Who is your definition of a common man?

[Rich Klein]

That is because the price difference of a nickle or a dime is irrelevant to many. Now a common from 1957 versus Mickey Vernon is a bigger difference because of the HOF potential of Vernon versus the commoness of a Joe Margeroni (sic). That can be a few dollar difference, but for 5 cents, does it really matter?

[toppcat]

Joe Shlabotnik

[bcbgcbrcb]

Rich:

My point is that the REAL common players that I mentioned have book prices of .10 while the star players have book prices of $1 - $2 (let's say). When it comes time to sell, no one will pay more than the same .10 as the REAL common players. That is my issue................

Why do the prices have to be either $3 - $5 for the HOF player or .10 for Everyone else? I realize that this example is extreme but you get where I'm coming from, right?

There is an endless list of '80's stars with solid careers that you can't sell at a card show no matter how cheap you put them out at (except maybe a penny or two). How about: Danny Tartabull, Chili Davis, Tom Brunansky, Lloyd Moseby, Terry Pendleton, Cecil Fielder, Wally Joyner, Will Clark, Ray Lankford, Dickie Thon, Dan Quisenberry, etc......

[Rich Klein]

I know but the book values are probably way too high at these points on these players.

I think for 1982 (so we avoid Double Prints) the values are

5 Cent Pure Common

10 Cent Semistars -- Think of Larry Bowa

25 Cents -- Real Stars -- Think of Alan Trammell

50 cents or More -- HOFers or should be HOFers even minor ones such as Fergie Jenkins at the 50 cent level

In reality, dealers in person can not charge those higher prices while on-line retailers may start at a quarter and then not move

I get where you are coming from, but the issue is these cards are so available that dealers realize they are bulk and move them. Now the 50's-60's stuff,,, that has real value and real differences

[bcbgcbrcb]

Understood, Rich. I guess my big issue is on the buy side, dealers will refer to "book" prices and discount accordingly but on the sale side, you have to "throw away the book" entirely because the prices are over-inflated. I see why I have lost way too much money dabbling in this stuff and that's why I am unloading it all now and never getting back into it. It seems that I appreciated these star players of the '80's but no one else really does..........

[Rich Klein]

I bet because those were the players from your youth and you have such fond memories,

Look, that line about buying and selling for dealers has never changed since I started doing shows way back when

However, there are now several markets for selling cards

Shows in person, Stores in person or bulk mail order -- if you want 1980's "bulk stars" like Baines come talk to me and later come visit me at my house. I'll make you great deals which are a percent of book. Those unsorted monster boxes I hawk on BST for $200 probably have $1500 if not more (or I'd say 30 of the 32 of them) book value and I get little nibbles

I do get some action at times on the team pulls. I enjoy seeing what cards I have of certain teams or areas

Internet Sales like COMC and Beckett Marketplace (Rob Veres) == in many cases the real world marketplace has taken over these cards on the internet and while anything less than a quarter is not worth selling these cards at (even commons) that also means higher base prices so less of a spread for Harold Baines Vs Rudy Law

Rob Veres once wrote a great article way way back in the day in which he mentioned 10 different prices he could sell the same 1982 Topps Mike Scioscia for. He explained all the different ways to market the card out of his own outlet.

And I get it, I loved Harold Baines as a hitter but until there is real value to 1980's-90's base cards (aint happening) then we have to understand that if you want to get those higher prices, you have to buy the tables at the shows and set out those cards at the higher prices.

RIch

[bcbgcbrcb]

My experience selling recently has been at local shows of around 40 tables. I can't afford to pay table fees for the bigger shows to sell cards that nobody is interested in buying. Collectors will pay decent prices for the HOF'ers and soon-to-be HOF'ers like Big Unit, Big Hurt, Pedro, Jeter, etc. When it comes to the guys like Baines, etc., I can't sell them at any price. The problem with selling bulk cheap cards over the internet is condition and I can't deal with returns on cards, due to condition issues, that end up selling for pennies on the dollar.

In the end, there is just no way around it, I guess. It's just not worth it to collect late '70's - 1980's rookie cards of star players of the time that will never be HOF'ers.