Not that I’m one to argue about the validity of “book value,” nor do I really delve often into the motivation of “prospectors,” but this just strikes me as odd.
This card, of Mets minor leaguer Ike Davis (I won’t even bother to call him a prospect, given the remote chances of somebody actually making it to the bigs) which I pulled from a pack of 08 Bowman Draft, has a book value of $120.
This card, of Hall of Fame 3rd baseman Eddie Matthews, which I pulled from a pack of 08 Donruss Threads, has a book value of $20. That’s a $100 difference in “value.”
As I’ve said many times, I’m not the sort of collector who chases the hits. I’m not buying cases of BDPP in hopes of scoring refractor autos. But hey, if I happen to find one, sweet. And if one of these refractor autos can be flipped for something I really want, even sweeter.
It’s just kind of crazy to me that the artificial scarcity of “hits” is the more prevalent factor in the pricing structure here, rather than a player’s reputation/track record.
Free Andy LaRoche 