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nostalgia_martyr
Posts: 8
Joined: Aug 2016
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Wednesday, April 8, 2020 9:43 AM | |
Sorry if this seems ignorant or stupid, but can anyone explain to me the insane variations in eBay prices for single cards?
When I search for a card to see what it has recently sold for, I usually find a WIDE range in sold prices. I'm talking tons of copies of a card selling for $1-2, and then some selling for several hundred dollars, as well as many prices in between. Granted, the cards sold at high prices are always professionally graded and usually graded at 8-10 while the cheap ones are not graded (but still appear in great condition), but this still seems crazy to me. I understand that a professionally graded card is more valuable and more sought after, but THAT much more valuable? I can't see paying a few hundred dollars more for the same card just because it was graded.
Anyone able to explain this phenomenon? Thanks.
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Gator415
Posts: 429
Joined: May 2019
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Wednesday, April 8, 2020 10:09 AM | |
From what I have always heard/been told/believed....was that a RAW ungraded card in mint condition would be about an 8 price range on a graded card. A graded card would be about 50%-100% more with a 9 grade and a 10 grade would bump the card up 1000% or more. These numbers are also pending rarity, etc. Here's an example from PSA's site
https://www.psacard.com/smrpriceguide/baseball-card-values/1984-fleer-update/1277
I would expect to pay about the cost of an 8 grade for these cards for an ungraded card. Some graded cards are also (not in my opinion) worth more when there is a lower population of that grade. Sometimes I feel the lower pop is just that not as many of those have been submitted for grading.....like why would you submit your 1989 Donruss Cory Snyder card for grading?? I bet the pop on those graded is VERY low....
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Astros stole my signature.... - Chuck
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nostalgia_martyr
Posts: 8
Joined: Aug 2016
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Wednesday, April 8, 2020 3:22 PM | |
That's hilarious. I just cannot imagine having the mindset to say to myself "Yeah, I know a 1987 Donruss Greg Maddux Rated Rookie card with a PSA Grade 9 is a nicer card, but I'd rather pay more for a 7 because there are less of them." SMH.
Anyways, I've done some more digging and you are not wrong. Lots of cards that sell raw for $5 do indeed sell for $15-50 when graded as 9 or 10. However, I've also seen some raw cards that sell for $2 and the grade 10 sells for $400. Just doesn't make sense to me. Seems so irrational to pay that. If you want that card because you like collecting, just get the raw card. I wonder if the people paying these astronomical prices are just rich snobs that care about status more than actual collecting. Like it's all about showing off to people and not about the love of sports memorabilia. Tisk tisk.
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baseballcardstoreca
Posts: 1,316
Joined: Sep 2019
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Wednesday, April 8, 2020 4:05 PM | |
Grading brings out a whole otherworldly breed of people, admittedly i'm not a fan.
Maybe a little old and old-fashioned since i used to buy packs of cards for a dime and the gum was THE insert.
Ever since the scam of autographs and relics(none of which existed in my 79-80 packs of OPC hockey),
Along with it comes a certain brand of nuttiness of "slabbing". As if you need a third party to tell you your wife is a 9.5 or 10.
Get your own awesome looking card and pay the 20 to get it graded, which everyone knows that is inconsistent and too often a crapshoot hence those silly prices. Then you have those issues which are very tough grades(most often the black bordered sets) which will fetch premium $ for high graded versions. Virtually grading has created a sort of stock market for trading cards.
apr6 psa 10 griffey jr 825$
apr5 " " " 806$
apr5 " " " 787$ etc...
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Dodgydave
Posts: 949
Joined: Apr 2019
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Wednesday, April 8, 2020 4:09 PM | |
Maybe sometimes it is just ego driving people to pay massive amounts for a 10 graded card, but, you also have to remember everybody collects differently.
Maybe somebody collects a specific set/subset/insert series only in grade 9.5s or 10s from a specific grader. If a card is rare or rarely graded a 10 from that set then they will be willing to pay a premium if it helps them complete their collecting goals.
Or some cards rarely grade highly due to their design/materials being easily damaged so high grades become more desirable and valuable.
Personally, I am like yourself and not worried about "perfection". I am happy to own a lower condition card or simply a card in great condition that is just not graded rather than pay the premium for a high number on the plastic case.
However, everyone is different and that is what makes the hobby work!
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set_builder39
Posts: 339
Joined: May 2019
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Wednesday, April 8, 2020 5:40 PM | |
yes, the wealth factor plays a role. Grade-10 cards in particularly are viewed as an investiment. A similar phenomenon occurred with coin collecting. Most raw coins are tough to sell, but the market for graded coinsvexploded, especially in the top tiers.
I don't see this changing anytime soon but who knows. Cars in mint condition still sell well, so I imagine graded card market will keep going.
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---------- Currently not trading but will consider buy/sell offers.
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Vvvergeer
Posts: 2,058
Joined: Jan 2014
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Wednesday, April 8, 2020 6:29 PM | |
I feel obligated to throw in the obligatory 'beware of fakes" warning here. As much as I hate grading, and it's no guarantee, it adds a least a little more credibility to the authenticity of a card. If you're looking at vintage cards, especially, beware of cards that look too good to be true that are ungraded.
As to the rest of the points made, I couldn't agree more. If I know a card's real, I can tell for myself how good it is.
v3
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nostalgia_martyr
Posts: 8
Joined: Aug 2016
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Thursday, April 9, 2020 8:53 PM | |
Thanks everyone for the input! Confirmed some things I had already believed but also shed some light on some other points.
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Dmbramer
Posts: 601
Joined: Dec 2019
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Friday, April 10, 2020 12:03 AM | |
To me. I collect for fun of filling the spot. Looking at the card.. To me Grading only gets you higher cost card if your going to Sell. I’m not selling cards for money. So no graded cards in this collection.
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Gator415
Posts: 429
Joined: May 2019
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Friday, April 10, 2020 6:14 AM | |
As for the grading, I have some cards that I would like to get graded, just to keep and store like that. I have a few already and don't go out of my way. A few that I would like to get grade are
50 Bowman Pee Wee Reese - https://www.tcdb.com/ViewCard.cfm/sid/19/cid/4237/1950-Bowman-21-Pee-Wee-Reese
2017 Heritage 1/5 Ryon Healy/Jharel Cotton Chrome Gold Refractor
Roger Maris 1975 MVP's (w Dick Groat) autographed
Just a few things that I would rather have 1. in a hard (better) protective case and 2. authenticated (just in case as someone mentioned.....counterfitting)
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Astros stole my signature.... - Chuck
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