  The Becker DeGroot Marshak method is widely used to elicit the valuation that
an individual assigns to an object. Theoretically, the second-price structure
of the method gives individuals the incentive to state their true valuation.
Yet, the elicitation methods empirical accuracy is subject to debate. With this
paper, I provide a clear verification of the qualitative accuracy of the
method. Participants of an incentivized laboratory experiment can sell a
virtual object. The value of the object is publicly known and experimentally
varied in a between-subjects design. Replicating previous findings on the low
quantitative accuracy, I observe a very small share of individuals placing a
payoff-optimal stated valuation. However, the analysis shows that the stated
valuation increases with the value of the object. This result shows the
qualitative accuracy of the BDM method and suggests that the method can be
applied in comparative studies.
