PWCC Schmidt isn't as OC as it appears in the scan. That's why I always make sure the card is not pushed up against the holder when I scan them. It can hide part of the border and make it look more OC than it is.

MattyC

It's so true how that inner ridge can make a card look OC. I need to go search VCP for the original scan of my Rose RC in PSA 7. It sold for pretty low but I remember thinking, "Man, if this is just the scan I think this card is actually dead centered!" Got it home and it was dead nuts 50/50 all around. The scan made it look HORRIBLE.

BrownBlueGreen

<< <i>That isn't a safety bid. That is a gouge bid. >>



HAHA!! Nothing like a shiller to whine about "safety bidding"!!!

PSASAP

Safety dance for safety bid

mikeschmidt

The next Schmidt PSA 9 RC sold for $1,375, or nearly 25% less than this example!

ClockworkAngel

<< <i>The next Schmidt PSA 9 RC sold for $1,375, or nearly 25% less than this example! >>



And the seller's scans were pretty much useless...

MintMoondog

I won that 2nd Schmidt, and am very grateful to have done so. I've lost out on that card several times over the past 5 years, always sensing exactly how much to snipe in order to lose. Scan might not have been nice, but I can tell that the card is not swimming in the holder. And yes, 1973 has been a bear trying to get to 9. For years cards never came up for auction - therefore the pent up demand has been punishing me on the latest setbreak.

swartz1

I bet that buyer left some good feedback for that $1800 schmidt...