What to make of Graziano?

[esquiresports]

Seeing altered versions of this card - trimmed and colored - pulling $30K - I didn't think we would see this card go for less than that. I think there are a few reasons for this, all of which are of course just guesses.

1. It's almost November. Even people with $25K to drop on a card might start thinking about the holidays, travel, gifts and related costs. Take a look at the HA prices. A lot of steals.

2. Heritage Auctions closing right behind this one. Heritage had a huge two-part catalog with a lot of high end cards to choose from. Some people may have saved money to spend at HA. I know I held some back (and then missed the deadline!)

3. The auction company. No slam on Mile High - they get some nice cards. But I think HA, REA, SCP, Legendary and others may pull in more deep pockets bidders.

4. Auction format. Agree that set or lots alternatives are not fun to track.

5. The complete was in the lead. For almost the entire auction, the set bid was winning, and it may have turned off bidders. Are you going to break out a calculator and add up the 50 cards to determine whether you nights have a shot at an individual card or are just wasting your time?

I love this card for several reasons, particularly because it is from a major issue, a numbered set, isn't an error, isn't a variation, isn't a test issue. It's a legitimate card from a big name set and less than 10 have ever been discovered. That means less than 10 complete sets are possible. I'm pretty much a post-war guy for now, but cannot think of a post-war example that fits this fact pattern. Would love to discover a lost Topps card one day. Closest I can think of is 2006 Topps Alex Gordon, but several hundred of those cards exist.