Something to consider: Collecting T206 backs has never been more popular. And not just Red Hindus, Carolina Brights and the other glamorous backs. More and more collectors are trying to put together subsets of more common backs. If someone is close to completing a subset, and a card from his want list shows up, he might not worry about paying more than the collective community thinks is reasonable.
About four years ago, a back I needed to complete a run of one of the Lajoie poses was a Cycle 460. Another collector and I placed high snipes when one showed up on eBay, and I ended up paying quite a premium as the result. It didn't bother me in the least, but apparently the price was considered so outrageous that a thread was started about it on this very board. I found it funny that a number of people just couldn't figure out why someone would pay such a price for what they thought was a relatively common back. It made perfect sense to me: I didn't know when another would turn up, and I wanted this one.
(As a side note: Since then, I've not see another come to auction, and the price I paid would likely be considered "acceptable" today -- and maybe even a deal.)
Finally, if a card always sold for what the previous example brought, prices would never go up and down. Since we know that's not realistic, it shouldn't be all that surprising when a blip on the VCP radar screen pops up.
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