The hobbyDB Estimated Value (or EV) is a calculated value estimation of a Database Item in mint or near-mint condition including its packaging and all spare parts. We display it on the Database Item search, the Database Item pages, Subject pages, and members' Showcases (where the member can optionally opt to not show them). The estimated value is in U.S. Dollars.
We are using a proprietary algorithm that runs every hour if a Price Point has been added since the last calculation.
The algorithm takes into account all Price Points that are in our system for the item. Price Points are manually added and curated by our Volunteer Squad to ensure they represent legitimate sales. Most come from eBay but we can also add sales from other sources, such as auction houses and certain other online marketplaces. Sales made in the hobbyDB marketplace are automatically recorded as Price Points and used in the EV calculation as long as the item was packaged (if relevant) and in mint or near-mint condition when sold.
Recent sales have a higher weight in the calculation of the Estimated Value. The time of the last calculation can be seen by hovering your cursor over or tapping the clock icon next to the Estimated Value. If an EV hasn't been calculated recently it could mean that there have been no recent sales that qualify for our Price Guide, or that a Volunteer Squad member hasn't updated the Price Points recently. Learn more here.