To those who use "BV" - Why?

[themanishere]

Yes, another BV thread. Maybe more of a rant...

Just wondering what legitimate reason(s) people have for following any kind of arbitrary, largely inaccurate "BV" (Beckett or otherwise).

How can people claim BV is accurate when most cards sell for a percentage of it? What is more, this is commonly accepted by people who use BV. How can you reconcile this hypocrisy when you sell a card at a percentage of BV, but trade it at full BV? And even if you don't sell, it would be naive and uninformed to not have knowledge of sell value, so you're not covered there.

Or, perhaps a card is hot and consistently sells considerably over BV. In knowledge of this, if this was your card, would you stick to your guns and trade it at it's BV, for a card that sells at a lower percentage of the same BV?

People's sense of value in this hobby is invariably and externally affected by more than just personal perception - either by an arbitrary group or an objective market. There is no such thing as an independent sense of "trade value." And don't think you'll get off easy with "it is a guideline" or "whatever works for me/both traders" None of the PC, safe, vague answers. I want to specifically know WHY.

That is all...for now.

[duwal]

but it IS a guide, it is a "suggested" printed value that people can use instead of using a range of Ebay links or other examples. Just like blue book for cars, it declares a suggested value of the car but people are free to buy and sell it for whatever price works for both parties

And are you really saying that you would've trade a $50 card that sells for $30 in order to get a $50 card of one of your guys that sells for under $10?

[andrewcstein]

I use it because it makes sense to me. Not every card I have or want is easily found on eBay or another auction site. And if they are, there's usually a small sample. So if someone went nuts and paid $10 for a card that shouldn't sell for more than $3, is that the new value? Or is that an outlier? Beckett uses many more values than we have access to, and while it might be inaccurate at times, it still has much more of a sample size to deal with.

When you're talking about cards that are hot and are selling for high amounts because Beckett hasn't had time to update (usually new cards or prospect cards), it's a different issue. But with a collector like me, when you're dealing with a $10BV Vlad GU from 2005, the BV is definitely adequate.

Another issue I have is that not all these auctions end for the right amount, and people who trade by BV almost always pick the one that meets their needs the most. I don't have the time or energy to look for every card on eBay, and it's very tough to take someone's word for it, with all the variety of ending prices on the same card. Is a misspelled auction with inaccurate info in the title something you take into account? If that card sells for $20 less because the seller screwed up, does that mean that the value is different? Should we include it or exclude it? Who knows...there's just too much there. I'm not running a business, I'm trying to have fun, and when I can use a standard BV that both traders agree upon, then I'm going to do that.

[spuds1961]

First things first,I never trade or buy using a prefabricated value from some rag magazine where they throw darts at a board to come up with a price.Secondly you are right when has a price range of a card you bought on ebay ever been what the book value price is.As a collector I pretty much will trade for whatever appeals to me as long as it's not something outrageous,Like a high end auto for a pc gu just because I collect that player or team.With that being said I believe collectors like to have some sort of idea what their cards might be worth,But to that I say an educated collector is the best protection from getting ripped off by other collectors.Good thread,Take care Steve

[andrewcstein]

I'll say too that Steve makes a good point. I'm not a slave to BV. If I want a $10 card from someone, and have a $15 card they want, I'll usually make the trade. It's just nice to have a set guide - this would probably be different if my collection had a different focus.

[jprt80]

What gets me is that every person that trades by bv never takes into consideration the fact that there is a high and low bv. No one can honestly sit and think that the alex smith (huge 49ers flop) and matt ryan (huge falcons stud) autos are equal cards b/c they have the same bv. Bottom line for me is if I don't like what someone is offering and they can't get it into their pea sized brain. I won't make the trade with them. Being a bucs fan it's really hard for me b/c most of our stars are defensive players so I get a lot of the I need $20 in trade for an unlisted rc auto that sells on the bay for $1.15. I'll just go and pay a buck for it. If someone is delusional about what they really have. I'm fine with it.

[lumm0x]

I have no problem with anyone who wants to use BV or SV as a means of creating a trading field. I have a problem with those that are inconsistent with it. Those that use BV when it benefits them and SV when they want more for a hot card. Those are the hobby pariahs. We all know that the Beckett mag does not accurately reflect every cards value and neither does eBay.

I stick by the old tried but true trading something I don't want for something I do. If it feels right to me then it works. Has never failed me yet. I don't collect for the value others place on things.

[duwal]

First things first,I never trade or buy using a prefabricated value from some rag magazine where they throw darts at a board to come up with a price. Secondly you are right when has a price range of a card you bought on ebay ever been what the book value price is.As a collector I pretty much will trade for whatever appeals to me as long as it's not something outrageous,Like a high end auto for a pc gu just because I collect that player or team.With that being said I believe collectors like to have some sort of idea what their cards might be worth,But to that I say an educated collector is the best protection from getting ripped off by other collectors.Good thread,Take care Steve

even with that it still could be considered more accurate than Ebay with its mass amounts of shill bidding or other shady practices in order to increase sale values. If you don't go by the magazine than where do you base your approximate value on your cards?

[johnstrow]

some ppl are just scared they will get ripped off, and sadly beckett is the only thing for us to go by

[OnePimpTiger]

but it IS a guide, it is a "suggested" printed value that people can use instead of using a range of Ebay links or other examples. Just like blue book for cars, it declares a suggested value of the car but people are free to buy and sell it for whatever price works for both parties

I agree with this...and the main reason I used BV is because it's standard. I completely agree that the "value" of something can't be $30 if it only sells for $10 and it definitely seems very arbitrary. But it's standardly arbitrary and it makes sense...to me at least. A card will usually sell for around 1/3 BV, base and inserts less than that, high-end/high-value cards for more...it's generally accepted as standard. And it makes complete sense to me that someone would be willing to trade at full BV, yet only buy at 1/3 BV because cards are only valuable to other card collectors, but cash is valuable to everyone...ie people are less willing to part with their cash for cards than they are other cards, about 2/3 less likely.

And with sale value, it all depends when/where/what you're looking at. Just about everyone has run into the situation where someone looks on eBay to find the highest sale value for their card, but finds the lowest sale value for yours. And just looking at the completed listings of two weeks, a card could sell for $30 two weeks ago but now be down to $15 or up to $45...what do you go by? Do you take the average of all completed sales, because that can be a lot of work. It's just easier and much simpler to look at a guide and quickly get a general "guide" of value.

And as for some players' $30 BV cards being worth more than other players' $30 BV cards, you're exactly right. I would much rather have a Brett Favre $30 BV card than a Bobby Carpenter $30 BV card...so if someone offers me that trade, I don't take it. Just because the cards have the same BV doesn't mean you automatically have to accept the trade. I've turned down many trades that were even just because I liked the cards I had better than the cards they were offering. I've turned down trades in my favor because I liked my cards better. As has been said, it's just a guide...you can rely on it as much or as little as you want, but it gives a standard, widely accepted value from which to start your negotiations.