Sports Card selling on eBay - A lesson w/ a current example

I know a lot of people read my last posting on this subject.   If not, here is a link:

http://storageauctionforums.com/index.php?topic=1269.msg5751#msg5751


I mainly want to reiterate the timming issue.  Timming is key to almost any form of selling.

Here is a perfect example of what all I talked about in my first post about eBay selling sports cards.


In this lesson, I will start with how I acquired the card and why, then how I am selling, with links to each.


Let's begin the lesson..........




Acquisition of the card and a bit of football knowledge:

Every year I look at the new rookie class during pre-season games.  I usually stick with my team, Dallas Cowboys.  This year, I saw a very promising young running back rookie named DeMarco Murray.  He had a good pre-season, so I knew one day he would be a decent player.

DeMarco’s cards were selling fairly cheap on eBay, so I bought an Autograph patch card of his for my personal collection.  I then decided that since they were so cheap and I have some extra money, I would buy a few more, 5 total autograph cards.

The last card I purchased was the one in this lesson.  Well, 3 days after I purchased the card, the starting running back was injured (Felix Jones) and the backup running back (Tashard Choice) became the starter, leaving DeMarco Murray as a backup.  That game he rushed for over 200 yards, beating some of the record holding Cowboys running back’s (Emmitt Smith) rookie records. 

Well, guess what happened.  Tashard Choice was cut from the team and DeMarco took over as starting running back.  He rushed for over 100 yards in the last 4 games, a couple were over 200 yards.


Here is where I purchased the card on eBay for $29.55.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/130583546556?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649



Selling the card:


With the awesome 4 games DeMarco had recently, his cards have skyrocketed in value, like the example of Ben Roethlesberger in my last thread.

Well, again, timming is key.  If I sell now I am guaranteed to make a tremendous profit.  If I wait and he gets hurt, I will not make anything, or I could make even more.  I chose now to sell.   If I waited till next year, it will not even sell for book value.

So, I am selling while he is hot and there is a major feeding frenzy.  Think of it as chumming for fish.  You throw chum out and the fish will hit anything, even bubble gum.

Here is my listing:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/320796794361?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649


I added some enticement to get the price up more.  I offered two bonus selling price level s.

I posted it for a 7 day auction that will end on Thanksgiving night at midnight.  That gives 2 more games for him to kick ass and boost the price more.

Ten minutes after I posted it, I had a starting bid of $99.99.  That’s right people, my starting bid was more than 3 times what I paid!  The next morning, the bid was at $102.50.  This morning the bid was up to $173.50.  At this minute, not even two days into the auction, the bid is at $196.50!!!!!!!!!!!!

The bid right now is more than double the price of what the same exact card sold for less than a week ago.


So, the lessons to learn are timming and knowledge of the sport you are trying to sell cards for.

If a rookie is hot as hell, sell during that season.  Do not wait till the next year because the frenzy will be over and you will kick yourself in the ass like I did over the Miles Austin RC cards I did not purchase a couple years ago!

Good post.

Certainly food for thought.

Thanks for the info.

You are welcome.

A lot of people think they have gold in every sports card they find.  They don't understand that the ones that hit homeruns on cards have a system like I do, and almost always ends up being a rookie with a bust out season during the said season.

I am a huge cowboy fan, good call on Murray. Things change so fast in the NFL, doesnt seem long ago when all the rave with the cowboys was the three headed monster of Barber, Jones, and Choice.

But as far as the selling side of it, yea thats a pretty nice profit margin!

I've been flipping prospects for years now not only in football, but also baseball...but I can definitely tell you that you come across many losing ones before the winner...that is a great story on your flip, congrats! Sports cards are a hard hobby to follow, but it could only take one card to make a decent profit...