A few years ago I started a PSA graded 1st ed. base set collection. My end goal is to get all 102 cards - I’m aiming to get them all PSA 9 and I’m currently about halfway there. Unfortunately I had to go on hiatus for a couple of years because I needed tuition money for university. Now that I’ve graduated, I can get back into the game and use some leftover money for cards.
Obviously the biggest obstacle is the pesky 1st ed PSA 9 Charizard which appears to currently be worth over $1k USD (I remember when it was around $700 ). I would appreciate some advice from the community on a few questions:
It looks like a few recently went for $1000 - $1500 on Ebay. This is based only on a couple items. If anyone is familiar with the charizard PSA market, does this seem accurate? and given the current market, what would you pay for one?
What’s the best route to get one? Should I stick with Ebay or would I get a better deal from people here (since there’s no listing cost). If someone does have one for sale here, please let me know
I’m Canadian. A quick Google search shows me that my dollar is worth 80% of the American dollar at the moment (down from parity about 2 years ago). This means that every thousand dollars I spend on a cards, I have to pay an extra ~$250 dollars. I realized there’s probably no way to know, but I’d like some opinions. Should I hold off on any large purchases and wait for a better exchange rate or should I just bite the extra cost and avoid risking the value of the Charizard to go up?
I don’t think you’ll ever find another for ‘only’ 1000.00usd. They are higher now a shooting up. PSA 8s are 700-1000 and they’ll go much higher too.
I have them in all grades and am very hesitant to sell because of the trend.
Yeah, I can’t say I blame you. Looks like there’s 360 of them out there. I’d imagine that most are not for sale at this point. The demand will always be there for this card and when the supply dries up… well, I guess it’s my wallet that suffers
I can relate to you on the exchange rate mate! Im in Australia and our dollar is rubbish right now, I’m not sure weather to hold off either or just bite the bullet and cop spending the extra dollars
I feel that. Ive spent extremely little internationally the last 6 months plus. Just keep having to tell myself it’s a hobby and other things are more important. 25-30% adds up when you start talking a couple hundred dollars or more, plus GSP lol.
yeah, its gotta be a great deal or a hard to find item if im buying internationally. was looking at a single card on ebay and see the postage cost at $80 lol
It’s at $12 USD right now, I’d place a bid in seconds at that cost. But with the exchange rate, it costs an extra $3 for me and shipping is another $12 CDN. Although it’s nothing remotely close to $80, it’s certainly a turn-off when I’m paying almost 100% more for shipping.
To be fair, that is the cost for the cheapest service with tracking.
Part of collecting, especially for international sellers is accepting reality, however frustrating that may be. There are some sellers who will do you a “favor” and mark an item as gift to avoid duties, but they are taking a massive risk. More specifically, it is not their fault.
At the end of the day, don’t hate the player hate the game. The sellers, especially the one you posted with the dewgong are just keeping up with eBay’s Top Seller requirement of every item requiring tracking.
I have nothing but appreciation for the big sellers out there and I am in no way blaming them. They obviously have no control over exchange rate, much less the cost of international shipping. I just wanted to add something to the discussion on shipping costs. Although I was not aware that Top Sellers are required to have item tracking, thanks for that info!
eBay ties the hands a bit for sellers who are in it for the long haul. You do not have to send out everything with tracking, but if you want that “Top Rated Seller” status, you have to play ball.
Ultimately the “everything tracked” rule is great as there is much less chance someone can pretend they did not receive an item. However, it certainly puts a damper on the under $10 items as buyers don’t want to pay an additional $10 to get a $5-10 card.
I bought a 9 very recently and I can tell you it was closer to the higher estimate you made. I paid a bit of a premium for it though as it seems to have real potential for a 10 re-grade. I turned down one the day before for about $1100 but it was quite heavily off centred, I didn’t really fancy it.
Reading the rest of the thread, can I take this moment to also pay great homage to the lovely sellers who offer to send the items as gifts, not that I ever take this offer myself.
Well as you said its the harsh reality of collecting
Ive bought numerous cards where the shipping is higher then the value itself, but here in the EU sellers are scares, except some big ones.
But all the good stuff i need is in the US, so bite that bullet and pay id say to serious collectors
). I would appreciate some advice from the community on a few questions:
