Ebay experiment: PSA vs. SGC

[ValKehl]

I suspect the main reason the PSA card sold for significantly more is because it's much better centered, as others have noted.

The PSA cards had 4 times as many views as the SGC card. This could be interpreted as collector bias toward PSA, which many/most of us already acknowledge, especially for post-War cards.

Also, there are collectors who are putting together 1957 Topps sets with all cards graded the same. A mid-grade set collector might well strive for a complete set graded 5-EX. But, I've never heard of a collector striving to complete a set graded 4.5. This could be one reason the PSA card generated more interest and the higher price.

[bobbyw8469]

I just checked out VCP averages for your experiment. You had an opening bid for the PSA 5 of $60 with a VCP average of $108. For your SGC 4.5, you had an opening bid of $60 with a VCP average of $68. Your experiment isn't as revealing to me as you think it is. Everything sold near their average. If anything, it gives me hope that the market is crashing in the face of this recession.

[darwinbulldog]

I'm currently running a pair of Walter Payton rookies, an SGC 7 and a PSA 7. Both look equally nice to me. Here's where they stand with a couple of days left.

1976 Topps #148 Walter Payton SGC 7 Near Mint HOF RC Chicago Bears
$355.00 Current bid
+ Shipping (buyer pays $5.00)
91
Views
39
Watchers
19
Bids


1976 Topps #148 Walter Payton PSA 7 Near Mint HOF RC Chicago Bears
$315.00 Current bid
+ Shipping (buyer pays $5.00)
137
Views
46
Watchers
40
Bids

[bobbyw8469]

Originally Posted by darwinbulldog

I'm currently running a pair of Walter Payton rookies, an SGC 7 and a PSA 7. Both look equally nice to me. Here's where they stand with a couple of days left.

1976 Topps #148 Walter Payton SGC 7 Near Mint HOF RC Chicago Bears
$355.00 Current bid
+ Shipping (buyer pays $5.00)
91
Views
39
Watchers
19
Bids


1976 Topps #148 Walter Payton PSA 7 Near Mint HOF RC Chicago Bears
$315.00 Current bid
+ Shipping (buyer pays $5.00)
137
Views
46
Watchers
40
Bids

I would be curious to see where these end.

[Frank A]

With the price of cards today, the set registry will probably collapse. Who in their right mind would pay some of the stupid prices for commons. After that the rush for PSA will probably cool off a lot.

[darwinbulldog]

Originally Posted by bobbyw8469

I would be curious to see where these end.

Here's where they ended up. PSA sold for about 6% more than SGC in this case.


1976 Topps #148 Walter Payton SGC 7 Near Mint HOF RC Chicago Bears
$547.87 Current bid
+ Shipping (buyer pays $5.00)
213
Views
48
Watchers
33
Bids


1976 Topps #148 Walter Payton PSA 7 Near Mint HOF RC Chicago Bears
$580.00 Current bid
+ Shipping (buyer pays $5.00)
305
Views
66
Watchers
58
Bids

[bobbyw8469]

Interesting....thank you for sharing.

[timzcardz]

The images in the auctions do not appear to be of the same quality.

The image of the PSA card appears much clearer/crisper that that of the SGC card.

[Zach Wheat]

Originally Posted by bobbyw8469

I just checked out VCP averages for your experiment. You had an opening bid for the PSA 5 of $60 with a VCP average of $108. For your SGC 4.5, you had an opening bid of $60 with a VCP average of $68. Your experiment isn't as revealing to me as you think it is. Everything sold near their average. If anything, it gives me hope that the market is crashing in the face of this recession.

What was surprising to me was the differential in # of views. Glenn's auction described 1 post above, is much closer.