What is the current state of prices??

[frankrizzo29]

Pricing lately has been pretty all over the place. Some prices have come crashing down from 2022 peaks, some have only declined slightly, and others are randomly all over the place. It's made it hard to gauge where prices are going and how to value/price certain cards. I primarily focus on T206, so that's where my numbers are based. For example,

T206 Magee Portrait with an Old Mill back. A PSA 4 sold in June 2021 for $5,160. That same card sold in Feb 2022 for $10,224. A PSA 5 sold in April 2022 for $9,600. That exact same PSA 5 card sold last night in REA for $3,000 after the buyer's premium. I know card pricing is down from the peak prices we saw in 2022, but a ~70% decline is pretty steep.

In REA last night, an SGC 3 Cobb with Bat off sold for $9,900. A PSA 3 Cobb with Bat off sold for $6,900 in the exact same auction. Both had Piedmont backs, and both had great coloring and centering. The SGC card had stronger corners, but I'm not sure it's worth a ~40% premium over the PSA 3 that was in the same auction.

I also saw many pricing disparities at the Strongsville show this past weekend as well, with some cards being priced upwards of almost double what other dealers had the same card, same grade, same card back priced for.

I know I am rambling, but what are your thoughts, are prices stabilizing now, are they heating up again, or are they still falling?

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by frankrizzo29

are prices stabilizing now, are they heating up again, or are they still falling?

Yes.

There are so many factors at work and so many facets of collecting that it is futile to try and generalize. Signed vintage, for example, is doing really well; mainstream lower grade not so much. PSA 10 1986 Jordan, really, really not so much.

[ullmandds]

based on REA results last night I'd say 1921 ruth exhibits are def down!

[oldjudge]

The 1921 Ruth exhibit is his most common exhibit by far. Secondly, REA having three very similar copies in the same auction certainly doesn’t help the realizations.
I think Old Judges did fairly solidly in REA. The Behel, truly a scarce card, went cheap, but otherwise there were some impressive/head scratching realizations.

[ullmandds]

Originally Posted by oldjudge

The 1921 Ruth exhibit is his most common exhibit by far. Secondly, REA having three very similar copies in the same auction certainly doesn’t help the realizations.
I think Old Judges did fairly solidly in REA. The Behel, truly a scarce card, went cheap, but otherwise there were some impressive/head scratching realizations.

i would not have been happy had i consigned a 21 exhibit ruth to rea!

[oldjudge]

At one time auction houses would not run more than one copy of a card. Those days are long gone. Also, it’s possible that Ruth exhibits are weakening. The 1922 in LOTG’s last auction didn’t do particularly well either.

[Lorewalker]

Originally Posted by ullmandds

i would not have been happy had i consigned a 21 exhibit ruth to rea!

REA used to have an unwritten policy not to replicate like that in the not so distant past. I hope they are at least disclosing to consignors, at some point, that there will be similar cards in the auction. I understand from their perspective to take everything they can because if they don't they essentially hand the consignment over to a competitor. I would have to think having 3 of any card favors the buyers and not the sellers.