The Ultimate Question???

I stood at a newsstand rack (and are they even called that anymore) in Venter City Philadelphia biding my time until my LCS opened at ten. On Rittenhouse Square, the Barnes and Noble was open, warm, and had a coffee shop. As I waited (with coffee in hand) I looked over magazines and comic books. I picked up three; ?Wizard? was one of them. As I made my way through articles, interviews, and ads I reached the price guide. I saw one book at one price and I put the magazine away. It was ludicrous.

The book they mentioned was grade by CGC and part of the Signature Series (although the picture they showed was a universal 9.8). They said it sold for $6,601.00. Currently there are 41 Signature Series in a 9.9 on the census. The thing is with the Signature Series there is no documentation on who signed it, but it would be a safe assumption that at least 25 of these were signed by Rob Liefeld, which Wizard also stated was the signature on this $6,601.00 comic book.

How would you feel if someone told you that you had a comic book worth that much? I know I would be overjoyed if I had a 9.8 New Mutants #98 Signature Series, and if I didn?t I might try to buy one before the market place reflected the guide price. I would probably think I was getting a bargain at $300.00.

Now, how would you feel if I told you ?Wizard? was wrong? It wasn?t a 9.8 Signature Series that sold, it was a 9.9. There are only three of these on the census and only one of those 3 is signed by Rob Liefeld. Of course if this mistake remains uncorrected it could create a desire to won this book in a 9.8 Signature Series and inflate the book greater than it?s worth.

I understand a reputable (snicker) magazine printed he price but I would figure an Editor would tell whoever wrote that a 9.8 Rob Liefeld Signature Series sole for $6,601.00 (I know I mention the price a lot, I still find it astounding) should double check. How do I know about this? The simple reason is I wanted this book. I created a budget which allowed me to bid up to a $10000. Unfortunately, that was the exact amount of the opening bid.

If the ?Wizard? price guide could make a mistake on this book, how many others do they make errors on? What guide is better? What guide is garbage? Are on-line guides better than paper guides? Is an Annual guide good enough? And then there is the one thing we tend to forget?.these are price ?guides? not price fact. The bottom line is a book is only worth what you are willing to pay for it.

Thanks for reading

Tnerb