Book Value vs. Sale Value

[cpr1981]

I have always been one to strickly trade by book value because of the simplicity of it all. I am starting to think that maybe there is room for both.

Take this one for example...

2004 Joe Mauer SPx Auto/GU...this card has had the same "book value" of $40 since June of 2006...over that span Joe Mauer has hit .336 with 57 homeruns and 325 rbis...He has led the league in batting three times, made the All Star team three times, two gold gloves and three silver sluggers...oh yea, he also won the American League MVP!!!

SHouldn't that warrant some love from Beckett?

I am currently in the research stages of developing a happy medium between the two...would love some thoughts from the best researchers around.

Colvin

 

[dstwinsfan]

When trading between people I know, with cards that I know about, I prefer to trade by using sell values. This usually works out the fairest because I can look up the current sell values on evilbay. Otherwise, if I can't get a sell value on Feebay, I usually will use low beckett for a sell value unless the player is in tank mode at the moment, then the trader and I talk about whatever is fair.
Hope this helps out (and makes sense)!
Dave

 

[JamesNevans]

I use Beckett as a guide, but not as an absolute. I think both parties know if there is a hot card involved, if so I think both need to be reasonable and even flexible. A trade should work where both parties are happy, if one party doesn't get what they feel is fair consideration they shouldn't be made to feel obligated to trade, even if someone is saying BVs match.

 

[Rarthur]

I like the idea of both but a problem I have run into is say a card is equal in BV to a card you're trading for. Next, the other looks a card up, finds that some ridiculous bidder bought the card for even $5 more than what yours sells at. Now BV wise that is fairly easy to make up but often times I have had people ask for as many as 3 more AU's of Solid Prospects to make up a measly $5 in SV when they are the same in BV.

 

[David K.]

Normallly..if I'm selling...I use Beckett pricing as a guide...and use the lower book value. Best regards, David

 

[valediction]

I tend to go BV for BV more often than not, but there are always exceptions. If a player gets hot, I'm not going to trade it for BV when I could do significantly better elsewhere.

 

[waterboy12386]

When trading, I pretty much always go by Beckett value. As already stated, I won't trade a card for the same value just because it is the same value. The type of card (auto, game used, rookie, etc.) goes into consideration, as well as the player.

Now when it comes to selling, I usually go by the low Beckett value, but am always willing go lower depending on the card or cards.

I love this topic. I hope this discussion/poll takes off

-Kenny

 

[mrmopar]

Selling or trading stagnant cards is probably best done using a book value. The value never changes and nobody will get shorted if both agree to a deal. Trading/selling hot cards - If you are smart, you'll use a market value. The only people wanting to use BV on hot cards wants to take advantage of a hot market to get a sweet deal. Sellers have no reason to use BV in that case whatsoever!

 

[dp33]

I voted for combination and agree with mrmopar. I will swiftly turn down an even-BV trade if my card is hot or sells for more. Likewise I would trade in your favor for a hot card if it's undervalued by Beckett. Last, Beckett is sometimes wrong or, in my opinion, slow to react to the market. I can understand that it's time consuming, but there's no reason some of these cards shouldn't fluctuate more - I rarely see any movement at all on what I collect.

That said, I would certainly trade a $40 card for your Mauer auto...

 

[Stormville]

trade values can change on a daily basis. You can get 5 people with the same card asking for 5 different values in trade.
Book value is more simplified.

 

[avstars]

You always look at both.

 

[The G]

It's hard not to use bv because as soon as you pull a nice hit out of a pack you say "I wonder what this is worth". If someone has a card I need I try not to get to hung up on bv. If I don't collect the card they want it's not doing me any good hanging on to it. That's not to say I'd trade away a $40 card for a $1 card.

 

[daktion]

I use beckett marketplace to see what dealers are selling the cards for. I then take all the figures and find an average to come up with a cards value.

 

[seawolf17]

You always look at both.

Selling or trading stagnant cards is probably best done using a book value. The value never changes and nobody will get shorted if both agree to a deal. Trading/selling hot cards - If you are smart, you'll use a market value. The only people wanting to use BV on hot cards wants to take advantage of a hot market to get a sweet deal. Sellers have no reason to use BV in that case whatsoever!

I tend to go BV for BV more often than not, but there are always exceptions. If a player gets hot, I'm not going to trade it for BV when I could do significantly better elsewhere.

I agree with all of this.

 

[mintman2]

Lots of people say they trade only bv=bv but does anybody really trade based SOLELY on bv ? I have a 3,000 count box full of 1982, 83 and 84 donruss, which at say 10 cents per gives my box a $300 bv. If anyone out there would like to trade me a $300 Joe D auto or maybe a couple $150 Ripken autos for them please lmk. As long as bv is equal it should be a fair trade, Right ?

 

[Ahmanfan]

I dont even ever use a guide anymore...
John

 

[premium1981]

I use to trade by BV only. I refuse to let beckett tell me what my cards are worth now. I think they throw a dart onto a dartboard to get bv's now. For lowend cards I guess it is still ok for trading. But as mintman stated, NO ONE trades soley BV for BV.

 

[abncal]

book value is based pretty much on demand from the market (consumer). dosen't really matter if the dude broke the HR record... if people aren't too concerned about wanting that particular card then the $ will remain the same. that's not to say though that another card of his won't sky rocket because of the featss he accomplishes... want and demand drives prices...

 

[chaddie84]

I would go exclusively by book if it wasn't so terribly off of market value. This goes both ways by varying factors. I guess it's hard to tell collectors their 1990 Donruss Rickey Henderson is worth $0.001 . The OP makes a good point in the fact that companies like Beckett do not seem to attempt to stay current with older sets and product, but rather just pump in new price lists. Have you seen the minor/semi/unlisted stars list? Some of the names make 0 sense to me...there are guys which were semis 10 years ago...today, you couldn't give away a lot of those names. If we're trading solely based on BV, does anyone want to trade me a HOF cut auto or two for my 3200 count box full of semi-stars? I still do use Beckett, however, but mostly just for lower-end (essentially cards with near $0 market value) trading of older sets for some rough numbers. In general, using a Beckett (and some common sense) should work for making fair trades.

 

[Dacubs?]

Lots of people say they trade only bv=bv but does anybody really trade based SOLELY on bv ? I have a 3,000 count box full of 1982, 83 and 84 donruss, which at say 10 cents per gives my box a $300 bv. If anyone out there would like to trade me a $300 Joe D auto or maybe a couple $150 Ripken autos for them please lmk. As long as bv is equal it should be a fair trade, Right ?

Quantity of cards make a difference too, I don't mind doing a two for one, but 3,000 to 1 is a little bit too much

I will 99% of the time trade by BV...If someone's card has the same BV but mine sells for more...I can DECIDE to make the trade or not...sometimes I will, sometimes I won't. By the same token, if someones card has the same bv as mine and his sells better, and he chooses not to trade it for that reason, I am not going to nag him about it being a fair BV to BV trade...I have also traded cards for lower bv and lower SV just because I really liked the card, so its all what you want to do