Price guide myths vs. reality.

I recently picked up a PSA 4 Sov. T206 Frank Chance Batting and thought of this thread. For many years, the guides have always listed the T206 Red Portrait Chance as the tougher of his cards in the set. Personally, I believe the 460 Series only Chance Batting is tougher than the Red Portrait (and his toughest card overall in the set).

Also, in the T207 set, Lowdermilk and Lewis have always been touted as the "rarities" from the set. However, from my years of experience, I would say, without a doubt, the rarest card in the T207 set is DEFINITELY DONLIN!

There are so many other sets where the rarest card is NOT recongnized as being so buy the guides. What examples do you have?

So much of price info based on old lore and not has not been updated with the new reaserch that has been done. Even with great research done by Bill Cornell and Tim Newcome, it's hard to disspell long standing myths. Lowdermilk and Lewis are still very difficult cards and you won't see prices dropping even with the revelation that they are no long among the top 3 rarest cards in the set.

In the t201 set, the Daugherty/Lord is supposed to be the rarity. I completed 3 sets and it never the last card I needed. I always remember Lajoie/Falkenberg was always one of the last cards I needed.

Jay

In the T202 set the Birmingham's Home Run is suppose to be the tough common. Although it is a little tougher I have found that some of the same end panel combinations with different center panels to be tougher.

I also think the Kleinow, Boston in the T206 set is one of those "myth" toughies, tough but not as tough as advertised.

Lee

The guides only know what the collectors tell them. And for pre-war cards there may be decreased interest, because a comparitively small percentage of their total sales may actually go to that market sector. So, their receptiveness to implement changes, and to seek them out may be comparitively low. Personally, I'd like to see a cooperative effort among hobbiests to generate a guide which can easily be updated with new information as it becomes available.