Monday, September 22, 2008

Autograph Offering: Marion Barber

What do you get when 10% of an already-accumulated non-rookie card is offered as an autograph for the price of the card if it wasn't autographed? A bad deal.

As an in-hand an etopps autograph seller, the only way I would buy this one would be if I got this card for free in the catalog.

The timing of this autograph offering couldn't be better. Barber had a great game last night against Packers.

However, Marion Barber's rookie card was in 2005. What value can his 2007 card hold? Don't tell me--I know:
  • It's his only etopps card
  • It's a low print run (499)
  • It's an endangered species (read it's being accumulated so the price is inflated)
  • He's a Cowboy
But let's take a look at how he's done as a 2007 autographed card on ebay.

I used the words Marion Barber auto 2007 in the search box. I clicked on completed auctions and sorted them from highest to lowest.

As expected, a non-rookie auto card is more dependent on quantity of total autographs offered.

The highest selling one that sold was a Sweet Spot auto helmet that went for $60 and was #4 of 5 auto cards signed. The second highest was a Gridiron Dual Jersey Auto (#1/3) that went for $47 and a Donruss Threads Auto /10 went for $36.

The highest selling one that had a run of 50 in 2007 was 2007 National Treasures which ended at $21.49.

Nevertheless there are etopps members who are fans of the Cowboys and Barber who may pay more than what these cards go for, especially since this one is signed on the card rather than on a sticker which appears to be the pattern for a lot of the cards that have been listed for Barber.

So if you do choose to purchase this card to flip either as a pre-sell or when you get it shipped to you and it sells, don't expect your buyer to be oblivious of etopps.

Rather than overpay for the card and auto combined, save your money for the Allen & Ginter Terry Bradshaw that will be offered soon. When you click on the pigskin challenge on the home page, you will be able to open a page to see what the prizes will be for the games. Scroll down the list. First you'll see the Namath A & G and then farther down you'll see the Bradshaw A &G offered as one of the weekly prizes. It'll cost the same as Namath but will be worth the money.

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Wigix update: I'll be listing an etopps in-hand or two and will post the link on Wednesday. There are already listings for etopps football cards, all from the same seller, the category guru for football cards.

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