Trading Card Glossary › Market & Trading
Book Value
Also known as: BV, Beckett value
Book Value (BV) refers to the price published in Beckett's official price guide for a given card. For decades, Beckett's price guide was the primary reference for card values. Today, actual market prices (determined by recent sales) often diverge significantly from book value, especially for modern cards and hot prospects. Book value is generally considered a soft guideline rather than a strict market price. When someone says a card "books for $200," it means Beckett has listed it at $200 — but it may sell for more or less.
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