Why Is Everyone Listing Cards On eBay At 1000% Above Market Value?
mwbaldwin05
Posts: 20 ✭
Has anyone been able to figure out why a $25 or $35 PSA 10, is now being listed for $200-$300? I don’t understand what’s going on, there are so many cards I need in order to get closer to completing my Registry Sets. But, I’ve literally run into a seller of a card that last sold for around $175 as a 10; and when I asked about the reason for the unbelievable markup. He tells me that he had been collecting that teams memorabilia for 25 years and if anyone is going to buy the card from him…”they are going to have to come out of pocket pretty hard”. I don’t understand listing something that you don’t really want to sell, nor do I understand all of these “eBay 1/1” listed cards with triple digit markup. Maybe I’m just getting old, but it seems like some of these younger sellers just list cards for what they want out of it instead of researching and listing for recent comps or closest thing to market value based on research.
I’m just so lost on these prices lately. I expect to pay more for rarity, autographs, RPAs etc. But it’s these basic variance slabs that I don’t understand the horrid prices on.
If anyone has any thought process on why this is happening so much over the last year to year and a half. I would love to hear some sane reasoning lol.
Comments
Some sellers, most notably sports-cards-forever, throw out ridiculous listings just in the off chance some fool pays up. I guess if they sell even one card a year in that manner, it makes it all worthwhile. Trust me, I have seen some stupid money paid for cards in the last 6 months.
Late 60's and early to mid 70's non-sports
this pack on EBAY seems to be a great deal....
https://www.ebay.com/itm/177583262727?_skw=cello+pack&itmmeta=01KACDXGSEEK0EACRPN7JD28AM&hash=item2958c98c07:g:y8YAAOSwAwRg2rfH&itmprp=enc:AQAKAAAA8FkggFvd1GGDu0w3yXCmi1d3u0Bo4AF5rD1JqwAopnqu07bJFL13JwryKlHYMN7N7ijnzHrk/M+YILHOMa/xr+pvgBDv+DrnBhxoE6RPbSdX/+q+wIS/aiqqPY3xVQ7KJL7l9pAueoYjkKZCo4edBzf23ZKcv+6QKFeZOFJYUoloPtsMAaJ7gSkK/m9iwhY4wXQNhHUWIUSTymSeULK4Rkdv0RV22uiYK8Vy46cUj2H89i6ONQNmgjpQvRiMXIJdkpRy/wLbubUSzkRtxYyWIORS5DJBHA+Fe6yusnZvapgOBipq85Tn7+udzbI3xxUyxQ==|tkp:Bk9SR4KO9o3TZg
Horrible From business perspective, but guess it feeds his ego. Which of course is usually over compensation for being too tiny from one specific anatomical perspective.
It's the singer not the song - Peter Townshend (1972)
Not even a minute do I buy the whole buh buh buh I'm a man-child japery - Me (2025)
I think they call themselves sports-cards-forever because they intend to keep their sports cards forever.
Who flinches first?
You’re not alone in your thoughts. I’ve been dealing with this stupidity for over 3+years. Buy alternatives.
Buy what you can and enjoy what you’ve bought.
Yea that seems professional as anything I’ve ever seen!! The crap people think they they can pull off!
Those West Corp cello "packs" are phonier than a 3 dollar bill.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
Still attractive to anyone dumber than a box of rocks.
People have been complaining about museum pricing like this for at least a decade. I don't see a point. Ignore the listing and move on.
I think the OP's greater concern is the increasing volume of auctions which are intended to draw attention because of their bombastic approach. At the very least, it makes people curious enough to look at their other auctions. You never know what you might find out there. Though finding a need to be critical of crazy seller habits, I've still managed to find a few deals simply by being hyper curious. I don't collect for or participate on the registry. Those who do are obviously facing a much more difficult road to finding what they need. I wish I could help.
I've actually bought from sports-cards-forever a few times. It's definitely true that they start most of their cards out at a ridiculous price, but they do eventually lower some of them to a reasonable price
A's World Championships-1910, 1911, 1913, 1929, 1930, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1989
I have no problem with them. I've bought at least 10 cards from them.
I'll offer this one up for $18k.
I’ve had terrible experiences with S-C-F. Such as 8 slabs being tossed in an Amazon bag with no protection and shipped that way. Don’t know if he still operates like that but I haven’t really been motivated to find out. 🤷♂️
Any kind of fun story on how you obtained that Seaver cello? 🤔🙂
As a matter of fact there is. I got that pack, along with a pack with the Babe Ruth All-Time All-Stars card on top in a CU forum group break. Steve was nice enough to break a 1976 cello box that was a collection of packs with stars showing on top. Several years later I submitted them for grading. Man I miss those days of the group breaks.
yep, I still have a number of packs I got back in the days of the group breaks with Steve Hart...was always fun going over the list and figuring out what you wanted and could afford at that time...
Any reason why the group breaks can't happen again? If this is a stupid question I apologize.
Excellent question, actually. Group breaks were popular because of BBCE making a wealth of product available at prices that were reasonable and affordable in a wide range to many members of this forum and it was well organized by the volunteers who offered to do the grunt work in keeping track of everyone's orders. That collaborative effort would be hard to duplicate now with skyrocketing prices and probably far fewer people who could participate and afford it.
Steve used to offer a 10% discount on group breaks to CU. with prices/demand what they are, I cant imagine that discount would be tenable today. I never participated, but loved to watch what everyone got. Steve never cherry picked the star on top packs either. it was common for guys to receive those type packs for no additional charge.
that would NEVER happen with Fritch cards.
George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.
Fritsch lol.
Hey I have 40 people who want to buy some packs from you in a group break we are interested in your 1978 topps hockey boxes you listed for 395.00 in your catalog!
Oh 40 people you say? One sec let me check and see if I have any.
Oh good news I have a few left but they are now 495.00.
Ugh sorry I asked.