Question Regarding Beckett Price Guide- UPDATE: Bought some Mantles

vintagefun

Haven't looked at a Beckett since the early 90s. I use VCP. However, my coin guy set me up with one of his customer's who's looking to sell his cards. I've been told that there's a 56 Williams, some Mantles, and a couple Jordan cards and his opinion (as a coin guy) was that they looked "pretty good" "maybe near mint" ... it'll be interesting to see what arrives.

He said the guy's expectation is roughly 50-60% of Beckett. I'll obviously do my own calculations once I see the cards, but I'm trying to get an idea of the delta between Beckett and VCP on say a 56 Williams in a 5, so I have some idea going in if we're gonna be close or a ways off.

Thanks in advance.
Jim

mrmint23

I have learned its best to sit down with the seller and show them realized prices on VCP. Great thing about VCP is to be able to compare prices and pictures of cards sold. However, also explain that VCP prices normally include Ebay, paypal, shipping and other fees. Whereas cash in hand is an immediate transaction and saves the headache of waiting. Good Luck

Dpeck100

I just did a Google search and it appears the prices listed will be in Near Mint condition for that year. I recall in the past there being a section that explains condition and what percentage they would estimate the value to go up or down in various grades.

It is not as easy as it used to be to locate the magazine but if you can I would try and get a copy and see what discount percentage they would apply for an EX grade. If I had to bet they would value the cards at something like 60% to 75% of the listed price based on what I recall seeing in the past.

Obviously each set and each card are only estimated but it will certainly help with the negotiations.

charrigan

In my experience, nearly every time a seller has referenced "book value" for an item, their expectations were very far off from market values.

PMKAY

<< <i>In my experience, nearly every time a seller has referenced "book value" for an item, their expectations were very far off from market values. >>




Whenever a seller references book value to me I immediately know I am not making the purchase.

vintagefun

Thanks guys.

...but if the expectation is 50% of BV are we at least in the ball park from an expectations standpoint?

At the end of the day, I'm happy just to view a collection and give what little education I can provide, and I fully intend to introduce him to VCP and be transparent in my methodology for any offer I make, including all the costs and risks associated with buying raw, and grading with intent to sell. Most of my previous experiences like this have shown that the sentimental value is often more than the real value, but I get the impression he may be more motivated.

We'll see.

gregmo32

All that said , if the cards are actually in near mint condition as defined by PSA, you would be doing fine to pay 60 % of book value .
I know we are all naturally skeptical, but there are still good cards out there , and often times they are in the hands of somebody with a serious collecting interest in something else (ie Coins comics or toys).

Let me know if you come up with any vintage basketball . Maybe you could flip it to me before you even put the money down .

vintagefun

Well...someone else had already purchased the bulk of the vintage. But there were 3 Mantles and a 56 Williams, some 71 low-grade Ryan's and a few 80's RC and a binder full of random modern. The Williams was beat. The 62 Mantle was nicely centered but heavily rounded. The 65 and 66 Mantle were both from his childhood collection, and pretty well preserved. The 65 was pretty nice...but it must've been the first card he saw when opening the pack as it had a large amount of wax on the front of the card. The 66 has tilt and a dot on back...is that an ST qualifier there? I told him he'd be better off keeping them, as I was hesitant to make him an offer given some of the issues on the cards. He said, please, offer, I can always say no. I offered 150 for the 3 Mantles. He went to 205. We tentatively settled on 180, but he needed a few to think about it, as the 65 and 66 were hard for him to let go. I went outside to call my wife and when I returned, he said I could have the Mantles for 180 if I bought the rest of the junk that I didn't want for 50. I figured between the Ryans, Bonds, and Clemens, plus the binder was like a Uni-Keep and the pages, and a variety of random Jordans, Clarks, and other oddball, including some Carnation Wrestling Cards...that still smell like cocoa, it was close enough to get the deal done. Plus, I thought I might be able to remove the wax on the 65, which I think I did pretty successfully.




Here's the better of the rest:




Thoughts on the Mantles?

mtcards

Dont have thoughts on the Mantles, but I wish a quick and speedy exit from the card industry by the Beckett price guide. Its about as useless as utters on a boar hog

wrestlingcardking

I'll take that Rick Martel and Road Warriors for the $50 you had to fork over.

DanBessette

<< <i>Dont have thoughts on the Mantles, but I wish a quick and speedy exit from the card industry by the Beckett price guide. Its about as useless as utters on a boar hog >>



That is udderly hilarious.

I love the 65 and 66 Micks!

ThoseBackPages

that '62 Mantle is AMAZINGLY Centered!!!

begsu1013

ironically enough, that rick martel card might be the most valuable card in the bunch. turn it over and see if there's a wrinkle on the top border near the center. if there's not, you could be on to something. seriously.

originalisbest

Judging from the image, the 65 mantle on Its own could retail for about what you paid, assume no wrinkles or creases. Rest is gravy, so yep, you did fine.

PMKAY

<< <i>I'll take that Rick Martel and Road Warriors for the $50 you had to fork over. >>



So would I - in a heart beat

wrestlingcardking

<< <i>

<< <i>I'll take that Rick Martel and Road Warriors for the $50 you had to fork over. >>



So would I - in a heart beat >>



begsu and dpeck would be in line too

bounce

<< <i>

<< <i>

<< <i>I'll take that Rick Martel and Road Warriors for the $50 you had to fork over. >>



So would I - in a heart beat >>



begsu and dpeck would be in line too >>



you wrestling guys are awesome - I think most of us would have seen those cards and thought "cool", but then thought "wrestling cards are probably barely worth a buck each"

already we've got $50 offers without high quality scans

good for you OP

begsu1013

op,

you didn't happen to open the pack to get the scans, did ya?

those came in 2 card packs...and the martel and road warriors card were packed together.

vintagefun

As I was flipping through the binder the 2 wrestling cards stood out like sore thumbs against a sea of 91 Topps and the like. They were on a page with some Milk Bone cards too, Glavine and Brady Anderson and a Canseco Pepsi card. Looked like a page of product packaging cards. I recalled a thread in which the Carnations were discussed but wasn't sure on value, but they looked good. Still, I initially passed on the binder because he valued them at roughly $1/card, and I had to tell him that for the most part, the binder and the pages were worth more than the cards inside. I didn't expect those Carnations were puling the value they appear to be, so that was a happy surprise.

They both have a tiny wrinkle on the top border on back. Looks like that was quite common. The Martel is really nice otherwise. The RW has a slightly rough edge on the lower left.

I've received a lot of interested PMs, but no real offers. Considering throwing them into my next sub and see what happens.

Thanks for the input.
Jim

MULLINS5

Sub the wrestling, put on eBay, let the auctions ride.

Best of luck, nice score!

jmaciu

Jim, the 65 Mantle looks nice, especially if the wax is now removed. Thanks for sharing. These kind of finds are always fun.

vintagefun

Thanks guys.

Any thoughts on back of 66? Is that dot a given ST qualifier?