Posted By:
AlI think the fact that you cannot afford the VCP membership at the Gold or Silver level kinda puts things into perspective. I do not wish to appear snobbish or elitist, but perhaps the lowest level of VCP membership may be the one for you. I own the 13th best 55 Topps set in the Registry (Teddy Ballgame)...no brag, just fact. I'm getting closer and closer to having $40k tied up in those 206 pieces of cardboard, and VCP has been an invaluable tool to me to assist in my decision making of bid prices. I reup for the Silver membership (soon I think)...but the point is, VCP provides current market conditions and as time passes they amass a fairly recent history of sales. Not only that, but they present data in a high-average-low selling prices from a host of sources beyond eBay.
Additionally, they provide a graph of sales trends for each card. I too cannot afford every card that comes along, unless I go into debt and pull out my Master Card. I buy when I have the money to do so, but if I wanted, I could pull out the plastic, I just choose not to do so. I guess what I'm trying to say is that perhaps we are at different levels in terms of collecting. Perhaps the cost of what I collect may seem exhorbitant to you, but it's all relative, really. Collect what makes you happy and what you will enjoy having.
I do from time to time collect raw and have three binders of Red Sox player cards. In addition to being able to afford this, that or the other, it's really a personal choice on what you want to collect.
As for shilling, it exists, kinda like rain, it comes and goes. The shilling aspect of our collecting efforts should not impact your decision whether or not to bid on a card. I have been collecting the 55 Topps set for about 4 years, I kinda know the set ice cold, however, I do my research via pop report and VCP sales of what I think I want or need, come up with a price I can live with, win or lose I stick to my guns...shilling has not a scintilla of impact on my decisions. I DO NOT use SMR, it is simply out of sync with reality.
I recently bid on a 55 Topps Monte Irvin PSA 8, one of the toughest cards in the 55T set. I bid $2,156.01 and came in second, missed it by $10, but then again I don't know what the top bidder's high bid was. Perhaps there will be another time for me. Again, point is, pick a price you can live with, snipe that sucker and let the chips fall where they may. Sometimes you're the bug, sometimes you're the windshield.
GL in your collecting efforts. Louis Pasteur once said "Chance favors the prepared mind". Translation to me is do your research from all available sources, and to me VCP is about as good as it gets. No other website will give you the current market place data that VCP will provide you.