kimik

I heard. Congrats, Rick!

And 55 including and above 5.0.........................

I am not at Chicago, but congratulations again on your purchase. (thumbs u

I did not realize how tough this book is in 5.0 or better condition. Here are the current census details (top grade is 9.0 ): Universal Qualified Signature Series Restored Total 9.0 2 0 0 3 5 8.5 2 0 0 3 5 8.0 3 0 0 0 3 7.5 4 1 0 3 8 7.0 9 0 0 3 12 6.5 3 0 0 4 7 6.0 9 0 0 4 13 5.5 14 0 0 0 14 5.0 11 0 0 8 19 4.5 17 0 0 4 21 4.0 29 0 0 4 33 3.5 22 0 0 3 25 3.0 30 1 0 3 34 2.5 8 0 0 4 12 2.0 7 0 0 0 7 1.8 3 0 0 0 3 1.5 1 0 0 1 2 1.0 6 0 0 0 6 0.5 4 0 0 2 6 Total 184 2 0 49 235

Rick and Brian said it was a 4.0 as well with the stain, so it looks like that is right.

I missed out on this book at the SDCC because Bechera (hopefully I spelled that right) was out of his booth with his children shortly after he arrived on Preview Night. The friend that was watching his stuff said he would put it on hold for me, but when I finally caught up with Bechera on Thursday he said he was working on a trade with another dealer.

I think he was calling it a VG, which it might have been. I saw the stain spot and automatically put it to a 3.0 - stains are a big pet peeve of mine on books and I still think that CGC is not hard enough on them even after they tightened things up recently (and on dust shadows as well).

He called it a 3.0, but Rick and I both felt it was more likely a solid 2.5 with 3.0 potential. Harley Yee should also have one that he picked up at the SDCC, unless it already sold. He was asking $1200 if I recall correctly, and it looked like a 3.0 to me based on a quick glance. It might be higher since I downgraded it for a faint stain and it was an otherwise solid copy.

Very nice!

Well, the early report from Chicago is..............I was a fool for passing on Joe Verenault's copy of SC #22 at San Diego.

Did anyone here snag the VG copy that sold on eBay for $799 on Saturday (August 1)? It looks like the BIN was hit within a couple of hours.

They'll definitely be no "playa prices" on those books. Too tough in high grade. Thanks for all of the comments, everyone. The two DDs will be off to Clink tomorrow for the August featured auction.

Here are three that arrived Friday afternoon. Thankfully, I had no takers on the Batman #227 when I posted it for sale here on the boards as a 7.5. And one from a couple of weeks back that came with a severely scuffed slab from CGC (dropped in the shipping department?):

Get in line.

Have you had a chance to double check the book I asked you about yet (or is it still in transit?)?

If you can land that VFish copy for a reasonable price it will more than make up for it. (thumbs u

True enough, but why not profit along the way during the run up. (thumbs u

And they have plenty of room to move up as well.

There is another copy that the seller has listed as a VG+ that is currently at $785. Looking at the amount of tape residue/staining on the back, I think the grade is a bit generous.

Looks like it is gone. How recent was the listing? I can't find it in the completed listings. At that price it was a decent deal if the book is at least a 5.0.

I think anything 4.0 or higher is the grade to focus on. If you look at the dealer websites, there are a lot of books in 3.5 or lower condition, but slim pickings (if there are any at all) in 4.0 or higher. that has been my experience too (thumbs u And, it has been this way for a while now. I have been looking since last summer for a 6.0 - 7.0 copy and have been shut out. Granted, I might have missed a copy or two over that time, but nonetheless there is a lack of 5.5 and better copies on the market.

Welcome to the club! (thumbs u

I think anything 4.0 or higher is the grade to focus on. If you look at the dealer websites, there are a lot of books in 3.5 or lower condition, but slim pickings (if there are any at all) in 4.0 or higher.

I am basing the X-Men #1 and JIM #83 comments on what I have seen for the mid to low grade prices over the past 5 years or so. These are a better reflection of collector interest IMHO since the average collector can still afford them. Not all of us are fortunate enough to play in the high end like some board members. As far as X-Men #1, the first movie came out in 2000 and the second one was on the way (released in 2003). You could still pick up FN copies of X-Men #1 for less than a grand before the 2000 movie was released. And, looking at GPA, 6.0 copies ranged from $1,380 to $1,950 in 2003. The big jump in this grade actually happened last year according to GPA, with the price going from a high of $2,390 in 2007 to $3,761 in 2008. Yes, in high grade JIMs took off due to the perceived scarcity, but I would argue that the prices on JIM #83 in 6.0 or lower did not until after the movie was announced. Looking at GPA, the 2007 average for a 6.0 was $2313, and in 2008 it was $2881. The current 12 month average is $4229, with the most recent price being a copy that sold this month for $5205. Going back further, the highs for 6.0 copies recorded by GPA were: 2003 - $1503 2004 - $2225 2005 - $2005 2006 - $2151 2007 - $3250 2008 - $3300 2009 - $5205 When you look at their average price chart, it shows steady growth until a sharp upturn in mid-2008. Even in 9.0 the slabbed prices for JIM #83 did not take off until 2007 or so. 2009 - $27,800 (1 sale) 2007 - $19,120 high, $15,558 low (3 sales) 2006 - $11,500 high (1 sale) 2003 - $13,000 high (1 sale) 2002 - $13,225 high (1 sale) Looking at these trends, 2005/2006 would have been a good time to buy key SA Marvels if you missed the boat in the mid/late 1990s.

I think that TOS #39 and even the SA X-Men #1 (along with Avengers #1 and JIM #83) are good comparables for Showcase #22. TOS #39 was a 2nd tier Marvel SA key with lower demand until the movie. Same thing for X-Men #1. Avengers #1 and JIM #83 did not really jump until the movie hype hit earlier this year. All of these books are 2nd tier Marvels that did not move up that much until their movies were confirmed (or in the case of Avengers #1 hinted at in the recent Hulk and Iron Man flicks). Even when AF #15 and FF #1 took their first big jump a few years back these books did not take off in the same way. Showcase #22 fits this bill as well. The two other things it has going for it right now are 1) SA DC keys are undervalued right now and 2) GL is probably the best comic being published now thanks to the outstanding writing and artwork (I know a lot of Marvel fanboys who have added it to their files now). The other big factor is the limited supply of this book in even strict 4.0 (the best of all of the copies I saw at the SDCC other than Rick's was 3.0 or maybe 3.5 at best), let alone higher grades. This is not a recent issue either. Ask any dealer you know when the last time was that they saw a Showcase #22 in FN (or VF if you want to have them scratching their heads). FWIW, I will happily pay $1 above GPA for a 5.5 or better copy right now.