OPG or Magazine

[41butch]

Looking for opinions on Beckett's on-line price guide, or through the mail magazine. On-line price guide is to give the most updated information possible. Of course through the mail takes time to print month by month, and sometimes things change quickly. Example the last few weeks of playoffs. Many of the finals teams and players have seen price increases.
So who uses what and which do you feel is the best option.

 

[cburt]

I think most people don't use Beckett as a serious price guide. eBay sold prices are what I and most people use. Honestly, the only thing I like about the Beckett magazine is the Hot List, and I read that just for fun.

 

[creasecollector]

I think most people don't use Beckett as a serious price guide. eBay sold prices are what I and most people use. Honestly, the only thing I like about the Beckett magazine is the Hot List, and I read that just for fun.

I agree. Beckett is outdated, and can only be used as a guide alongside ebay sale prices to gauge a average card price.

I still read some of my older issues for the articles, Hot List, etc.

 

[TADontAsk]

I also get the magazine for fun. If you're going to buy one or the other for the pricing information, I'll echo the others in that Beckett is pretty outdated (which is fun when a seller is sticking to a high book value!), but also that the online guide is going to be much more comprehensive. The magazine has most of the stuff from the past 5 years, but they're purged a lot of the sets in prior years from the magazine for space issues. They barely have anything in there from 1990-2000 anymore.

 

[piper1]

The OPG is better for new releases, updates and completeness of listings. The magazine leaves a lot out.

 

[TADontAsk]

You could always sign up for a month of on-line and pick up the latest issue of the magazine to compare the two and see which one you like more.

 

[junyab]

I subscribed to Beckett's online guide last year and had an immediate issue with it. Once I paid they sent me to a third party website to log in and access the guide. This was not disclosed anywhere before I paid so it was a complete surprise. I found that pretty dishonest so I contacted Beckett to cancel my subscription. They refused to cancel it so I opened a paypal claim. Beckett didn't respond to the claim and I was issued the refund. After the refund was issued Beckett sent me an email to tell me I wasn't eligible for a refund, not realizing that I already got my money back.

 

[weasel-king]

I subscribed to Beckett's online guide last year and had an immediate issue with it. Once I paid they sent me to a third party website to log in and access the guide.

Similar to when I bought the non-sports almanac--you have a different login for beckett.com and beckettdigital.com (or whatever it is), which doesn't make alot of sense.

 

[sdpdesign]

I tend to get the yearly Beckett guide every few years to get a good representation of cards out there. Prices are dated, but you can see trends based on popularity of some. Grabner is a good example. His YG was $10 when he was with Vancouver, jumped to $30 when he was with Isles, but since has cooled down until this year with the Rangers, which brought it back up a small tick.

Prices can be way outdated...how can a /13 card be less than a /100 version? beckett pricing, that’s how

 

[coderedxm]

Finally! a group of people who see Beckett not as the end-all-be-all!
I have countless arguments with people claiming Beckett pricing is the standard and the benchmark to selling, trading and everything in-between.

I love to collect sets from 2003-04 (The year I started collecting cards..nostalgia) mainly cause you can find alot of the cards dirt cheap on ebay(auctions)...BIN is another story. It seems whenever I deal with someone on The Facebook Buy/Sell/Trade pages they seem to think that Beckett is the Going Worth/Price of the card... if that was the case, I would just stick to the newer sets

I had 3 month subscription to an online beckett guide through a 3rd party source...no problems with it, just felt the magazine was heavily outdated for cards older than 2 Years.
If you do feel the need to use beckett, get the online subscription.

 

[Triple B]

Whenever I’m talking to a dealer and they say “let me grab my Beckett”, my first reaction is “Oh God, here we go” and I don’t usually stick around for the rest of that NOW frustrating conversation.

 

[uvic99]

Don't bother with either. People only go to Beckett if there were no recent sales on eBay. If you're looking for the latest market prices Beckett will not have them.

I'd only use the annual edition as a reference source (i.e. for the checklists, using values for insurance, etc...) not for actual buying or selling.

 

[41butch]

Thanks everyone for the input. Going by the point most everyone gives, I am in a bind.
Do not use e-bay. I do not really buy or sell, I just simply trade at various message boards. I am pretty much an old school collector on somewhat limited budget and just try to have some fun. Have done 200+ trades and have always used Beckett's as a guide. But have come across a few issues on pricing recently with other collectors. I now can understand why. I guess though when trading both sides must feel they are getting a fair deal, to make the deal. I do feel I understand a little better with all this input from you all. Thank you one and all.

 

[KillerCanuck]

I prefer OPG as better tool as guide and information plus it´s easier to print out checklists of a player you collect. I´ve quite new with OPG, only 3 yrs and tell you what I like it a lot.

However eBay solds - It is best tool for looking values.

 

[JonX]

i use the online version pretty much only for the organizing tool which i like

 

[will-411]

Based on what you are using it for, I'd say the on-line guide is the way to go, though Al Muir has written some good pieces in the past few months since coming back as the editor that have been interesting to read if you're into that sort of thing.

Having an open mind and working to a deal that is satisfactory to both is all that matters, no matter how you get there.

Cory

 

[41butch]

Oh yes I always enjoyed the reading content of the magazine but sometimes waiting on new sets to list not so much.