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SMR vs Ebay

So I've decided to move into football a little and buy some of the Steelers cards I remember from my youth. Not big money cards but just for fun. I'm looking at psa 8 for the most part and the first card I looked at was 1975 Topps Bradshaw. SMR is $16.00, most on ebay are much more about three times as much. Is this the norm? If so why is SMR so far off ? Thoughts?

Comments

  • markj111markj111 Posts: 2,921 ✭✭✭
    SMR is close to useless. Real world prices matter.
  • SMR is close to useless

    I wouldnt exactly say that. SMR is pretty good and I would say that a lot more people use that when bidding on ebay then say ... they use VCP or even know about it for that matter.

    The only thing with SMR is that it gets a bit trickey once it gets into the 7.5 or 8.5's for those "rarer" vintage cards or low pops that dont show up too often. Best advise I can give is to check both SMR and eBay and then just decide what something is worth to you before entering your bid or making your purchase.
  • pdub1819pdub1819 Posts: 1,986 ✭✭✭✭
    I always look at completed listings to give myself a ballpark on how much I want to spend.

  • I think useless is pretty close to accurate. Try getting a 1986 Topps Nolan Ryan PSA 10 for $220. You'd have to pay 3x-5x that if one should surface
    It never leaves you...
  • mrmint23mrmint23 Posts: 2,249 ✭✭✭
    The best "guide" available.
    VCP
  • ClockworkAngelClockworkAngel Posts: 1,994 ✭✭✭


    << <i>SMR is close to useless

    I wouldnt exactly say that. SMR is pretty good and I would say that a lot more people use that when bidding on ebay then say ... they use VCP or even know about it for that matter.
    . >>



    Really? I very rarely see high end cards go for anything even close to SMR. I agree that it's useless at least for the premiere stuff....and I don't really get that. You'd think if anything SMR would want to embellish their prices to make PSA grades more desirable. It isn't good business to set prices so much lower than reality...

    The Clockwork Angel Collection...brought to you by Bank of America, Wells Fargo, and Chase
    TheClockworkAngelCollection
  • larryallen73larryallen73 Posts: 6,055 ✭✭✭
    SMR is a great guide for determining which cards are more in demand than others from a particular set. Beyond that not much value.
  • Clockwork, you only copied me the 1st half of what I wrote but then added your words like if you didnt agree.

    It seems we agree based on the 2nd part of what I wrote which you didnt copy.


  • << <i>Clockwork, you only copied me the 1st half of what I wrote but then added your words like if you didnt agree.

    It seems we agree based on the 2nd part of what I wrote which you didnt copy. >>




    I'm with you M. I was a bit confused but at the end I felt the agreement. And I would pretty much agree with both of you as well. I won't say I don't at least use or look at the SMR, but I do so knowing that for the most part I can't use it as a guide and instead must use the completed listings. I've always wondered why they are so low compared to reality when it comes to the more scarce cards.

    I'm a big Nolan Ryan fan OK???!!!
  • ClockworkAngelClockworkAngel Posts: 1,994 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Clockwork, you only copied me the 1st half of what I wrote but then added your words like if you didnt agree.

    It seems we agree based on the 2nd part of what I wrote which you didnt copy. >>



    You are absolutely right. I utilized my ADD to it's fullest and only read the 1st half of your post....thanks for the clarification
    The Clockwork Angel Collection...brought to you by Bank of America, Wells Fargo, and Chase
    TheClockworkAngelCollection
  • gemintgemint Posts: 6,066 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I've found that SMR is fairly accurate at the set level. Meaning if you are putting together a complete set, the SMR complete set price is a good ballpark number. At the individual card level, it's not so accurate. I find that many cards sell for well below SMR while 10%-20% sell for above to well above SMR. These end up pretty much offsetting each other, leaving the total set quote fairly accurate. If you use SMR to bid on high pop commons, you will typically overpay greatly for them (assuming they are BINs or you have another bidder doing the same). VCP is really the best guide as it has actual sales data. It doesn't capture retail transactions or some non eBay auction houses but it's probably better than any other tool out there.


  • << <i>I've found that SMR is fairly accurate at the set level. Meaning if you are putting together a complete set, the SMR complete set price is a good ballpark number. At the individual card level, it's not so accurate. I find that many cards sell for well below SMR while 10%-20% sell for above to well above SMR. These end up pretty much offsetting each other, leaving the total set quote fairly accurate. If you use SMR to bid on high pop commons, you will typically overpay greatly for them (assuming they are BINs or you have another bidder doing the same). VCP is really the best guide as it has actual sales data. It doesn't capture retail transactions or some non eBay auction houses but it's probably better than any other tool out there. >>



    +1, especially in relation to pricing for complete sets. In my opinion, it's quite amazing, actually, to see how individual card values deviate dramatically from SMR, only to have complete set values trend back towards SMR. Print versions of SMR generally include disclaimers about the pricing of low-pop commons, and it's not all that strange to see pricing multiples (2X, 3X) for high-end and/or low-pop card transactions in the real world.
  • Thanks for the feedback, does anyone have an opinion on the specific card I mentioned, the 1975 psa 8 Bradshaw ?
  • Scarlem21Scarlem21 Posts: 238 ✭✭✭
    The 1975 psa 8 Bradshaw is a truly wonderful card and if you could pick it up at $16 consider yourself lucky. The sky is the limit for a card like that, truly undervalued and should increase in value. A wonderful piece of cardboard history and a true find!
  • itzagoneritzagoner Posts: 8,753 ✭✭


    << <i>SMR is a great guide for determining which cards were perceived to be more attractive a month prior to publishing. Beyond that not much value. >>



    well, it does have pretty pictures, no? image
  • Dpeck100Dpeck100 Posts: 10,910 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>

    << <i>SMR is a great guide for determining which cards were perceived to be more attractive a month prior to publishing. Beyond that not much value. >>



    well, it does have pretty pictures, no? image >>



    Yes image LOL
  • mrmint23mrmint23 Posts: 2,249 ✭✭✭


    << <i>

    << <i>

    << <i>SMR is a great guide for determining which cards were perceived to be more attractive a month prior to publishing. Beyond that not much value. >>



    well, it does have pretty Personal pictures, no? image >>



    Yes image LOL >>



    Fixed that for you Dpeck..LOL
  • DboneesqDboneesq Posts: 18,220 ✭✭


    << <i>Thanks for the feedback, does anyone have an opinion on the specific card I mentioned, the 1975 psa 8 Bradshaw ? >>


    IMO, VCP is the way to go. If you want to try it you can subscribe for only one day if you want. Here is what you would find for 2013 sales of the card in question on VCPs website:

    Latest Auction Prices for: PSA 8 - Average Price: $18.16

    7/21/13 eBay Auction $10.03
    7/4/13 eBay Listing $19.99
    4/14/13 eBay Auction $14.95
    4/7/13 eBay Auction $13.60
    2/2/13 eBay $27.99
    2/1/13 eBay $14.27
    1/28/13 eBay $25.00
    1/2/13 eBay $17.00
    STAY HEALTHY!

    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.
  • ReggieClevelandReggieCleveland Posts: 3,854 ✭✭✭✭✭
    SMR has prices for cards that don't exist. That's pretty much it, in a nutshell.


  • << <i>SMR has prices for cards that don't exist. That's pretty much it, in a nutshell. >>


    I'll assume you're referring to prices for cards that don't exist in a certain grade. How is that different from any other price guide?
  • ReggieClevelandReggieCleveland Posts: 3,854 ✭✭✭✭✭
    That is what I meant. I think the biggest difference between them is that other price guides reflect past sales and recent market activity, where SMR just hypothesizes about what cards are "worth" based on nothing more substantial than throwing darts against a wall.
  • I don't understand.

    SCD lists values for cards in NM, EX, and VG.

    Beckett and other price guides have a similar format.

    Many prewar cards and 1950's food issues don't exist in NM condition but the price guides still list a value.

    How is this different from SMR?
  • ReggieClevelandReggieCleveland Posts: 3,854 ✭✭✭✭✭
    It's not. The practice is irresponsible no matter who is doing it.
  • I've worried about this at times because I can be pretty aggressive when going after a card I want and sometimes wonder if I'm being an idiot paying eBay BIN prices that are way over SMR. Maybe I am, but I have the cards.

    df

    Dave Fanning
    dfanredsfan
  • 'SMR is a good baseline... It's a great reference in a fluctuating market. That's why on average set values even out. It makes perfect sense!
    A really big fan of Dan Aykroyd
  • BobHBobH Posts: 206 ✭✭


    << <i>The best "guide" available.
    VCP >>



    No doubt. I like to check the completed listings on Ebay but I get my money's worth from VCP
    Interested in 60's and 70's psa and raw star and hof cards
  • For the record, a 1975 Topps PSA 8.5 Bradshaw sold for $19 on Ebay a few weeks ago...


  • << <i>

    << <i>I've found that SMR is fairly accurate at the set level. Meaning if you are putting together a complete set, the SMR complete set price is a good ballpark number. At the individual card level, it's not so accurate. I find that many cards sell for well below SMR while 10%-20% sell for above to well above SMR. These end up pretty much offsetting each other, leaving the total set quote fairly accurate. If you use SMR to bid on high pop commons, you will typically overpay greatly for them (assuming they are BINs or you have another bidder doing the same). VCP is really the best guide as it has actual sales data. It doesn't capture retail transactions or some non eBay auction houses but it's probably better than any other tool out there. >>



    +1, especially in relation to pricing for complete sets. In my opinion, it's quite amazing, actually, to see how individual card values deviate dramatically from SMR, only to have complete set values trend back towards SMR. Print versions of SMR generally include disclaimers about the pricing of low-pop commons, and it's not all that strange to see pricing multiples (2X, 3X) for high-end and/or low-pop card transactions in the real world. >>



    A very insightful observation with an obvious explanation. VCP does not have raw set prices - so other than previous auctions only SMR offers a guide, this guide influences the previous sales prices, of course, so it is self-perpetuating. Therefore, there are definite arbitrage opportunities. However, there are fewer and fewer sets of a grade that one can convert to PSA single cards.
    If you look at recent PSA sets offered by auction houses they almost always directly map to total VCP prices - indeed - peeps will calculate VCP price card by card (me being one image)
    75 Minis - GET IN MY BELLY!
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