Advice for BGS Card - Auction, Best offer, or Fixed Price?

Hi all,

So for the last couple of years, I’ve placed a listing for a BGS 9.5 card. If I sell anything, typically the cards I sell are between $5-$50 and are ungraded, so I’m in extra unfamiliar territory. I sold one BGS 9 card a couple of years ago by some stroke of luck for $125 with a Fixed Price. However, this 9.5 has been giving me some hardship. I’ve tried Best Offer and Fixed price options, but no luck. I’m worried about Auction as I’ve never done an Auction before and don’t want to underprice my card.

Anyone have any ideas or advice?

What card is it?

I do about 20% auctions, 80% BIN. The only time I do auction is if I absolutely need some money, otherwise I always do BIN.

I found the best strategy for BIN is to leave it up until you have 5 or more watchers, then lower the price by 10-20% because ebay will notify the watchers and some of the people who only viewed. I’ve noticed huge success selling items that sit for a couple months, then I lower the price and it sells in a week.

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It’s a Japanese XY-P Promo Gyarados.

Oh yeah I sold a PSA 10 copy of that card once, took forever to get any interest and after a few months I just took $75 for it. I see your listing for $350, but there’s a PSA 10 copy available for $85 and that’s probably worth more than a BGS 9.5, I think your asking price may just be a bit high.

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Honestly if a card is worth only $75-$85 in a PSA 10 and is fairly illiquid then I would imagine a BGS 9.5 likely won’t be worth more than $50. Maybe a hair more if the subs are strong and you luck out in that someone seeking that card has a preference for BGS over PSA.

I do think you are right to be hesitant to auction it. The only cards I would ever auction in BGS 9.5 would be high tier ones like gold stars, shinings or base 1st cards that are quite well established and sought after regarding of the grading company. I have scooped up a fair few BGS 9.5’s at very low prices from auctions.

I like quad bgs 9.5 that basically are immaculate for my personal collection because price points are typically laughably low compared to psa 10. The case is also sturdier, which fits the premium card value in my opinion. I just hope people realize the beauty and quality of BGS 9.5 quad or higher…

I like quad bgs 9.5 that basically are immaculate for my personal collection because price points are typically laughably low compared to psa 10. The case is also sturdier, which fits the premium card value in my opinion. I just hope people realize the beauty and quality of BGS 9.5 quad or higher…

That shadowless blastoise bgs 9.5 sold for 1600…I’d like to have that back…

Just saw that $85 one but the same seller has another copy up for $150… What’s up with that? Does it suggest the seller considers the $85 one a ‘weak’ 10 or something?

I can’t speak for that specific seller but I have some duplicate 10’s in my own store. Usually when I list a second one I list it lower than the first as I am more willing to move one when I know I have two of them. That is a fairly wide range to have them listed though so maybe something it is a bit of what I mentioned along with the seller noticing a quality difference as well.

Hmm. Maybe I am asking a bit much. It’s tough to justify something less than $100 when the card itself back at the time was $70 USD.

This has given me a lot to consider however. I might just do Auction and see where I am at.

Unfortunately, Japanese cards grade so high that sometimes there’s barely a premium on graded copies. I agree it should be worth more, but the market seems to disagree.
You can try a heavy discount to $100 and see how you do. I don’t think you’re earning more than $50-60 at auction.

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