Pricing cards at shows

[hermanotarjeta]

Originally Posted by imbluestreak23

I'll usually bring all of my PSA slabs which can be ~400-600ish? Plus ~100-200 raw.

Do you ever have trouble selling the raw cards because customers may think those are the ones not worth grading since you have a large amount of slabbed cards as well?

Do you offer a steeper discount on your raw cards?

[Bosoxfan5990]

Originally Posted by cholodolo

Might be in the minority -- but if there's a card I want and priced reasonably I buy it without haggling. If it is overpriced I just move on.

I think you're in the minority to buy at face, even if it's fairly priced.

[hermanotarjeta]

Originally Posted by Bosoxfan5990

I think you're in the minority to buy at face, even if it's fairly priced.

Yeah if it’s a $3000 card and fairly priced, I’m still gonna at least ask for $2800.

[imbluestreak23]

Originally Posted by hermanotarjeta

Do you ever have trouble selling the raw cards because customers may think those are the ones not worth grading since you have a large amount of slabbed cards as well?

Do you offer a steeper discount on your raw cards?

Not really. People ask more about condition now than ever before but no discounts. Some people take a look at them up close and are happy.

[hermanotarjeta]

Originally Posted by imbluestreak23

Not really. People ask more about condition now than ever before but no discounts. Some people take a look at them up close and are happy.

Why aren’t the raw cards graded?

[discodanman45]

Originally Posted by hermanotarjeta

Why aren’t the raw cards graded?

This is the problem with the hobby. Every card doesn't need to be graded. If a card is $50 to $200 it doesn't need an expert for $20 to tell use the grade and if it is authentic. The more I collect, the more I avoid graded cards for the $100 and under level. Ultra-modern raw cards that are between $100-$200 are probably 8/9 shape and have rarity with serial numbers or being short printed. We are not talking $5 base cards that we need to pay $20 to make it into a $50 card because of their opinion that it is gem mint and pretend rarity. We are talking about $100 to $200 raw cards that are valuable because of their actual rarity.

[hermanotarjeta]

Originally Posted by discodanman45

This is the problem with the hobby. Every card doesn't need to be graded. If a card is $50 to $200 it doesn't need an expert for $20 to tell use the grade and if it is authentic. The more I collect, the more I avoid graded cards for the $100 and under level. Ultra-modern raw cards that are between $100-$200 are probably 8/9 shape and have rarity with serial numbers or being short printed. We are not talking $5 base cards that we need to pay $20 to make it into a $50 card because of their opinion that it is gem mint and pretend rarity. We are talking about $100 to $200 raw cards that are valuable because of their actual rarity.

I don’t pay grade premiums.

From the customer perspective I always question the raw cards dealers sell when their showcase is loaded with graded ones.

I automatically assume that there are bad enough defects that they weren’t worth sending in to grade or were already bad grades that were cracked out.

Always buy the card, not the grade of the slab.

The great thing about card shows is that you can inspect raw cards in person.

Same rule should apply to eBay, if it’s raw and the dealer is selling primarily graded cards, something is grossly wrong with the raw card.

[discodanman45]

Originally Posted by hermanotarjeta

From the customer perspective I always question the raw cards dealers sell when their showcase is loaded with graded ones.

I automatically assume that there are bad enough defects that they weren’t worth sending in to grade or were already bad grades that were cracked out.

If the card is raw and priced $100-$200, I don't think anyone is expecting a gem mint card. Raw cards priced this high have value based on scarcity and not grades.

If I know that an ultra-modern card will grade a PSA 9 and it is a raw card worth $150, it is silly to grade it. I will have to wait 3 months to sell it and lose $25 in profit selling it since a raw and PSA 9 sell for about the same.

As people continue to lose money grading, hopefully we see less and less submissions to PSA and other grading companies. However, I doubt that will happen. I do grade cheaper cards with PSA/SGC/CGC, but I have experience to know what a card will grade. So many inexperienced people grading crap. I have over 40 Top Pop's with CGC from vintage alone because people just submit everything.

Experienced people like imbluestreak23 know how to add real value to a card through grading. People like this aren't selling severely damaged cards as raw. They are selling all cards raw they don't think will be a PSA 10 or will add value through the grading process.

[ObanMontecristo]

Every once in a while, I think about going to one of the local mall card shows and selling some stuff I don’t need for my PC. I’ll go through and pick out the cards I want to sell, and then I get to the point where I have to price them out. It’s a lot of work, trying to figure out (recent) comps- especially for modern cards that constantly fluctuate in value. I could only imagine a dealer having to do this for every card show they go to…. and then have to deal with haggling on top of all that.

I always end up just posting them for auction on eBay, where the cards sell for the most someone is willing to pay.

[MoreToppsPlease]

Originally Posted by discodanman45

This is the problem with the hobby. Every card doesn't need to be graded. If a card is $50 to $200 it doesn't need an expert for $20 to tell use the grade and if it is authentic. The more I collect, the more I avoid graded cards for the $100 and under level. Ultra-modern raw cards that are between $100-$200 are probably 8/9 shape and have rarity with serial numbers or being short printed. We are not talking $5 base cards that we need to pay $20 to make it into a $50 card because of their opinion that it is gem mint and pretend rarity. We are talking about $100 to $200 raw cards that are valuable because of their actual rarity.

Yes, and condition of cards with low populations don’t matter either because…they’re already low pop.

Condition might only be useful on cards with mid to high level populations, annd only to differentiate them.

Flippers and prospectors love grading because they think they can assign whatever random value multiplier they want to any grade at a given time.

The “flipper consortium” and the “grading lobby” work together to maintain this theory for obvious financial reasons. If you’re fighting to get extra value from your slab and have a low numbered card, you’re a member of the “grading lobby”.

Pure collectors don’t need nor want a grading lobby or flipper consortium making potential purchases more expensive.

[imbluestreak23]

Originally Posted by hermanotarjeta

Why aren’t the raw cards graded?

Because they aren't gradable lol. This is not difficult. We are not doing mass burnings of raw cards. They sell every day

[marl1220]

Originally Posted by hermanotarjeta

I don’t pay grade premiums.

From the customer perspective I always question the raw cards dealers sell when their showcase is loaded with graded ones.

I automatically assume that there are bad enough defects that they weren’t worth sending in to grade or were already bad grades that were cracked out.

Always buy the card, not the grade of the slab.

The great thing about card shows is that you can inspect raw cards in person.

Same rule should apply to eBay, if it’s raw and the dealer is selling primarily graded cards, something is grossly wrong with the raw card.

Bingo. I do the same with sellers online. Check out what else they are selling. If there's alot of graded stuff, you start to wonder why they didn't get that particular card graded as well.

[discodanman45]

Originally Posted by MoreToppsPlease

Yes, and condition of cards with low populations don’t matter either because…they’re already low pop.

I wish this was the case, but people are silly. I have gotten rare parallels in PSA 8 slabs for 50% of the cost of raw versions. PSA 10's of the same card can go for 3 to 5 x's raw.

If I want to buy ultra-modern rarer cards, I will go PSA 8/9 or BGS/SGC/CGC 8/9. Get them cheaper for raw and in a nice slab. The people who graded them, lost money playing the Gem Mint game. There are still people out there that need a Gem Mint /50 gold over a PSA 9 and will pay $1000 plus for that $200 card.

[MoreToppsPlease]

Originally Posted by discodanman45

I wish this was the case, but people are silly. I have gotten rare parallels in PSA 8 slabs for 50% of the cost of raw versions. PSA 10's of the same card can go for 3 to 5 x's raw.

If I want to buy ultra-modern rarer cards, I will go PSA 8/9 or BGS/SGC/CGC 8/9. Get them cheaper for raw and in a nice slab. The people who graded them, lost money playing the Gem Mint game. There are still people out there that need a Gem Mint /50 gold over a PSA 9 and will pay $1000 plus for that $200 card.

Sure. They’re not buying/selling cards, they’re specifically immersed in the process of selling their slabs, this dominates their (limited) thinking. It’s a different hobby & activity than cards. Moreover they work together to promote their slab-selling, a “hobby” of its own.

[Philthy]

My least favorite thing at shows is when I ask for a price and then they grab there phone to look up comps. At this point, unless its an exceedingly rare card, I just say "no thanks" and keep going.

I've had several negative experiences at shows where this happens and I wait 5 minutes for them to give me a price well above eBay comps. So now I no longer wait unless its a card that I may not see again.

One thing OP may want to keep in mind is that a lot of dealers price their cards on the back. So sometimes you can ask and they will quickly flip the card and be able to give you a price. I noticed this a lot at the 2023 National, but see it ocassionally at local shows too.

[hermanotarjeta]

Originally Posted by imbluestreak23

Because they aren't gradable lol. This is not difficult. We are not doing mass burnings of raw cards. They sell every day

Makes sense.

The less than optimal grade gives the buyer some price leverage I would think.

[discodanman45]

Originally Posted by hermanotarjeta

Makes sense.

The less than optimal grade gives the buyer some price leverage I would think.

If it is mass produced product, then the cards will have trouble selling and the buyer has the leverage. If the card is scarce, the seller has the advantage. There are scarce cards I am looking for all the time and having a Gem Mint example is not what I care for. I will have to pay the price the seller is asking if I want the card if they don't want to negotiate even if the card has a bent corner or crease.

[Bosoxfan5990]

Originally Posted by Philthy

My least favorite thing at shows is when I ask for a price and then they grab there phone to look up comps. At this point, unless its an exceedingly rare card, I just say "no thanks" and keep going.

I've had several negative experiences at shows where this happens and I wait 5 minutes for them to give me a price well above eBay comps. So now I no longer wait unless its a card that I may not see again.

One thing OP may want to keep in mind is that a lot of dealers price their cards on the back. So sometimes you can ask and they will quickly flip the card and be able to give you a price. I noticed this a lot at the 2023 National, but see it ocassionally at local shows too.

I've seen this as well and I think this gives the seller an advantage.

If someone is inquiring about a card, the dealer may look at the price on the back and bump that number another 10-20%.

[ThoseBackPages]

Originally Posted by Bosoxfan5990

I've seen this as well and I think this gives the seller an advantage.

If someone is inquiring about a card, the dealer may look at the price on the back and bump that number another 10-20%.

hahaha

thats when you ask to see it and turn it over yourself

[MoreToppsPlease]

Originally Posted by Bosoxfan5990

I've seen this as well and I think this gives the seller an advantage.

If someone is inquiring about a card, the dealer may look at the price on the back and bump that number another 10-20%.

Which is why it makes bargaining sense for a potential buyer to ask about several cards, not only one. This way a potential buyer can evaluate a seller’s tactics and the seller won’t know the buyer’s real intentions.

Granted this will eat up a seller’s time…but that’s the penalty the seller pays for not providing prices.

[notfast]

Wait. So people have prices in their head but still don’t price things?

That’s just being lazy.

[Brazenways]

Originally Posted by notfast

Wait. So people have prices in their head but still don’t price things?

That’s just being lazy.

Finally found where those gilded supers are hiding - respect.

[notfast]

Originally Posted by Brazenways

Finally found where those gilded supers are hiding - respect.

Haha thanks. Do you have some too?

[Noles939913]

Doesn’t bother me if it’s not priced as long as you somewhat know your inventory and don’t spend 30 minutes looking up comps when I inquire about a price.

[Brazenways]

Originally Posted by notfast

Haha thanks. Do you have some too?

Chasing lava only at this point. I think the set will have some legs for the next while especially 2022.