Why is there such a difference in prices with price guides?

I'd add Great Collections to Heritage since their auction archive is public. I've bought many nice coins in the past from their weekly auctions and in general, the winning bids are on par with Heritage with lower buyers fees.

 

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Redbook grossly understates the value of moderns. Bluebook doesn't even list most moderns in the grades they are typically collected.

You'll be horribly misled.

 

For coppers, there's a big jump for red early Lincoln and Indian cents. In this case the Redbook values are low. For brown examples they are too high. Of course I'm looking at unc coins.

 

"Nobody goes there anymore, it's too crowded."

I don't care whether or not I can trust eBay prices as long as I can get eBay prices...

 

Kind of a left field question. But where did the term kool aid drinker come from? What is the meaning and where did the meaning come from.

Wasn't there a jim jones incident where he poisoned his followers w kool aid -- is there some sort of death slant w that saying?

Ive seen multiple people post about pcgs kool aid drinkers -- and it seems to be in a disparaging way.

Have always been curious about that

 

Yep, People's Temple.

"Drinking the Kool-Aid" means following the crowd in something obviously stupid, and it's always disparaging.

 

Those books are meant to be good starting places, but they do not adequately reflect market trends when put up against realized auction prices in the same calendar year (as the book).

It's a matter of accuracy. The auctions that closed yesterday are a more realistic indication of a coin's worth than a publication put out months ago.

 

I remember asking a coin dealer about a slabbed coin ~15 years ago and he laughed and told me they were stupid. The internet has definitely played a large part in their rise, but I also believe it has a lot to do with clever marketing.

A cult of personality arises when an individual uses mass media, propaganda, or other methods to create an idealized, heroic, and at times worshipful image, often through unquestioning flattery and praise
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cult_of_personality
or

 

Want a little irony? The Mega Red actually reports auction results. THAT'S how important they are.

 

I thought that was fish oil..........

 

Yup, why let a crazy fool set the price? just b/c he was foolish enough to pay $1650 doesn't mean others should follow...