Just how much does condition affect value?

[obcmac]

Originally Posted by thehoodedcoder

the price, affects demand at that price. the condition that they buy is a bi product of the supply and demand curve with respect to the price at the given condition.

kevin

I think that's technically incorrect. Price impacts quantity demanded, not demand. If you change the condition of the card, you're technically shifting the demand curve out, not moving along the demand curve. Where you draw the demand curve depends on many things, but one of those things is condition. If you're thinking of the intersection of supply and demand determining price, a higher grade card has a demand curve to the right of a lower grade card (greater quantity demanded at all prices).

[MattyC]

This is an interesting discussion, and I think it is important to define a key term here; by "condition," are we meaning "grade assigned by a TPG?"

Because then I would very respectfully offer a counterpoint to these two statements above:

1. "...most people would love to have a higher grade card, if they could afford it."

2. "I don't know of many people who have a nice example of card that get a lesser condition example of the same card unless they are hoarding. Does this really happen?"

I can afford higher grade examples of every card I own, but I choose not to upgrade when I have an example that has great eye appeal-- especially when that eye appeal exceeds the given grade.

When centering and eye appeal are there for me, I see no reason to spend thousands or tens of thousands of dollars for an upgrade of corners or edges. I am an eye appeal guy all the way, which condition factors into, but primarily (for me) hinges upon clarity of central image and centering.

If we are indeed talking about a TPG's assigned grade when we say condition, I find myself most impressed with collectors who find a 5-grade card that looks like a 7-grade.

As to downgrading to a lesser condition card, again I think it all depends on what one means by condition. I have downgraded 9s that had poor centering to 8s or 8.5s or in some cases 7s that, to me, looked far superior in terms of eye appeal to the 9.

So I guess the salient point for me is that sometimes eye appeal, technical condition, and a TPG's assessment of condition are not all equal. Really cool topic.

[thehoodedcoder]

Originally Posted by obcmac

I think that's technically incorrect. Price impacts quantity demanded, not demand. If you change the condition of the card, you're technically shifting the demand curve out, not moving along the demand curve. Where you draw the demand curve depends on many things, but one of those things is condition. If you're thinking of the intersection of supply and demand determining price, a higher grade card has a demand curve to the right of a lower grade card (greater quantity demanded at all prices).

sorry, yes. you are right. quantity demanded was the right wording. many moons have passed since those days.

its a more dynamic problem than that. if you have a card in prestine condition and no one wants to buy it, then its worthless. if you have the exact same card in terrible condition and no one wants to buy it then the its worthless.

if the card is so desirable, people will buy it in any condition that they can get it in, then condition means absolutely nothing also.

in both of those scenarios things break down.

i think most would say that the price of the nicest card is really the single biggest determining factor in why they are purchasing the cards they purchase. i didn't set out to collect the monster in 8+ condition because i will never be able to afford it. i picked the nicest grade that i think i can reasonably afford. if i could buy a 10 in my price range i would buy it instantly. if i had to buy a 1 because its the only thing i could find, i would do that also.

i believe the people that collect beaters are right there with me or they would much rather spend some of that money on other things as condition is not a factor for them, so long as they have an example of the card that they want.

kevin