2012 Standard Catalog For Vintage Only

[RobertGT]

There is no question the book is a fantastic reference material, and it has helped me identify many unknown card issues over the years. But the real problem, I think, that is killing off these publications and making them more irrelevant (even more true of Beckett) is that the prices quoted are so far removed from reality that it's to the point of misleading. In some cases, especially with modern cards, even the low prices are a complete joke.

If I need to know what something is selling for, I turn to eBay completed sales and VCP. I often wonder whether any of this readily available data is used as basis for the price guides.

[steve B]

few guides can ever be accurate on prices. There are so many things that influence a final price. Venue, seller reputation, recent publicity(Or old publicity) percieved condition, even the timing of the sale- all of them affect the price. For more common modern stuff it's easy to get close, for vintage it's almost impossible.

Even for graded cards. VCP can track sales, but you have to dig deeper to see if the lower ones were weak for the grade.

Stamp and coin catalogs are usually close, but some of them have well over a century in publication. And even then actual sales won't match if the item isn't common. Stamps that are average condition typically go for half of the catalog value. Less common but nicer ones a dealer will hold out for more. In one group I collect I've seen stuff sell for anywhere from 10% of catalog to a bit over 200% of catalog. (Usually it seems as if that's determined on wether I've bid or not)

Steve B

[martyogelvie]

Good news indeed.
I don't use the Guide for pricing as much as I do for indentifying a card and cataloging cards

[Jewish-collector]

They need to emphasize that it is an identification guide, NOT a price guide.

[Rich Klein]

You'd sell very few copies -- even if prices are just a baseline

Rich

[ktimm]

Book is now available through amazon.

[christopher.herman]

+1. Just ordered a copy.