Site Forum

Bob,

That's kind of how the site works now for all the ungraded cards. It takes the last five prices chronologically and lists the median (3rd highest/lowest) of those five prices as the price on the "Pricing" checklist for that set. That should be "good enough" for your standard card with a price point that deviates only slightly from the median price from sale to sale. However, for cards that have more sporadic sales prices ($2 in one sale, $14 in the next), the median of last 5 system shows some weakness---because then any sales price listed in the middle of the two extremes arbitrarily becomes the listed sales price. Moreover, regardless of the actual price, any user can currently login and list 3 prices and thereby "select" the median price of their choosing to be listed in the "Pricing" checklist (and in "Collection Stats", etc.). ADMIN is aware of the latter issue and developing ways to legitimize user pricing.

Once, the "bogus user data" issue gets resolved, there will still remain the previously identified issue of how pricing is calculated against legitimate sales data. There is no perfect one-size-fits-all solution. I think we would all agree that a PSA 2 Honus Wagner should be currently priced somewhere in the ballpark of $1.1M to $1.4M, so the question remains how do we get tradingcarddb.com to calculate the most accurate price for every card? The problem is for most other cards, the site would require:

1. Much more sales data.

2. A better method to calulate the "price" (last 5 median isn't always best)

...In more complicated terms, I think the site should determine the trend of the price of the card, as a measure of price over time based on the available data and the ability to predict the "appraisal price" of a card when current sales data becomes unavailable. ex. If a card is $5.00 in February, $5.50 in March, $6.00 in April, $6.50 in May, and $7.00 in June, the trend indicates the card will likely be $7.50 in July. It doesn't have to be---the player could get caught with steroids or other bad things, or start throwing nothing but interceptions, or the season could simply end and fans/collectors have carried their dollars to other sports. Maybe the card will jump to $15 in November/December...

Predicting the price a commodity like a trading card is very difficult because of all the variable factors that affect the price---the player(s), rarity/scarcity, condition, season, the team's success, consumer behavior, market conditions, and thousands of other variables. So, in my opinion, capturing the raw data and calculating the "best price available" is the way to go, even if occassionaly we must accept the imperfectness when the reality deviates from the trend (or our own "gut" predictions)---but even then, the system should self-correct when it calculates in the new data.

BOBSCARDZ wrote:

Couldn't a built in eliminator be added. Drop the highest price, Drop the lowest price, average the remaining prices: all?, last 5? or over time? I'm certainly not a graduate of Statistics but could something like this work?

Maybe pricing should be regulated. 

Any price I have entered on this site was straight from a current Beckett and generally is so I have a roundabout idea what my collection is worth for insurance purposes. (Beckett is an easily reliable source if they asked me to prove value.)

As far as the overinflated pricing, that should be banned... This is why I avoid eBay.

If it comes down to it, I would rather we just strip pricing out altogether.  But that's just me... 

Admin doesn’t want pricing added from price guides for a couple of valid reasons. Please do not do this.

Of all the comments made through out this thread "If it comes down to it, I would rather we just strip pricing out altogether." makes the most sense. Thank You Vonnegut37

Is there any chance we coulld have a vote on this issue. To price OR not to price. That is the question.

The outcome would hopefully end this discussion. And hopefully NOT end this great site in the process. Just my opinion. Thanks.

dicefoot,

I believe there is a way to turn pricing off, if it's not your thing. I've never personally looked into how to do it, because I really like the concept of pricing my collection. If you "vote" to turn pricing off, you should just turn yours off, but there's no reason to "vote" to deny this capability for the rest of us.

The "rest of us" is really for whom this thread is intended. I was hoping to open a dialogue about how we could improve the accuracy and efficacy of pricing on the site, so that those of us who use it can rely on it with confidence. I don't think this discussion will "end this great site", if anything, it might improve a small part of it.

I hope I'm not upsetting anyone with the continuation of this discussion, especially long-time members who have devoted many hours to improving this site and making it what it is today.

If you wish to do this, add the price to your individual cards through the "Detailed Add" or "Edit Details" in the drop down menu for each card.  This will give you a personal record of what your collection is worth (though I don't think the site would total it for you).  As mentioned above, using data from another registered source infringes laws that could cause this site to be shut down as other sites have been by the self-proclaimed authority in this business.

On the pricing issue, there are too many factors for a relatively small group to be able to control.  To begin with, the regional factor will cause price variances.  I can say that being a baseball card collector in Canada does have its advantages as I am a minority.  I also buy in Canadian dollars.  So some of the vintage cards I have recently acquired were sold to me at about 20% off the average sportlots prices BUT IN CANADIAN DOLLARS without applying the exchange rate. If I entered some of those prices, you would all think I was lying. 

As well, regional stars will command a higher price in the cities they play in.  A quick example would be Springer with the Astros.  I am sure sportzcommish would be able to tell us that the prices for Springer's cards are higher in Houston than in New Jersey. Here in Canada, Cavan Biggio, Guerrero Jr. and Bichette cards no doubt would sell at the top end of the market compared to what they might sell for in Florida. How do we adjust for that?

When talking vintage, condition has a major part in the value.  If I get a Mantle 1962 card for $100 because there is a barely detectable crease acros the middle, do I report the price bringing down the average?  If someone sees the price I paid when he is looking to buy one of or his own collection, he will not know why it was much lower than others being reported.

Personally I do not use the pricing on this site.  But if the membership really wants to make this usable, maybe the field of players that pricing is tracked for should be narrowed to the current stars who show promise to have long successful careers, i.e. potential future HoF in their respective sports.  These are the players whose card prices do fluctuate the most depending on what is happening in their career, e.g. injuries, drug infractions, sophomore jinx, etc. Obviously in baseball, Trout, Harper, Altuve, Judge, Kershaw are a few of the names that would make the list.  As for the retired players, HoF or not, there are enough other sites that offer ideas of what their cards are worth that makes it really pointless for us to take the time to enter prices here.  If I wanted to buy a Bonds RC, I would go to ebay and see what they have sold for.  I would then search sportlots or ebay for an acceptable deal (including s&h fees) that I am willing to pay.  As for the Wagner card, really? Is anyone on this site even able to consider buying one?  If I came across one at a yard sale, I would not have to go looking up recent prices to know if a) it was a good deal and b) if I could afford it.

Just my thoughts.

My pricing is turned off. Has been from day one.

Thanks for dragging me into this, Bru! 

Yeah, I've never bought any current Astros high end cards here in Houston, and probably won't ever unless they come in sealed packs or blasters from Walmart. But singles, I avoid. I've been able to trade for most of them easily in card-for-card deals. Likewise any Yanks. The 2018 Topps Heritage - 1969 Topps Deckle Edge #4 Aaron Judge card was being sold for $10 at a shop I frequented in NJ. I waited several months and was able to get it for $5 from the shop as an addition to a lot I was purchasing at the time. I probably could have waited a bit longer and gotten it as I have all these other Heritage All-Star cards in trades much cheaper. So, yeah, hometown stars come at a premium sometimes.

My official take on this is that you're either coming into collecting as a hobby or an investment. I value my collection highly, but I also know that my vintage Mays cards won't stack up to the same Mays cards in others' collections. For trading purposes I do compare "sold" prices as others (including Bru) have and if they have scans try to value my trade bait according to a range and seek similar in return. I really don't care what dollar figure is attached to my Bonds RCs or XRCs because I own them already. I don't need to see if it's trending upward or in a downward spiral. But, if you need that I'm okay with that, however, I don't believe you'll get much help in developing your system from people like me as it doesn't interest me enough. (I read this thread as it comes up as I do most, and ocassionally I'll participate, but I was Bru-tally dragged into this commentary by someone who basically thinks like me - we'll find out how much whenever I get around to working a trade offer for vintage Ryan card! Again, .)

My issue with puting prices on cards is they change so fast.  There is always a large range that you can buy them for.

I just picked up a 1986 John Elway for .25 for a trade out side of this site.    Value here is $7.00     The guy had 3 of them all  .25 each  2 of them had slight damage.  The one I got looks nrmnt to me.   (That is another issues my mint is your good)   COMC has a lot for under $2.00  Yes I undertand they are not sold yet but you can buy them at that price so why is it not the value.    Do I put in my .25 buy???

The value of my PC is pricless but we all know everyong has his price.

Sportzcommish, you simply were the easiest one to use as an example, that came to mind.  Yes our thoughts on these issues are the same.