Question For Bob Lemke (Price Guide)

Hi Bob, Welcome to the board.

I have had a question about the SCD price guide ever since I offered to help with pricing on the T202 set. After you stepped down who ever stepped in asked for help on pricing of various sets. I let him know I was willing to help until I received the letter from him asking pricing with guidlines. I was immediately turned off when they mentioned that you should not use prices off ebay since it was a "wholessale market". What gives with that, To me with the number of bidders on ebay that is probably as good of a barometer as there is right now on any sports cards.

A little inside prespective would be nice,

Thanks

Lee

Lee. Outstanding post. I hope more than just Bob, can and will answer your question! Who's really behind the value of Card's or anything in the hobby of Collecting? Thanks to E-bay a few of those rarity have been found in the past , not to be so rare anymore! Ken

Sorry, fellows, I can't offer any insights into the nuts and bolts of vintage card pricing in the SCBC since I left (the 2007-dated book was my last as editor).

Frankly, with my departure the management at F+W cut way back on the resources they devote to that title. Basically, re-pricing for the 2008 book is what came in over the transom. I did an exhaustive study of price changes between the 2007 and 2008 books and was surprised at how many vintage card/set prices were unchanged, and how many were changed only by applying a set percentage to each card in the set. For example, among vintage Bowman and Topps, only the 1948B set saw ANY changes at all. Not a single Topps card was changed, not even the Mantles.

If you have both editions, do a comparitive analysis for yourself.

Again, I attribute this to lack of resources directed to the title.

As for considering eBay prices . . . I always felt that prices realized there were an important component in assessing the current market, provided the person doing the studying was knowledgeable about the cards being sold as well as the vagaries of that specific venue.

I'm sure Don Fluckinger would still welcome pricing input from knowledgeable sources, but time is likely very tight before the new edition deadlines.

Thanks for the insight Bob.

To me ebay is kind of the Walmart of sportscards, you can find alot of things, some cheap, a few you are paying a premium for. Ebay prices have to be accepted because it is available to everyone, not just people buying for ressale.

Lee

Bob Lemke wrote:I'm sure Don Fluckinger...

Had to reread the name twice to make sure I got it right.

Jay

I have helped in the past with the SCD (info and pix) and never really understood why my name was never added to the list of people in the front of the book. Not a big deal or anything but it may have just been an oversight, as my brother Rhys is there and they probably thought we were the same person (heaven knows we each get several emails a week from people thinking they are emailing the other guy), but it still bugged me a little. I bought the 2008 book and was a bit disappointed at the lack of new info, prices, etc. It is still the best book out there of its kind, but a lot more can be done (and frankly should be done).
-Rhett Yeakley

Hello Rhett,

I suspect the rightful addition of your name to the contributors page of the Standard Catalog was lost in the transition of editors. The entire original record for who should be added to the list each year consisted of my hand-written mark-up on the previous year's page, and if the new editors didn't see that, they would not have known to make the additions.

I've e-mailed Don Fluckinger and recommended that he make sure to add you to the next edition.