Posted By:
JoannI don't limit myself to a +/- because if I did I might never get some cards I need. I think I am willing, and do, pay a little more for a card because it fits a need. I've realized that by trying to focus on Detroit players I end up narrowing my options and that drives my own, individual price up regardless of market.
Examples:
I BIN'd a T204 Ramly PSA 1 Charlie O'Leary for $125 off ebay. I think that is high for a PSA 1, even though as PSA 1's go this was not in bad shape at all. But I don't see too many Ramlys of any kind. Plus it was a Detroit player. Plus it wasn't some HOF'er that would drive the price up. Plus it was in a lower condition that I could afford. So a Ramly PSA 1 might not be worth $125 in general. But a Ramly of a non-HOF Detroit player in lower grade, affordable condition? It was worth $125 to me because I don't know when I will see another.
I also bought an E98 from a board member that I probably went a little high on. But Mullin is the only non-HOF Detroint player in that set, so in reality there was only one card that would fill my collection for E98 Detroit player.
So the short distillation of this long answer is ... I get a little fidgety when I know I've overpaid by a lot, but I also know that you have to grab the infrequent chances to fill some slots even if the price is a little high. I really don't worry about percent difference.
Because of this exact thing, I'm starting to just shift my collecting focus a tiny bit to include some non-Detroit players in sets I like (T205 NL'ers, some E cards and Obaks for example) just so I can pick up some nice looking cards at closer to market.
Joann