Does anyone remember Hot Shots?

I ordered eight more graded books to my collection. Seven out of those eight are copies of the New Mutants. The eight one is X-men 160. All of them are a 9.8 and as of this writing one of the seven is the only one in that grade. When I first began collecting these issues I started with number one. The seller was willing to give me a 45 dollar price. He originally asked for 60. He dropped the price as part of a lot deal. All the other comics were readable copies of Daredevil. I promised myself that I would not spend any more than 45 dollars an issue. My reasoning is that none of the others should be worth more than the number one.

This theory was smashed when I purchased #87, and has since been crushed even further with number 47. I then thought it out that some that I bought on E-bay has been under that 45 amount. I decided then that 45 dollars would be my average for the New Mutants that I still wish to collect. Out of the eight books I purchased the tally on three of them is $215. If I add the X-men 160 it brings my tally up to $260. For four comic books that is a lot. That is an average of 65 dollars a book, twenty over my limit. I looked over the website for a few other books that they have had for some time and offered them a price. Mind you, I have ordered from them before?.a few times.

The other books were between 55 and 60 a piece. I sent an e-mail asking for a total price of 400.00. This would bring those additional books to 35 a piece, ten dollars less than what I like to spend. If accepted this would bring my average per a book to fifty dollars. I sent the e-mail off waiting for a response, a positive response. He accepted. All I had to do was add another fifteen dollars for shipping and they were mine.

As of this writing I am waiting for them to ship (they shipped the 25-Feb). As you?re reading this I will probably have them listed. I tend to wait till one of my journals is knocked off before I write another one. This being the case with this one?.I digress?.again

It seems I am starting to realize (against my wallets protests) that if I want something bad enough I?m going to have to spend a premium price. As for the new Mutants issues I realize that on some of them I will spend a greater amount then 45 dollars apiece. I also know that not everyone wants every issue. (Only one other person to my knowledge wants them all, and he?s going to do it too). On those issues that are hanging around I hope to offer a bulk price so maybe then I will bring my average down. I purchase a few on e-bay of less than thirty dollars, so it helps.

What happens though when I find one of these issues graded in a 9.9 or a 10.0? Recently Bagofleas confided in me on the amount he spent on New Mutants #1 in Gem Mint 10.0 and to be honest I probably would have spent the same. I would just hide that amount from my father. Of course once I am done collecting the new Mutants or when they become harder to find I will start on my Daredevil collection. The premium on this run will be even higher especially when I get to the older numbers.

Other than e-bay I look on Heritage Auctions and they include a buyer?s premium on top of shipping and the winning bid. I used to justify buying a back issued because I really wanted it, but how do I justify a book I already have at such a premium. (I?ve already tried I really really want it.)

So far I have not had any buyer?s remorse on any of the books I have purchased that were graded by CGC. I also have not been upset about any of the books I have gotten graded. (Although I do feel that some of the grades received are slightly off). I still think my ASM 129 should be a 9.4 not a 9.2. Would I be willing to resend it in and argue my belief? Either way I know the longer I collect CGC books the more I know I will go over my original average buying premium.

Thanks for Reading

Tnerb