SMR Pricing for E 94

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Posted By: Bruce Dorskind

Recently we were reviewing the SMR and SGC prices for a select number
of cards. Our focus was on cards for which there were no recent transactions
on Vintage Card Prices (no transactions listed since October 2005)

In any case, we uncovered a discrepancy that did not make any sense.

The E 94 PSA 8 cards, of which there are only 6, vary significantly in price.

Some non Hall of Famers are priced at $4750 and some non of Hall of Famers
are priced as high as $13,000. Most of the $4750 cards do not, at least according
to the current PSA Population Report, exist in 8 or some cases 7.

What are the SMR prices based on.? How can one establish a price for a card
that has never existed and in all likelihood -i.e. PSA 9s for E 94 ever exist?

What are the folks at PSA thinking?

Whilst we are fortunate to have one "8" as an example, we are confused as to what a fair
market value would be.



Bruce Dorskind
America's Toughest Want List

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Posted By: barrysloate

Many cards on the SMR may not exist, or may have no record of being transacted. I think much of it is formulaic.

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Posted By: Peter Thomas

Barry is right on this, these prices are extrapolated somehow by PSA for card grades that don't exist. Specifically I am quite familiar with high grade T204's and they have only graded one 9 which I have. They have valued unlisted T204 9's at $9,500. There have not been any sales to base this on, so they extrapolate their opinion of value. This has absolutely no relation to the price that I might be willing to sell the card. I think that this is common for many issues that have scare or nonexistent populations.

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Posted By: Marc S.

there are pop 1 highest population cards that come onto the market every month/year. Even if they do not exist until they are graded -- most dealers, collectors, etc. can place an approximate value estimate on those cards. Whilst it is certainly harder to do so with more esoteric, condition-sensitive, or less widely-collected issues, approximations can certainly be done.

For what it's worth, SMR in the aggregate is a fairly horrific guide for accurate pricing. We think that auction results, VCP or other online resources, etc. have significantly better data and insight on real-time pricing trends.

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Posted By: Bob

Bruce- When I read your post I was reminded of how much flack Alan Hagler caught (generally deservedly so) years ago, in his book, when he did the same thing that PSA is doing, assigning values to cards in conditions which do not exist.
As far as your question about the wide variance in prices for certain non-HOFers vs. other non-HOFers, I would relate that certain "commons" are much, much tougher than others in the E94 set. You will see many more Grants than Magees, many more Lords than Doughertys, many more Leachs than Devores, etc.
tbob