How Prices of Baseball Collectibles Are Determined

When you start your search for baseball collectibles, you may be wondering what constitutes a certain price for one keepsake versus another. There are many factors that come into play in determining the value of a piece of baseball memorabilia.





The first is the demand for the player or team representing your keepsake. If you specialize in baseball collectibles such as cards, then you want to make sure you're paying a fair price for them.





When considering the price of any baseball collectible that has to do with a certain player, make sure you know his record and statistics. Is he in the Hall of Fame? Did he shatter other players' records as he made his way to a top spot in the sport?





Rookie baseball collectibles may not give you the comfort you want in knowing for sure how valuable the keepsake will be. While it can be somewhat risky to invest in a piece of rookie memorabilia, it might also give you a chance to greatly profit from your initial investment.





Of course, you're always going to find value in a baseball collectible from a player such as Mickey Mantle or Roberto Clemente. Any player that has become an idol for baseball fans is a good pick for your memorabilia treasure trove. For team collectibles, the Yankees have more people seeking their collectibles than any other team.





The condition of the baseball collectible is another important factor in its price and value. A card in mint condition that has been cared for will fetch more than a card that's bent or has a smudge on it.





Another aspect of what makes a baseball collectible priced right is whether or not it's a hard to find or limited edition. If something is mass-produced, then it will decrease in value.





Probably most important is the "you" factor. What is this particular baseball collectible worth to you? Is it something you just have to have - an item you've been searching for and finally found? Or is it something you could live without?





Baseball collectibles, like memorabilia in any other sport, have price tags based on demand, value to the current owner, and value to prospective buyers as well. Make sure you do your homework with a published price guide to compare how an item is priced for you versus what it's selling for around the world. With today's access to online auctions and dealers, you might be able to find the item you want at a price you can afford.

To learn about baseball pitches and baseball salaries, visit Baseball Tips.

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How Much Are Your Baseball Cards Worth

Collectors can determine the value of your baseball cards by using one of the two popular pricing guides, which are Beckett and Tuffstuff, but this may be a tricky process with both guides have different prices of the same card. However, the majority of collectors use the Beckett pricing guide, which has become the most commonly used guide, so prices are determined by using Becket.





Beckett and Tuffstuff pricing guides will give a high value and a low value for each card, which can be purchased monthly with new issues of their magazines. Currently, they are both offered on-line, which can be subscribe for a monthly fee, but will wanting to sell cards within your collection does not mean that you will receive the same price as the pricing guide suggest. Baseball cards are only worth what collectors or individuals are worth paying for them.





On-line auction sites can also be helpful in determining the price of your baseball cards, but you will soon realize that these cards will normally sell less than the posted low value in these pricing guides. It is important before investing in baseball cards that you research your investment and determine which are the most common cards that tend to hold their value.





The authentication of your collection would involve an independent grading service that will conduct an analysis of the quality and condition of the cards within your collection. Baseball cards are usually graded between one and ten, with ten being the best. Independent grading services will also authenticate any card that contains a signature. The lowest grade and the less valued cards are known as commons. Rookie cards can be valuable also because they are the first official card to be released during the career of an athlete.





Other valuable cards within a collection would be inserts, which are specialty cards that are included within sets that may be autographed, gold leafed, or contain a memoir from a player like a piece of used bat or old batting glove. The core group of cards from a manufacturer that are included in every pack of cards you purchase are known as the base set. Limited edition cards are designed with a particular number assigned to show the order they were released in a manufactured set.





Often older cards manufactured before the 1970s would increase in value. In fact, in the 1950s children would play with baseball cards by flipping them or by putting them in the spokes of bicycle tires. By doing so these cards were often damaged and the supply diminished, but the demand increased as well as their value. The value is once again based upon supply and demand. Like in the 1990s when baseball cards were overly produced and the majority of those cards have little value due to the supply being so great. During the 80s, the notion of baseball cards becoming an investment increased and collectors were encouraged not to touch them by placing them in protective cases, binders, or sleeves. Children were no longer placing cards in their tire spokes either.





Cards still may sell for their book value at cards shops, but it is possible to find some cards selling for less than their listed book values. There are even times when certain cards will be priced higher than the stated book value as was the case with a recent Topps card that featured Derek Jeter, Mickey Mantle, and President Bush.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant about rare coins, stamp collections, and rare collectibles. Follow these links to find the best marketplace for: rare coins, stamp collections, and history of baseball cards.

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