Help - how to price/sell/keep? a Crosby Future Watch RC Auto BGS 9.5

[thegenerel]

Hello,

I have been out of the hobby for maybe 8-10 years, but had built up (and sold) a fairly nice collection maybe 6-7 years ago. One of the items I kept was a Crosby FWA BGS 9.5 that I bought for myself after finishing my MBA.

Recently, I heard how prices have skyrocketed over the past decade. I knew the best card in my collection (at any point) was this Crosby card, so last week I checked ebay and wow - I think I have to sell it. No way did I expect it to appreciate this much.

Currently there is a 9.5 on ebay that finished at $10,200 but did not meet its reserve. In the past I would have no qualms using ebay, but between their fees and taxes, there goes 40-45% of the sale price.

Any help or input is greatly appreciated. I am very out of the loop.

Questions:
1) Is there a way to track the value of this card over time? will it keep appreciating?

2) What is a reasonable sale price for this card on ebay? direct to another person? to a LCS?

3) How should I go about selling this? Fortunately I live in Pittsburgh, aside from Canada there wont be a better market for an in person transaction.

[fatfrank]

You can check 130Point.com for finished listings to give you an idea of what some have sold for. I think Beckett may have had a trend on graded cards at some point, for what that is worth. I sold/traded mine to a LCS about a year ago. They had a nice Crosby that would fill the hole left in my collection. I know I could have gotten more going other routes, but there is also more risk associated with Ebay and such (Lost mail, fees, etc.). I decided I didn't want to deal with the potential headaches. Another route is to go to a larger card show and see what some of the dealers will offer. If they have good cash flow on that day, you could do pretty well.

[mooneyes]

Iconic card. Might be worth 20 k in 10 years, or could be 5k.
I guess that's not much help. lol

[pwskelly]

You can check 130Point.com for finished listings to give you an idea of what some have sold for. I think Beckett may have had a trend on graded cards at some point, for what that is worth. I sold/traded mine to a LCS about a year ago. They had a nice Crosby that would fill the hole left in my collection. I know I could have gotten more going other routes, but there is also more risk associated with Ebay and such (Lost mail, fees, etc.). I decided I didn't want to deal with the potential headaches. Another route is to go to a larger card show and see what some of the dealers will offer. If they have good cash flow on that day, you could do pretty well.

I sold mine on eBay about 10 years ago and it turned into a giant headache. Long story short, the card was stolen but thankfully I paid for tracking and insurance. Canada Post turned the whole ordeal into a made-for-TV movie and did everything they could to investigate (in case I was committing fraud). Ultimately, with the help of the US Postal Service, Canada Post gave me a refund for the amount I insured the card for. If I had to do it all over again, I would either sell it in person at a trade show or to a card store. Too much risk going it alone and I'd rather not have to deal with the thieves that exploit sites such as eBay.

You could also send it to a trusted consignment service or to COMC with tracking and insurance and let them sell the card for you. They take on the responsibility of getting the card shipped and delivered while you collect your payment. They take a cut and will charge a cashout fee, but on the bright side they do everything to sell and ship the card once you send it to them.

[creasecollector]

For a card like this, I would look to keep it for now unless you need the money today.

I think it still has room to grow, especially when Sid finishes his career. I think, like Gretzky, there will always be a demand for key cards of his and you have one. I'd hold it and sell it down the road.

[theboxbreaker96]

If youre interested in moving it I live in the Pittsburgh area Id love to work something out. Feel free to PM me or I can give you my Cell #