Question About Serial Number Cards

[gavinrendar]

Are there actual serial numbers that collectors value more? Like are #1/500 and #500/500 more valuable than say #348/500? Is the player number sought after even more (like for Randy Johnson #51/500)?

Also, what do you prefer to use for price guides? Do you get the big $50 book every so often, or maybe the Becket Mag subscription, or the annual $8 price guide? What's the most accurate in your opinion and which ones will include the non-base sets (seems the $8 guide I have does not include other sets).

Thanks! I'm new to this and I'm looking to learn alot!

Zach

[zbdub808]

Are there actual serial numbers that collectors value more? Like are #1/500 and #500/500 more valuable than say #348/500? Is the player number sought after even more (like for Randy Johnson #51/500)?

Also, what do you prefer to use for price guides? Do you get the big $50 book every so often, or maybe the Becket Mag subscription, or the annual $8 price guide? What's the most accurate in your opinion and which ones will include the non-base sets (seems the $8 guide I have does not include other sets).

Thanks! I'm new to this and I'm looking to learn alot!

Zach

they are more valuable to player collectors and for being the first and last made, personally it doesn't matter to me...if i see a 18/ of cain i do spend a little more then on a usual other card. oh by the way...have any matt cain?

[gavinrendar]

Not any of significance. Sorry.

[CompleteGibberish]

I use ebay
Ebay gives me an accurate idea of what market value is.
I used to subscribe to Beckett,but the idea that a card that sells for 2.00 on ebay is priced at 25.00 in the mag is ludicrous. The pricing implies that somewhere on planet earth,some one paid 25.00. The truth is simplies,there is a packet that goes out to 10 vendors/dealers, those dealers jot down prices, make up or down changes on SOME cards and that is the truth of it.
People who focus on book, for the msot part,seem intent on increasing their collection value.
You will see them using book to grab up hot players from years back, easy example is a Hellikson ref was 4.00 but selling, 2 months back, at 15.00

Not all BV traders are that way, but many are. It is best to set your market pricing of choice in your sig. I found many deals went south once a member found out I would only trade SV for SV.

For SV, be wary of the people who say "the last one sold for 5.00!" when various factors are ignore by that person when previous sales were 10-20. You will find misspellings, auctions that end at 4am,etc, any number of reason. Also, Bid programs. 3 guys bidding on the same item,via a program will show 2 entered and the last kicked,which can also cause a price drop in a sale

Look at a card, look at its BV and SV and then you determine what is right and go from there :)

Per cards/sets not on ebay,search past auctions,get a price from the seller and go from there. Also view singles from that set. A lot of effort goes into a trade and a lot of it comes from daily exposure to the point you will eventually know what a card/items value is to you

Good luck

[Gsk624777]

I do the same with Miguel Cabrera and number 24 made.

[tkraft24]

Some people are willing to pay/trade at a premium for serial #'d of interest. However, those collector's are typically few and far between and best reached on a larger platform such as e-bay (if it's of popular player).

In terms of what is best for assessing a cards value......there isn't a clear answer. Its a matter of personal choice which may impact how easily you find making trades on the site. For instance, some people say they only trade by BV but coincidentally are only interested in trading for cards with high SV while offering cards of little to no SV.....not a fair practice....and that builds a poor reputation among the community.

Common sense on your part really needs to play an active role when assessing value. For me, both BV and SV are crude simplifications but both work in certain situations or in conjunction with one another. If trading 'apples for apples' (which can be more complicated than just autos for autos or base for base; caliber of players can be a huge factor) than usually BV or SV will work just fine. I typically default to BV unless SV portrays a significant difference. Once you get into higher end cards, SV typically makes more sense or should at least be taken into greater consideration. Its all about finding a balance AND more importantly: the intent of yourself and the trading partner. Collectors (player or team collectors and set builders) are notoriously easier to work with while 'investors' have brought a new take on finding equitable trades - the intent is obvious - but sometimes it works great for both parties.

In summation, DON'T feel bound to numbers in a book or what one card sold for on e-bay. They are available as aids when exploring value for ourselves in order to formulate offers of some amount of fairness....ultimately it comes down to what you like more! If you get hung up on numbers all the time than you may find the hobby much less enjoyable.

[audio743]

I would assume Mantle fans would be all over a card numbered 7/XXX