1587 - Dueling Questions with BA Murry, Part 2
Dr. James Beckett and B.A. Murray discuss their decades-long careers in sports card dealing, reflecting on pricing strategies, collecting philosophies, and how the hobby has evolved from the 1970s through the present day. Both emphasize the importance of pricing cards based on perceived value rather than just comparable sales, and discuss their transition from business-focused work to hobby-focused retirement.
Summary
In this wide-ranging conversation, Beckett and Murray reflect on their extensive history in the sports card hobby spanning several decades. They discuss early regrets about selling valuable cards too cheaply, such as Murray selling a Clemente rookie for $7 when table fees were only $40. Both dealers explain their philosophy of pricing cards based on scarcity, player, and set rather than relying solely on comparable sales data—a confidence-based approach that contrasts with modern dealers' over-reliance on past sales prices. They reference Jim Kovacs as an early example of this principled pricing approach, where dealers would incrementally price similar cards based on previous sales to known collectors rather than arbitrary market rates.
Murray describes his evolution from collecting everything to specializing in vintage cards and oddball items, particularly non-sports cards and mid-1980s material when licensing allowed for diverse products. He explains that modern collecting lacks this diversity due to licensing changes in the early 1990s. Both men discuss the importance of selling to the final owner—the true collector who will keep the cards—rather than to flippers, emphasizing how presenting a detailed want list legitimized dealers and distinguished them from cherry-pickers.
The conversation touches on John Ramirez as the hobby's preeminent master set collector, whose National show table represents mostly duplicates from his extensive collection. They note how the hobby became increasingly expensive and competitive in the 1980s, with wealthy newcomers outbidding serious collectors. Murray sold his company 21.5 years ago and has since transformed his work back into a pure hobby, attending National shows regularly and managing a small eBay business selling cards ranging from $3 commons to rare one-of-a-kind items. Both men emphasize that the hobby is therapeutic, keeps them young, and provides regular social connections with kindred spirits. They conclude by reflecting on their golden years in the hobby and the importance of staying healthy to continue participating in the community they've built over decades.
About this episode
Dr. Beckett hosts a wide-ranging “dueling questions” conversation with longtime friend and former colleague B.A. Murry, discussing early National show memories and table costs, regrets about selling too soon and not buying more, and Murry’s niche of curated obscure/oddball items for star players rather than post-2000 inventory. They compare old-school pricing confidence versus today’s reliance on comps, the role of want lists in proving collector intent, and how scarcity knowledge came from what advanced collectors repeatedly needed. They recount non-sports material once being hard to sell, the impact of licensing changes and eBay on sourcing, and Murry’s preference to sell to end collectors rather than flippers. Dr. Beckett also reflects on selling his company years ago, scaling back travel, health lessons, and how the hobby and the National foster friendships and therapeutic enjoyment. 00:41 Regrets and Early Nationals 01:32 Finding a Dealer Niche 03:13 eBay and Pricing Without Comps 06:50 Non Sports Wax Box Lessons 08:46 No Flipping Long Term Mindset 09:56 Want Lists and Scarcity Signals 11:12 John Rumirez and Master Sets 13:45 Life After Selling the Company 14:52 Health Perspective and Daily eBay 16:47 Independence and Hobby Therapy 17:48 National Show Community Wrap Up
Key Insights
- Murray argues that pricing cards based on what the dealer believes they should sell for, rather than what comparable cards sold for previously, is a superior approach because the previous sale may have been at an artificially low or high price unique to that transaction.
- Both speakers claim that over-reliance on comparable sales data is a flaw in modern dealing, as it fails to account for scarcity, player significance, and set context that should inform pricing decisions.
- Murray contends that lowering prices on unsold inventory in the hobby can paradoxically make collectors think something is wrong with the card, rather than attracting buyers, making patience and strategic pricing essential.
- The speakers observe that the legitimacy of a dealer as a serious collector rather than a flipper could be established in the 1970s-80s by presenting detailed want lists, which signaled genuine collecting goals rather than profit-taking motives.
- Both men argue that the modern hobby lacks the diversity and abundance of oddball and non-sports products that existed in the 1980s before licensing restrictions changed, fundamentally limiting the types of collections possible today.
Topics
Transcript
I'm Dr. James Beckett, Sports Card Insights, dueling questions with B.A. Murray, longtime friend and former colleague, and one of the three amigos that have been set up at every national. I've been to every one, but I haven't set up. Wide-ranging conversation. The poor audio is my fault. I should have switched us to phone instead of Zoom. Thanks sponsors, Topps, Panini, Upper Deck, Heritage Auctions, Hugs the Sky Auctions, Mike's Stadium Sports Cards, Burbank Sports Cards, Compsy.com, and Beckett Media, Beckett Grading, Beckett Authentication. So thanks, BA, and thanks, listeners. Here's our conversation. Do you have any regrets? Because I don't think I have very many regrets. I regret I sold anything. I regret I didn't buy everything.…
Full transcript available for MurmurCast members
Sign Up to AccessMore from Dr. James Beckett: Sports Card Insights
1590 - Basketball Card Hall of Fame Ballot 2026
Dr. James Beckett discusses his voting selections for the 2026 Basketball Card Hall of Fame, evaluating both vintage and modern era basketball cards based on player significance, card rarity, and hobby demand. He explains his choices across four vintage picks (Pistol Pete Maravich, Jerry West, Oscar Robertson, and Wilt Chamberlain test card) and four modern picks (Shaquille O'Neal Stadium Club, Michael Jordan PMG Red/Green, Michael Jordan Game Jersey, and Kobe Bryant with LeBron James guarding him).
1589 - Are We Creating Collectors ... or Players?
Dr. James Beckett distinguishes between 'collectors' and 'players' in the sports card hobby, arguing that not all sports fans will become collectors but rather enjoy the action of buying, selling, and trading. He contends that a healthy industry requires both groups, as collectors provide end-users for cards while players drive financial activity and market liquidity.
1588 - Small Reveals
Dr. James Beckett discusses small card reveals from Upper Deck products (Premier and Clearcut boxes) and reflects on why he prefers the Premier's multi-card pack structure over single-card reveals. He explores the broader appeal of reveals in hobby culture, break mechanics, and his preference for tangible collectibles like dollar box purchases over high-risk gambling-style breaks.
1586 - The LCS Spectrum
Dr. James Beckett proposes an "LCS Spectrum" framework to categorize local card shops along a spectrum from old-school to modern high-end operations, arguing that card companies should use objective criteria like business sustainability, market position, inventory, and community impact to determine direct account eligibility rather than applying one-size-fits-all standards.
1585 - Grading Company Dilemmas
Dr. James Beckett discusses the current challenges facing major grading companies (PSA, BGS, SGC) including capacity constraints, pricing strategies, and the critical bottleneck of skilled grading labor. He explains that trained grader expertise—not physical resources—is the scarce resource limiting production, and defends premium pricing as justified by market demand and brand equity.