lou_fine

Ask and ye shall eventually receive, as evident by the label on this copy that was graded in 2020 and auctioned off in January of 2021:

Actually, I may have been a bit too hasty with my initial assessment here as I was taking a closer look at the Heritage offerings last night and noticed that although not HG, they do have a CGC 3.0 graded copy of Wonderworld 7 which should certainly draw some attention here: https://comics.ha.com/itm/golden-age-1938-1955-/superhero/wonderworld-comics-7-fox-1939-cgc-gd-vg-30-off-white-to-white-pages/a/7339-94211.s?ic16=ViewItem-BrowseTabs-Auction-Open-ThisAuction-120115 Even in this lower graded condition and with 20 higher graded copies out there, it was still able to fetch $10.2K back in the pandemic bubble time of April 2021 after a CGC 3.5 graded copy had sold for $9K a few months prior to that in January of 2021. Makes me wonder if this copy here will still be able to hit 5-figures now that we are in the post pandemic lockdown time period. In terms of early Fox books and the current rabid drive for classic cover books, common sense would seem to dictate that this lower grade copy of WW 7 should still be able to top out this higher graded copy of Fantastic 2 coming up later this week: https://www.comicconnect.com/item/971894 Then again, it's probably hard to say since there's only two higher graded copies of Fantastic 2 out there, with the single highest being the CGC 9.0 graded Jon Berk Church copy auctioned off by CC back in 2017. Unlike some of the Promise retreads, I highly doubt this Church copy will be coming back to market anytime soon, and the highest that Heritage has ever had topped out at a grade of only CGC 4.5 and that was all the way back in 2006. Looks like both copies of these two early Fox books are currently sitting at hammer bids in the $2K bidding range which is certainly not where they are going to finish up at when the fat lady gets up to sing. It will be interesting to see which one of these early Fox books comes out on top, but I suspect with the WW 7 being the classic cover book and having a track record of onging sales, it should be able to nudge out the Fantastic 2 which doesn't have the same track record of sales due to its relative rarity in this kind of grade.

You definitely can't go wrong with an Allentown copy of an book, especially since there's so very few of them in existence with a total of only 135 in the entire pedigree. Based upon the serial number, it looks like this copy here is a straight reholder since I remember this book when it was still in its original slab and sold for a whopping $5,750 or close to 7X top of guide in the big Greg Manning Auction back in 2000. At a time when huge multiples like that was certainly not as common as it is nowadays.

Yeah who knows. I’ve seen Lou Fine on the CGC label, George Tuska, and also no cover artist listed. Yeah, similar to the Mystery Men 6 cover, as both of these covers were initially attributed to Fine by Overstreet for the longest while before he changed the credits to George Tuska in his guide. Heck, maybe if we wait long enough, we'll probably find out that all of those calssic early Fox covers was not done by Fine, but actually all of them were done by Tuska.

Never realize that the Weird Comics 1 cover was also by George Tuska, but then I guess I am not the only as evident by the CGC label.

Is it just me or does anybody else here feel that this must be absolutely THE BEST George Tuska cover artwork he's ever done: https://www.comicconnect.com/item/978351 Especially since I still remember the artwork credits for this cover being attributed to Fine in the Overstreet guide back in the day for the longest while. Then again, maybe it's just me since I do have an affinity for the color green when it comes to cover colors. Will be interesting to see where this copy finishes up at since there seems to be a definite lack of quality early Fox books in both the upcoming CC and Heritage auctions on this go round here.

Maybe I shouldn't say this but to me the CC auctions don't start until the 3 minute timer begins, prior to that they're just previews. I believe you would probably be correct with your assessment here, as the high bids which I have on most of the books here are not only still holding for now, but have not seen any additional bidding action for the past two weeks. Actually, with the CC auctions in the past, I tend to find that for most of the lots, the real bidders don't come in and sniff around until the final morning of when the lots are actually closing.

Just took a quick look at their top books to date and was rather surprised to see this one right up there with a bid of $46K already: https://www.comicconnect.com/item/986599 I guess I really shouldn't be since classic PCH covers are absolutely red hot right now and it certainly doesn't hurt to have this book sharing the cover spotlight on their auction catalog pamphlet. Just checked their archives and it looks like this is the exact same copy that CC had sold for $52.5K back in March of 2021, so I guess we'll see if the consignor ends up sailing away on their yacht or under water by the time it's all said and done next Friday night.

No would be the conserved blue/grey label. Makes absolutely zero sense that a clear and visible makeover on every single page would be conisdered as Conserved while a barely visible tiny color touch on just the cover would be considered as full on Restoration with the much dread PLOD label.

I am just absolutely and totally shocked that I actually received my copy of the pamphlet promoting and highlighting some of the featured lots from this Event Auction #53 in the mail earlier this week even BEFORE the auction ends next week. Especially since I normally receive this phamphlet in the mail from Malmo, Sweden about 2 or 3 weeks AFTER the auction has already ended.

That's IT exactly and you certainly state it in a much more clear and concise way than me.

Well, probably really more a case of to each their own, but like I had stated right off the bat, it's just my personal feeling which means that it's certainly opened up to dispute from others. I just personally tend to believe the majority of old school longer term collectors are probably more risk adverse as compared to the newer CGC generation of collectors who probably don't mind taking a bit bit of risk and might actually find some fun in doing it, while some others would avoid it by choosing not to particpate at all. Sure, I know that from a rational POV, bidders are simply supposed to put in their maximum amount that they are willing to spend on a particular book. But my sense of human nature tells me although they might not mind to spend another $50K or $100K on a particular book, they don't want to "voluntarily" throw that number out their on their own, unless they are actually forced to and that's where step by step incremental bidding comes in. Then again, like you said, it might just be a hair-brained assumption on my part here.

Not much since I am losing more and more of my hair and apparently my sense as I am getting up there in age. Then again, I do see you as the exception to the general rule in terms of a long time collector still more than willing to spend big monies on top end books in this current hot GA marketplace, as clearly evident by many of the books which you have won and posted to share with us here.

Probably right,but from some of the posts here it almost sounded as though there was more than usual of the old school long established key DC and Timely books (excluding the Promise books that is) possibly from long held collections making their way into this auction here. Then again, just did a quick check and don't see any of the early Amazing Mystery Funnies with the beautiful covers or any HG early Fox books, so nothing much to see here.

After seeing this spreadsheet of yours being posted on a public website, all I can say is that you better close and lock all your doors and windows as you should be expecting to be served with a subpoena from Josh's legal team at any moment.

Almost makes you wonder if this is a frantic mad rush for the exit doors after seeing what's been taking place in the more recent SA to CA marketplaces.

Don't you realize these are the CGC boards here, and as a matter of courtesy, you should always say to buy the label, NOT the book. Now, if these were the CL or CC boards here, if they even had any, you should then be saying............buy the sticker, NOT the label. Seriusly though, based upon the serial number, this book was graded back in 2012 which is nortoriously known to be a soft grading time period.

Well, just one more bid will take it over the over the $250K price point and 5 more bids will take it over the $300K milestone threshold level. My personal feeling is that if the CL auction model was using either the CC or HA step by step incremental auction format, they most likely would have gotten those extra one or two additional bids thrown in there. I believe the customer base for these real high dollar value books like Cap 1 and the likes are more old school and conservative in their way of thinking and are adverse to throwing in what would amount to a "blind Hail Mary" type of bid at the last possible second to try and snipe a win on this kind of book. They would probably much prefer to make a "fully informed bidding decision" whereby they know exactly what the top bid is and exactly what they have to bid to beat it, as opposed to trying to guess if they should throw in a bid of say $251K or $301K at the last possible micro-second to try to snipe the book for their win. Now, the younger generation with their more speculative and crypto like mentality don't mind playing these Hail Mary type games and probably actually find it fun to toss in much higher blind bids on readily available hot books like Spidey 300, Batman Adventures 12, and the likes on their go to CL auction platform. When it comes to a a Cap 1, now that's a completely different story and the type of book that most of them probably could not even dream on owning in the current stage of their life and career.

Having absolutely zero knowledge about photo technology myself, I imagine you Photoshop experts can tell us which ones of these scans is more realistic? According to quite a few boardies here, this so-called totally enhanced and amped up scan of the 7.0 Cap 1 from CC: Or this exact same copy as scanned by Heritage with the virtually unreadable CGC logo when it was sold for $228K back in May of 2019: https://comics.ha.com/itm/golden-age-1938-1955-/captain-america-comics-1-timely-1941-cgc-fn-vf-70-cream-to-off-white-pages/a/7209-91066.s?ic4=ListView-ShortDescription-071515#

Uummmm..............did you forget to set your filter to include MA books so that you could catch the priceless variant editions of Ultimate Fallout 4 and the Dell 'Otto Spidey 667?

All I'll say is that if I was placing a bet here, I would be much more willing to bet that this Promise copy of Mask 1 would be able to beat its original $102K selling price, as opposed to the Promise copy of 'Tec 140 being able to beat it's original $456K price point from its first go round.

Yeah, that original old label sweetness and goodness!!!

And with only 22 of the Promise Collection retreads coming back into the marketplace which is down from the 90 odd copies they had earlier. Not sure what happened to the other copies, but you Sir, can certainly still bid on the following Promise copy here: https://comics.ha.com/itm/golden-age-1938-1955-/detective-comics-140-the-promise-collection-pedigree-dc-1948-cgc-nm-96-white-pages/a/7339-91032.s?ic4=ListView-ShortDescription-071515

Well, then how about that "nice looking" non-CVA and non-QES Heritage copy above hat sold at a substantially higher price point of $312K?

Well, apparently not just ComicLink as bidders can still find bargains within Hertiage's own website itself: https://comics.ha.com/itm/golden-age-1938-1955-/detective-comics-82-dc-1943-cgc-vg-40-cream-to-off-white-pages/a/122305-19343.s?ic4=ListView-ShortDescription-071515 Looks like this 35th highest graded copy of 'Tec 82 for a "whopping" $840 on January 29 of this year, while this 17th highest graded copy below sold for the exact same but "not quite so whopping" $840 this past Sunday or a mere 5 short weeks later. I guess it must have been all of the FOMO driven mania brought about by the Super Bowl football fans: https://comics.ha.com/itm/golden-age-1938-1955-/detective-comics-82-dc-1943-cgc-fn-65-cream-to-off-white-pages/a/122310-11285.s?ic4=ListView-ShortDescription-071515 Or is it possible that as @Professor K had alluded to above, potential bidders are possibly aware of other copies coming up and might have refrained from bidding on the 17th highest graded copy when they can pursue one of the real highest graded copies out there such as the one below. Especially with both the Heritage and CC archives indicating only one higher graded copy ever selling on their platforms, with that one being the highest graded CGC 9.2 Alfred Pennyworth Rockford copy back in 2020. https://www.comicconnect.com/item/971895 Looks like only a week to go and we'll find out if the price of this copy gets to only $840 or below, then it really was all abut the FOMO driven rabid Super Bowl football fans driving the price. And if it gets to say $1,785 or above (i.e. dumb simple arithmetic at 8.5/4.0 * $840 ) then maybe potential bidders do pay attention and are indeed aware of other copies available in the marketplace.