What is market price these days?

RonBurgundy · June 21, 2010 1:43AM

I ask this because I'm seeing more and more high end (NM-MT) commons go for barely more than grading fees. I was going thru some stuff I had to submit, cleaning out the closet so to speak, and VCP'ing some cards there are 60's commons - not 68's, those are a separate deal entirely - that are barely worth grading now according to VCP. But I have to think on a store or in other areas of the market you can still get decent $$ for them.

So that prompted a few questions:

What is market price these days? VCP? Ebay? Store sales? Offline?

Where's the bottom for high end commons?

leadoff4 · June 21, 2010 1:48AM

Good question... I know PSA has to be losing money(at least from me) due to graded 60s commons bringing so little $$.

digicat · June 21, 2010 1:51AM

The market for high end commons is a fairly finite market. It was only a matter of time before the supply exhausted the demand.

It seems like the only time these cards will get a bump is when these cards go into cold storage and a few new set collectors come out to battle. However, it's kinda hard to predict when a new set collector will appear.

BigDaddyBowman · June 21, 2010 2:07AM

From my limited experience in selling vintage football, it seems like too many are quoting VCP as market value. I cringe when I get the pm that says "your asking this much, but VCP is only this much...so I will give you VCP for it." First of all, the potential buyer is assuming I don't know what VCP is. Then I re-check VCP and the average they are referring to is 2 years ago or a recent sale of an ugly card for the grade. I like to use it as a guide, but I think that is not a totally reliable measure of a cards value...too many missed sales etc. I just bought one of my favorite and most treasured cards...1951 Bowman Bulldog Turner in SGC 9 (the card that I use as my avatar picture)...it was on off ebay sale...it will never show up on VCP. It is the only one in sgc population report...so what is it worth?? the $1,000 it was sold for 2 years ago, the $420 it sold for last year...or the $550 I paid for it last week? Well to me it was worth the $550....if I ever decide to sell it...who knows what it will be worth? To me, I use B.D.B. pricing as the guide....how bad does BigDaddyBowman want the card?...how much is BigDaddyBowman willing to pay for it? What is BigDaddyBowman willing to sell it for? I gather as much info from constantly studying ebay and auction sales, reading the boards, talking to fellow collectors and try to make an educated decision..but the bottom line is the same exact card can sell for hundreds of dollars more/less within days of each sale.

itzagoner · June 21, 2010 2:07AM

tough for even the strongest will to fight off those urges....i suppose withholding the bait would bring the fish back to battle.

it seems like there's been a lot of chumming going on lately.

storm888 · June 21, 2010 3:12AM

PSA Cards Listed On EBAY

194,831

Auctions

18,823

BINs

176,431

...................................

Baseball

136,088 Total

12,446 Auctions

123,949 BINs

...............................................................................

With that kind of numbers, it appears that there are two
classes of auction buyers:

Bargain Hunters

Store Owners/BIN Sellers

...............................

Folks who don't need money, might ought to refrain from
selling.

Prices should tank real hard by 2012/13. Maybe they will recover
and go up nicely over the next 10-to-30 years.

Depression cometh. Good time to have LOTS of cash.

..........................

GoDodgersFan · June 21, 2010 3:23AM

Some wise words. These next few months will be even worse given the typical summer
retreat in sports collectibles.

WeekendHacker · June 21, 2010 3:30AM

Good info so far, but one has to ask themselves, are there going to be collectors for baseball cards (or sports cards) in general - 20 years from now? It's not as if kids are growing up today - riding their bikes from the baseball field to the local corner store - with coins in their pockets - excited to buy a few packs of cards. Far too many other options are available for kids to spend their money on - which will reduce the interest and passion of baseball card collecting. I just don't think there are the same passionate baseball card collectors today as there was 20 years ago - and 20 years from now, it's my hunch that there will be an even smaller crowd of these collectors.

The dynamics of collecting cards has drastically changed.

BugOnTheRug · June 21, 2010 3:49AM

<< <i>What is market price these days >>

$12.95

storm888 · June 21, 2010 4:08AM

"...The dynamics of collecting cards has drastically changed...."

///////////////////////////////////////

NO doubt.

BUT, a "dynamic" that did not exist 50-years ago has
been introduced.

The formation of the broad and all encompassing category
we call "collectibles" will likely mitigate some/all of the damages
caused by modern utes' failures to embrace cards at retail.

When I was a ute, stamps/coins were the "collectibles." Cards
were purchased and carried in cigar boxes, but the notion that
they would have future value was almost nonexistent. Thus,
soooooooo many good ones were simply thrown away.

Because EBAY - and other present/future venues - have caused/allowed
the collector-bug to be acquired across ALL categories of "collectibles,"
future card collectors will likely be drawn from a pool that really does NOT
have to bear a strong "childhood connection" to cards.

Unless we enter a long period of financial destruction, I am pretty confident
that cross-category collectors will allow "vintage" cards to remain a viable
attraction.

...

smtjoy · June 22, 2010 1:33AM

While I think the economy has played a part I really think it really gets down to basic supply and demand.

The market for 60-70's high grade commons has been satuarated. The supply far outweights the demand. 4-7 years ago grading just about any of these cards would bring a nice profit, 2-3 years ago you had to really hit the pop reports to find which cards needed to be subbed and you could make money on those. Now because everyone got smart and started subbing all the low pops there are few cards that will bring a nice profit when they get graded an 8 or 9. There will be new set collectors here and there but I just dont think we will ever see demand increase by that much. I think this trend will continue and the value/price of these cards will continue to fall by at least another 20-40% in next couple years.

I wish I could be more upbeat but I just dont see these cards holding there value and anyone buying them for investment (or hold for there kids education/home additions/etc) is making a huge mistake. That said if you are a collector who just loves the cards and has no desire to sell and cares not if they lose money, this is a great time to be buying.

WinPitcher · June 22, 2010 3:21AM

Big Daddy

Tell them to go and buy it from VCP.

Steve

WinPitcher · June 22, 2010 3:23AM

<< <i>Prices should tank real hard by 2012/13. >>

Not according to SCT, no card has ever gone down in value.

Steve

Beck6 · June 22, 2010 3:48AM

I gave away a large box of modern cards to an 8 year old neighbor the other day. His eyes lit up and was really excited. Kids still enjoy cards, but with all the things they can spend money on it is just lower down the list. I try to give away cards to neighborhood kids anytime that I can. It keeps my desk clean and maybe one of them will remember it and become a collector in the future. Future collectors are the only way that market prices will stay steady or even rise in the future. My two cents

Morgoth · June 22, 2010 4:09AM

I think this new wave of players like Heyward and Strasburg will only help cards become popular again.

I do see kids at shows again and they want RC's of their favorite players now not Pokeman cards.

The lottery aspect also will make these kids have different collecting wants IMO. Will they want to collect the heroes of baseball or bust new stuff looking for the golden ticket? I think its a mixed bag.

The best thing we can hope for is the dad wants to collect the old stuff (now its 80s and 90s players folks, were getting old) and the kid collects the new stuff. That will keep the hobby afloat.

I think some card companies going out of buisness only helps. Good god people think about a year like 2004 where you have like 4000 Leaf card variations. I like it now, people know one thing, 2010 Bowman is the only Stras RC out right now. They buy it and only it when they want a RC of Strasburg.

When the other sets come out it will change some but they will all be Topps products. I think it helps collectors trying to figure out what to buy.

Mickey71 · June 22, 2010 8:04AM

I'm only commenting on Post War.

VCP is only accurate if a certain card in the same grade has sold numerous times.

With commons bringing so little at auction prices I have begun to focus solely on major HOF's. Not being disrespectful by any stretch===but here is a list of guys who are not major HOF's in the card world that might surprise some people: Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, Lou Brock, Jim Palmer, Carlton, Perry, Stargell, etc. These guys have only 1 or 2 cards each that will stand the test of time. For me I stay away except for a few cards here and there.

I'm a believer in collecting guys that transcend the game: Mantle, Mays, Aaron, Clemente, Koufax, Rose, Williams, Jackie Robinson, Paige, Musial and a few others. They have a bunch of cards to choose from that are considered significant.

mcolney1 · June 22, 2010 10:28AM

VCP is awesome as a guide, a way to track a card that has been sold repeatedly over the past few years, to compare prices to quality based on grade.

I'm in the BDB category. If I know a card comes up often on ebay I will always open my negotiations with a lower offer. But, if its a card I want, don't see come up very often and I want it, then VCP be dammed. I'm going after it hard!

mtcards · June 22, 2010 11:18AM

<< <i>Big Daddy

Tell them to go and buy it from VCP.

Steve >>

When I used to do shows many years ago, before the advent of ebay and the internet, Beckett was THE "set in stone" price setter. Every year it would be the same thing, Player A comes out and hits 10 HR's the first week, prices of Player A's RC would go from $6 to $20 to $30 almost overnight it would seem. You go to a 40 table local show and 3 guys had the card you wanted and they wanted the $30 since thats what they were selling for. There would always be some clown with a 2 month old Beckett wanting to buy Player A for the $6 or less. When he saw your price of $20, the usual "but Beckett says $6"...I used the classic response "Well, go buy it from Beckett". Of course they would have 5-10 of said card in their hand and I would invariably ask them if they wanted to sell for twice what Beckett says and they would always reply, no way, these are going up too fast...exactly!!!

mexpo75 · June 22, 2010 9:54PM

So, In this boards opinions, is vintage (50's or earlier) football and baseball a part of card market which will hold its current value or even go up?

Mickey71 · June 23, 2010 4:17AM

Mexpo,
As I said earlier in a post; only certain examples are going to hold their value and have a chance to go up. If a card is in a PSA 9 and is truly rare-that is a good card. If it is a low pop PSA 9 just because only a few examples have been submitted....stay away. Sports cards are not a completely supply and demand market; but is does come into play. Stick with high end for the grade HOF's at reasonable prices and you should do okay in the long run. I think vintage is 1971 and earlier.

Mickey71

Yankees001 · June 23, 2010 10:45PM

Market price is what someone is willing to pay for an item.

All the price guides and past auctions are guides only. A card can sell for 4x more or less any day.

Good question, Burgundy. I hope this help out.

Dave

What is market price these days?

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