AKA... Two of a Perfect Pair!

AKA... Sometimes Losing at Auction is Actually Winning!I am not sure what possessed me to do it! Is it mental illness or some kind of addiction? Or is it some kind of mania which has befallen me? I didn't need to make these purchases... they were not must haves or buys. In fact, I already own them... so these are dupes. So why did I buy them? Do I need to enroll in CGC Anonymous? Is someone out there planning an intervention? Do I need therapy? no!Earlier this month, I was bidding for a CGC 9.8 of Swamp Thing Volume 1, Number 1 on ComicConnect. I patiently waited nearly till the bitter end of the auction when I placed a maximum bid of $1,600 thinking I would walk away with this beauty. This is a holy grail for me. I love Swamp Thing!.. And there are only 11 graded at 9.8 out of 872 in total. But, believe it or not, I was outbid... the winning bidder paid a whopping $2,600 for it! Can you believe? Somewhat shell-shocked, I mindlessly searched and trolled my favorite auctions sites looking for another chance at a 9.8. Sadly, it never materialized. I gave up and told myself "get over it".However, some weeks later, several 9.6's seemed to pop up out of the woodworks, and at prices which I considered FMV's (Fair Market Value) or near bargains. Feeling the need to preserve cash for the holidays, and knowing the ominous "Fiscal Cliff" looming as a "harbinger of financial doom", I told myself, " If you commit to a purchase, fight tooth and nail to get the best damn value you could possibly get!" And viola! Believe it or not, I did! That majestic piece of comic heaven which stands before you, came into my world, at the negotiated price of $450 including shipping costs. Not bad huh?Currently, the Overstreet Price Guide values a Swamp Thing Volume 1, Number 1, at $350... and that's for a 9.2 raw and ungraded. It goes without saying a CGC 9.6 should fetch multiple values! In fact, back in August 2012, a 9.6 sold for $750 on Comiclink.Yes, it may not be the 9.8 I truly wanted, but at one grade below and at $1,150 less than what the 9.8 went for... I feel like I somehow won!On top of that, on or about the same day of my purchase of ST#1, a Demon Volume 1, Number 7, in 9.8 gets my attention on eBay. There are only a total of 26 graded in the entire CGC Census, of which 8 are in 9.8. So I picked it up for $150... a bit over fair market value... but the Mickey the Pikey voice in me from Guy Ritchie's Snatch say's... "It's a fair deal! Take it! Have I made myself clear?" So I did. Check out the pair, see pic below. By the way, if you never seen Snatch, take a look at this short segment... Brad Pitt and company are f*cking brilliant: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZ-nirYb00s. The movie's gold!Happy Collecting!SW3DTo see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.