PSA's SMR price guide

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Posted By: BobS

Hi, everybody,

Once again, I'm probably beating a dead horse, but having been on VBC for only 6 months or less, I'd like to hear members' opinions of this publication.

My own prejudice is that it's just another self serving marketing (and revenue producing) ploy, and has the same limited value as Becketts' and Krause's (Tuff Stuff) monthly (and even more so, annual) pubs.

I'd love to hear the more expert opininions than mine available from other VBC members.

Thanks, folks.

Bob

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Posted By: Scot Reader

SMR prices for vintage baseball cards are almost uniformly lower than what can be fetched on eBay--in some cases by 70% or more. SMR has made some recent price adjustments for a few sets, such as T206, but even there it is well behind the curve especially at higher grades. I wouldn't characterize SMR as "self-serving" since it seems to me that would involve publishing exaggerated rather than understated prices for PSA-graded cards. I would characterize SMR more as "inaccurate" bordering on "clueless" when it comes to vintage pricing. That said, I enjoy reading some of the articles.

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Posted By: RObert

If you can get cards at the SMR price consider yourself lucky because they are not even close to what the cards are actually selling for I know that there are some services about to come on line that will be better information in regards to actual value of cards. Just keep a watch it will happen soon.

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Posted By: Richard

SMR is just like the Standard Catalog. It is good to scale. You just have to know what multiplier for what set.

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Posted By: BobS

Thanks, guys. One thing for sure is that "underpricing" can't be self serving, but it really can show incompetence . .

Best.

Bob

PS: While typing, I thought of a way where "underpricing could be self serving. It might lead a prospective seller to say "Wow, look how much those PSA graded cards have gone up since the price in this recent SMR. I better get a bunch of mine slabbed right away.

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Posted By: JimCrandell

Actually, for higher pop cards it is actually of some use. The problem is that it is the pop of a card that primarily drives its value so they miss the increase in value for these as they price all comm0ons the same.

Some sets have come into reality based on Joe Orlando accepting changes recommended by leading Set Registry participants. For example 1933 Goudey Sport Kings and 1957 Topps basketball are now representative of reality.

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Posted By: Brian H (misunderestimated)

The Registry is at its best (most accurate) with the larger 1948-1975 issues. With respect to Pre-War (WWII, that is) it seems to do OK on the high pop. 1930-1941 cards (Playballs, Goudeys and the like), although condition scarcity isn't generally part of the formula.
Just about everything prior to 1933 tends to be low in the SMR (sometimes very low).

If the population is very low or there are variables (the backs of T206s, e.g.) that the SMR doesn't expressly recognize then the SMR loses most of its predicative accuracy.

Because the SMR is at its weakest before 1933 -- which is nearly all of what's discussed on this site -- it gets bashed alot here.

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Posted By: JimB

Their caramel prices are so low it is ridiculous. I spoke with Joe Orlando about it the National and he said about a dozen other people had told him the same thing and that they would make adjustments. They have raised them a bit, but generally I find their prices about 200-300% low on the caramel issues I follow.
JimB

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Posted By: nbbrazil

SMR prices are fairly decent for 5-7 range cards in post war sets. Lower and higher grades have much more variability. Forget pre war...as many have said above, smr does not come close. a lot of that has to do with supply....with more supply available in the post war market (with the exception of a few sets...wilson franks, for instance...smr doesnt really match...and highly coveted cards (hank aaron rookie for instance)), prices tend to a general price. in pre war, especially with cards like e107 and so on, hard to put a price down with a small sample size.

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Posted By: Bob S

Thanks for all the great "takes" on this topic. If ya want good info, go to VBC.

Bob