When negotiating goes too far.
In the latest issue of Low Ballers, a buyer offered just $260 for a TAG 8.5-graded 2001 Japanese Pokémon Trading Card Game Pokémon VS Common Regular 098/141 Lance’s Gyarados.
Needless to say, that offer is ridiculously low.
Recent sales suggest the card is worth considerably more. Copies in worse, ungraded condition have recently sold for as much as $349.99, while a PSA 8-graded copy sold for $499.99.
Considering this is already a professionally graded TAG 8.5, a $260 offer seems far below the card’s recent market performance. It’s a perfect example of the kind of offer that earns a spot in Low Ballers.
The buyer was seeking a 50% discount from the seller’s asking price, suggesting they viewed the card primarily as an arbitrage opportunity. The likely strategy was to acquire it well below market value and resell it later at a profit.
There’s nothing inherently wrong with trying to make a profit. Buying undervalued cards and reselling them is a legitimate part of the hobby. That said, offers at 50% of the seller’s asking price can be frustrating, especially when they seem driven more by the buyer’s desire to maximize their margin than by a reasonable assessment of the card’s market value.
Lowball offers also waste both parties’ time when there is little indication the buyer is negotiating in good faith. There’s a meaningful difference between negotiating for a fair deal and simply trying to buy as far below market value as possible.
In related news, TAG’s Basic, Standard, and Express grading services are currently at maximum capacity as of this writing, making this 8.5 copy all the more rare, and potentially even more desirable to collectors.