Symphony of Baseball Bats (My take on the Beckett vs. ebay debate)

I've come across and read alot of different peoples views on the Beckett vs ebay debate and I figured I'd weigh in on it myself. I'm gonna map out some of the pros and cons I see from each and explain how I actually use the both of them in complete balanced harmony. That's right, as I speak I am sitting with a 2008 Bekett almanac in my lap after recieving more positive feedback on my ebay account. So break out the brews, cuz this could take awhile...

For your viewing pleasure, I have included some pictures of upside down dogs. Enjoy

When I first stared collecting, I liked to pick up Becketts and read the articles. I liked seeing other peoples collections, and thought it was cool that there really were no rules to collecting. You could collect cards of your favorite team, player, brand, year, hat color, player height, pre-game sandwich preferance or what ever the hell else you felt like! It wasn't untill I stoped collecting, got older and came back to the hobby, that I paid any attention to the price guide. So yes, it was very similar to a porno mag.

When I came back to collecting, I had missed the introduction and blow-up of auto and game used cards. I remember opening my first box, pulling a Mosies Alou bat card and thinking to myself...

..."I don't get it."

I didn't understand the concept of jerseys or bats inside of a baseball card. So because I didn't know what I was looking at and, at the time, I didn't have internet I went to my card shop and picked up a Beckett to check it out. This is my first PRO for Beckett:

Beckett PRO- They know about cards.

In the Almanac version I have they give you a little bit of information on just about every set.

Example: "The cards in this 176 card set measure approximately 2 1/4" by 3". When flipped over a 1915 "series of 176"Cracker Jack card shows back printing upside-down. Cards were available in boxes of Cracker Jacks or... for "100 Cracker Jacks coupons or one coupon and 25 cents..."
1915 Cracker Jack

It goes on for more explaining that theres a binder issued as well but you get the idea. No common collector is gonna be able to tell you much information about 1915 Cracker Jack cards, but some bsic info and a checklist is right there in Beckett.

Before you think I'm gonna get to snuggly with Beckett, some of their info is fucking pointless.

Example: "This 369-card set was released in July, 2007."
2007 Topps Chrome


...


Why the fuck do I need the month a set was released. The year, mabey. And that's giving alot of slack.

But the information is better more times than not. They give "odds" for inserts and paralles which I use all the time.

Example: "...inserted into packs at a rate of one in 721..."
1996 Pacific Cramer's Choice

That tells me something. That lets me know that this is not a very common card. If you're looking to complete this set, 10 cards, you're gonna be searching for awhile. I was lucky enough to find on ebay the Mike Piazza and I snacthed it up.

This is were the first CON come in-

The pricing is way off.


That Piazza card, lists in Beckett for $50.
I bought it for $5. Including shipping.

1995 Bowman's Best Andruw Jones RC Book- $25
For a non grade, non refractor you can find for under $5.

The actual costs of what a card my be (off ebay) really depends and how many copies are listed at that time and who you're up against. Had I been up against 2 or 3 Piazza super collectors who needed that card, you can bet I wouldn't have gotten it for $5. Would it have reached $50! don't think so.

You also have to keep in mind however, that they can't list a card as having a price of "$0". You can find hnudres of thousands of base cards with completed listings of no bids. So if Beckett were to document that, then they would have to list it as having a value of $0. That's not really true. If you walk into your local card shop, see a common base of your favorite player, you not gonna see a $0 price tag on it. You'll see .25, .50 or whatever.

What I have found (for the most part) is that Becketts prices are determinded mostly by simple odds. A base card will (for numbers sake) be "worth" .50 cents. A basic parellel will be $1. An uncommon parelle will be $2-$3. A rare will be mabey $5 or so. Obviously, that varies but I'm trying to keep it somewhat simple.



I like to use Becketts odds to help me determine the likely hood that I'll see that card again soon. If it's a rare card, with long odds, I'll do what I can to grab it. I have still yet to see another 96 Piazza Cramer's Choice card. However, I have seen countless 07 Allen and Ginter Piazza bat cards. So if I'm debating between the 2, one has longer odds than the other so I'll grab that.

ebay PRO-

Because of the amount of cards that are listed, prices as I've said, are driven way down. You don't have to spend $25 for your players RC at the store when you can grab a nice copy of it for $5-$10 online.

ebay CON-

Because of my last pro, the number of card shops have dropped lower than Lindsey Lohan's SAT scores.



I am of the belief that the prices you find on ebay or more true reflections than that that are depicted in Beckett. Some of it again has to do with who you're going up against with the bidding, but for the most part you won't even touch the "Low" price that Beckett has listed. Also keep in mind that "value" has to do with the individual. Obviously, a Mike Piazza card is going to be worth more to me than to someone like The Collective Troll.

And a Robinson Cano card is gonna be worth alot more to a guy like DrewsCards, than it is to me.

On the other hand, Beckett provides you with a good source of info so you don't get fooled by ebay sellers titles such as this- 1988 O-Pee-Chee 361 Jim Rice SP Ultra Rare


So there it is. Hopefully it made sense and was somewhat coherent. That is my take and how I go about with the two hand in hand.

(...Joe)