Slightly Overpriced

I'll admit that I don't often find myself looking through Facebook's online "Marketplace" feature often. If you're unaware, it's a buy-and-sell site where people can sell things they make or unload items they no longer want or need. It's basically Facebook's version of Kijiji in that one can barter for these items with the seller until both parties are happy. Needless to say, there's a lot of stuff that may simply never be bought on there based on condition or price, and today's article falls into that category. The image you see to the left - a Pat Verbeek Pro Set hockey card - is the item in question, and I found it weird that one singular card would be for sale. That required a closer look, and it turns out I had a good chuckle over this posting.

Born in Sarnia, Ontario, Pat Verbeek had an excellent NHL career that saw him log 1424 games in the world's top league. He scored 522 goals and 541 assists in a career that included stops in New Jersey, Hartford, New York, Dallas, and Detroit, and it was in Dallas in 1999 where Verbeek was able to lift the Stanley Cup over his head as a champion. Since his retirement, Verbeek has worked in a few front office roles, but is now the general manager of the Anaheim Ducks. Needless to say, Verbeek has accomplished a lot in his time thus far.

Seeing the card on Facebook Marketplace had me wondering what this ad was going to reveal. Here's the moment where I had my first chuckle as I'm not sure how this individual card, let alone the entire set of cards, is worth $750 CDN. Pat Verbeek was a good player as I indicated above, but there isn't one card in the 1991 Pro Set hockey card lineup that is worth $750, let alone this Pat Verbeek card. Maybe it's autopgraphed by the NHL star? Further investigation was needed in order to determine the insane valuation given to this hockey card.

Clicking the post for the card led me to another chuckle because not only was there very little information given about the card, it would seem the valuation was based entirely on this seller's feelings about Verbeek. It's not autographed, it's isn't some specialty card, it has not been shown to be a rare card with an error on it - Pat Verbeek is just this seller's "boy" and he's "worth it". Again, I chuckled.

Escaping this moment of insanity, the actual value of that card based on a number of websites I've visited is between ten cents and fifty cents, so the markup on this buying opportunity may be a little high. Pat Verbeek's career in 1991 had him playing in his ninth NHL season, so one can't even hope to sell this card on the idea that it's a rookie card or some sort of accomplishment or accolade card. This is just a regular hockey card that someone wants to sell with a price that the seller is hoping someone will pay.

Dishonest? Maybe, but the rules of online marketplaces stand true: caveat emptor. After all, it seems that the price for one's man "Patty Verbeek" card is the next Wayne Gretzky rookie card!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!