lou_fine

You missed the important qualifier which is that the last copy that sold for $12K was from the personal estate of Frank Frazetta: https://comics.ha.com/itm/golden-age-1938-1955-/famous-funnies-213-eastern-color-1954-cgc-fn-60-cream-to-off-white-pages/a/122230-17289.s?ic4=ListView-ShortDescription-071515# So, for an ordinary no-name equivalent 6.0 graded copy to sell for $9,900 might just not be the big negative that you think it is.

That's only because it looks like this resale did not take place on Heritage, but rather on CL which you are not cataloging for yet.

The only problem here is that for most of the Billy books, it took 7 long years and then a pandemic resulting in everybody being locked inside their homes in order to do it. So, what will be the catalyst going forward that will rescue some of these Promise books from their sea of red doo doo where they currently seem to be mired deep in?

Are you suggesting that based upon @MasterChief's chart and if this same trend continues to hold going forward short term, we should probably change the title of this thread here by simply replacing one word in the title "Post Your Promise Collection Wins"? And I guess you don't need to be a brain surgeon to figure out which one word this would be?

Hey Mitch; Fantastic work as always which should not come as a surprise given your penchant for detailed and thorough analysis. Noticed that your chart here has only the one single column for the CGC grade. Are we supposed to really believe that there was not one successful upgrade or even an attempt at an upgrade with any of these books here, when the marketplace since CGC came on board has seemingly been mostly about the CPR game? If this is actually the case here, it almost makes me wonder if both Heritage and CGC was playing a different game here or had a different set of rules in place when it came to the Promise Collection books.

Yes, compared to some of the other Promise Collection resales, this Punch Comics 17 got off rather softly with less than a 10% hit. I guess the lesson here is that if you grossly overpay for a book which some winners have obviously done with some of these Promise Collection books, expect to lose big money on the book if you try to flip them back out almost immediately. Interesting to note that when I took a look at this copy of Punch 17 in the Heritage archives, I happened to notice the Church copy of this same book being sold and then resold a few more times after the initial sale. Looks like it was first sold as a raw VF/NM copy for $657.25 back in 2008, then as a CGC 8.5 graded copy for only $537.75 in 2008, successfully CPR to a CGC 9.0 graded copy and resold back to its original price of $657.25 in 2011, and then only to be unsuccessfully CPR one more time back to its original CGC 8.5 grade, but successfully resold for $1,020 in 2018. Looks like the biggest winner in the CPR game with this particular Church copy of Punch 17 were Heritage and CGC.

No idea. Heritage definitely expected it to do better. It was a Featured book. Either that or they clearly knew the winner had grossly overpaid for the book in the first go round and was simply trying to bail the poor guy out. More likely though if they knew the first result was a definite outlier, probably trying not to tarnish their brand by having the book do what it ended up doing anyways in this second go round.

Now, that's the right attitude to take when it comes to books that you really want for your personal collection, as it's not always about the money sometimes. Especially when it comes to some of these more obscure books from the Promise Collection which just don't tend to show up in the marketplace very often, and certainly not with the eye popping colors that most of the books from this collection exhibits.

For some of the boardies here who had the illusion that TMNT 1 was going to hit 7-figures one day when CC had those near quarter million dollars sales last year, it's starting to look more like the far fetch dream that it was. Especially when compared to the current reality where it has a better shot at falling back down under 6-figures if the current downward trend for this year continues, as evident by this result in yesterday's Heritage Auction: https://comics.ha.com/itm/modern-age-1980-present-/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-1-mirage-studios-1984-cgc-nm-mt-98-white-pages/a/7283-91062.s?ic4=ListView-ShortDescription-071515 Sold for only $156K which is a near $100K drop from last year, but then again for the longer term collectors, still a super strong price when compared to the $35K to $60K price range where it was selling for a short 2 or 3 years ago.

It'll be down to $50k soon Well, if you are thinking about Hulk 181, then how about the continuing downward trend for CGC 9.8 graded copies of TMNT 1: https://comics.ha.com/itm/modern-age-1980-present-/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-1-mirage-studios-1984-cgc-nm-mt-98-white-pages/a/7283-91062.s?ic4=ListView-ShortDescription-071515 With this copy being able to fetch only $156K and getting closer to @Gotham Kid's purchase target purchase price point of cover price. Seriously though, still a very strong price as compared to the mid to upper $30K's from a few years ago that any long term collector should be happy with even though it's a rather sizable drop from the quarter million mark that CC was able to get last year and the near $200K price points that Heritage was able to get earlier this year.

Hey, I guess it's true like the old saying goes.................absence makes the heart grow fonder and I am happy to hear that my absence is grabbing at your heartstrings, although I am sure that others here are jumping for joy. Actually, it's kind of sad how many boardies don't post here anymore because I still remember the good old days not too long ago when these auctions would generate a ton of posts in an almost play by play action like atmosphere. Now, pretty much nada and just a few boardies commenting on the results rather sporadically at best. As for the mid-grade Punch 12 selling for $90K, that's definitely an absolutely stunner of a price and further confirmation of how strong the marketplace still is for these classic cover books. Also a sign of how collectors tastes and opinions change over time, as I still remember being the only one to list Punch 12 or 'Tec 31 as part of my Top 5 covers for the survey that CBM (i.e. Comic Book Marketplace mag) ran back in the mid-90's. And yet now, they are pretty much at the top of most collectors list according to the survey that was run by Heritage (or was it their Intelligent Collector magazine) a few years ago. Speaking of 'Tec 31 with the all-time classic Batman cover, also a rather stunning result here with this CGC 1.5 graded copy selling for $66K: https://comics.ha.com/itm/golden-age-1938-1955-/detective-comics-31-dc-1939-cgc-fr-gd-15-off-white-to-white-pages/a/7283-93038.s?ic4=ListView-ShortDescription-071515 Definitely a very strong price at pretty much double what an equivalent CGC 1.5 graded copy had sold for back in March of 2020. Heck, I thought these were stunning prices when CC were able to fetched into the mid-$20K's for their beater entry level 1.0 graded copies before they then managed to moved them up into the mid-$40K's price point when the whole pre-Robin 'Tec craze started about 5 years ago. Not being the type or collector that chases after or having the wallet to be a single highest copy type of collector which some are here, it's certainly nice to see when it's really more about the underlying book itself, as opposed to just being the graded label in the top left hand corner of the slab. With both of these books being perfect examples, especially this CGC 1.5 'Tec 31 being able to command such a high price given that there are supposedly 39 higher graded copies on top of this one. How was this @szav, did I get close to your 1,000 words with this post here?

With the qualifying statement that I am not a PCH collector myself, and even if I were, I still find it rather astounding how much this book is able to command in the marketplace over the past few years, especially considering that it was part of a large warehouse find back in the day. Then again, I imagine this $72K auction result is a confirmation of the continuing upward trend for this book with a CGC 9.2 graded copy selling for $50,400 back in January of this year, which was then followed by a CGC 8.5 graded copy selling for $52,800 a couple of months ago in September of 2022. All IO can say is that this is certainly a big change from not too long along and I am certainly hoping that it was a boardie here who was astute and lucky enough to nab this lot of 18 multiple file copies of this book (albeit all in lower grade due to water stains) for the then princely sum of a whopping $418.25: https://comics.ha.com/itm/golden-age-1938-1955-/chamber-of-chills-19-multiple-file-copy-group-harvey-1953-condition-average-gd-vg-total-18-comic-books-/a/19062-12153.s?ic4=ListView-ShortDescription-071515

Speaking about $90K, absolutely shocked that @tth2's former copy of FC 178 with the first appearance of Uncle Scrooge was able to resell for $90K again, when I thought it would get nowhere close to this mark on the second go round here. I guess this definitely shows you what I know (i.e. absolutely nothing at all) about the uber high end part of the GA marketplace.

same can't be said for Hulk 181 9.8 that again closed at 90K Not the highest graded copy, but I guess the same also can't be said for this Bethlehem pedigree copy of Spidey 1 which sold for only $120K: https://comics.ha.com/itm/silver-age-1956-1969-/superhero/the-amazing-spider-man-1-bethlehem-pedigree-marvel-1963-cgc-vf-nm-90-off-white-to-white-pages/a/7283-91037.s?ic16=ViewItem-BrowseTabs-Auction-Open-ThisAuction-120115 Especially when compared to a non-pedigree copy in equivalent CGC 9.0 graded condition which CC was able to auctioned off for over $196K in their September Event Auction a couple of months ago back in September.

Definitely don't own them all and most definitely not all at cover price, as I started far too late (i.e. towards the latter part of the 70's). As a result, only own some of them, with the early and mid-70's issues in HG condition brought at multiples to cover price. I guess I would pretty much say that I am kind of caught between a pillow and a soft place when it comes to these kinds of books.

You would be incorrect here as I actually DO like these so-called "hot" books in and of themselves. What I don't really care much for is the overblown speculative hype that takes place and the rather crazy unsustainable prices that results from this whenever there is even a whisper or tiny hint of some movie/TV or other media related story that surfaces about a character appearance. The only saving grace is that I already have most of these so-called "hot" books to start with, so don't personally mind going along for the ride since I got in at the start or bottom of the ride. Just not so sure if it's financially safe for new buyers to be jumping on board this roller coaster ride when it already left the starting platform a long time ago or possibly at the top of ride right now.

They aren’t exactly easy even in lower grade. I guess the CGCdata.com website would confirm this as this particular copy of Master Comics 27 was graded back on September 14th, with the previous half decent copy (i.e. CGC 4.0 or higher) being graded back in 2015. I guess it's always a case of to each their own, but I would much prefer spending my money on a truly HTF book that gets added to the census only once in the past 7 years. Especially when compared to some of the much more recent so-called hot books selling for big money that are readily available in every single auction with new copies being added into the CGC population census on a daily basis, if not on an almost every other working hourly basis.

They aren’t exactly easy even in lower grade. Collecting Marvels is mostly about being willing to spend the money. Collecting Raboys is mainly about being able to find the books at all. With the internet and public comic book auctions nowadays, it's definitely much more about money and your willingness to spend it. In the old days, it was really a lot more to having the right connections and being on good enough terms with the dealers/sellers that they might contact you when they acquire a book or lucky enough if you just happened to call them before they list it for sale.

Not my pickup as I would never ever be that lucky, but just something that I remember from another boardie who had posted this info here. Then again, you make your own luck and as such, these 18 COC 19's would never have been mine since I never buy more than 2 of any book, and even then, only if it was a first issue off the shelf of the LCS.

The cover would have looked much better if they had done away with all of those exploding promo word balloons detracting from the cover image. It would not surprise me at all since this particular L.B. Cole cover is definitely still on the rise and with only 5 other copies graded higher, you just never know., but will certainly be interesting to watch.

Definitely a good pickup if you managed to get the lot at a reasonable price, but still nowhere close to the steal of a deal that this buyer was able to get when he acquired 18 copies of this book here: https://comics.ha.com/itm/golden-age-1938-1955-/chamber-of-chills-19-multiple-file-copy-group-harvey-1953-condition-average-gd-vg-total-18-comic-books-/a/19062-12153.s?ic4=ListView-ShortDescription-071515 Especially since they managed to pick up up the lot for only a measly $418.25 back in 2009 and now even beater copies of this book is selling for thousands of dollars.

Any bets that we are going to see a similar heck of a price, if not more, when the final hammer comes down on this book next Thursday: https://comics.ha.com/itm/golden-age-1938-1955-/adventure/blue-bolt-105-star-publications-1950-cgc-vf-75-off-white-to-white-pages/a/7283-93014.s?type=bidnotice-outbid Especially since some darned fool keeps raising the bid price on me (3 times already) after I get the high bid in there.

Double wow, heck of a book!!!

Yes, based upon what I've been seeing in some of these recent auctions, it's quite clear to me that we have a rather bifurcated marketplace right now. Especially in relationship to the Overstreet Price Guide, where the so-called relatively common speculative hot BA and CA books reminds me of past decades where I used to dreamed that I might one day be able to sell my books at Overstreet guide valuations. And yet now on the other hand, I guess I still have to dream that I can buy GA books at Overstreet guide valuations (I so wish). Perfect case in point would be this copy of the HTF Master Comics 27 with the classic Raboy "V For Victory" cover: https://comics.ha.com/itm/golden-age-1938-1955-/master-comics-27-fawcett-publications-1942-cgc-vf-80-off-white-to-white-pages/a/40212-82093.s?ic4=ListView-ShortDescription-071515 Sold for a rather stunning $15,600 or 12.5X condition guide value in yesterday's Harlan Ellison Auction when we now frequently see some once red hot movie/TV hype related BA and CA books able to sell only at huge discounts to condition guide value given the huge increases that Overstreet gave to some of these books the past couple of years.

It figures that the only book that really wanted in yesterday's Harlan Ellison Auction would be the one that ends up being top single book lot and almost double the value of the next lot in the auction, and needless to say, way past my top bid: https://comics.ha.com/itm/golden-age-1938-1955-/master-comics-27-fawcett-publications-1942-cgc-vf-80-off-white-to-white-pages/a/40212-82093.s?ic4=ListView-ShortDescription-071515 Sold for what must be a record setting $15,600 given the CGC condition grade level for the Raboy "V for Victory" classic cover book that simply doesn't come to market very often, especially in this kind of grade.