The Psychology of Bidding.......

[h2oya311]

Originally Posted by ullmandds

i DON'T KNOW WHAT MOST PEOPLE DO...BUT i BID WHAT i AM COMFORTABLE PAYING FOR A CARD...USUALLY WITHOUT CONSULTING ANY PRICE GUIDES/vcp.

I sure hope you and someone else w/ your buying philosophy are bidding on my consignments!!! It's amazing how many graded cards sell for close to VCP, even for rare cards w/ only a few graded specimens.

I use VCP, but always look at the actual sales, photos, and avenue of sale when thinking about a fair price. It can be dangerous though. I once purchased a few t205 from a small AH thinking I got some bargains, but t205 prices realized had recently fallen and I was using 2012 values for some of the rarer ones. I didn't take a bath, but I certainly didn't get any return on my investment. This serves as a constant reminder to me of three things: (1) I am not a dealer, (2) only but cards you want, need, or for which you have expertise, and (3) exercise caution when using VCP, even when used appropriately.

Remember, a card needs only two bidders to realize a certain price...if one of those two guys no longer needs a card or isn't paying attention, the subsequent sale will invariably be much lower than the previous sale...the laws of supply and demand can be a bitch sometimes!!