mrmitchgro

 

 

Would have liked the CSS 22, underbidder by $300, but sometimes this flushes out another copy

Nice VOH 12! Sorry about the CSS 22

The CGC 8.5 that's on Comic Link is already at $5,000!

 

and a 3.5 is nearly $500.

 

This book is out of control. IMHO - Comparatively, the Vault of Horror#12 should still be the holy grail of EC.

 

Well that was a nice copy with white pages and probably the first HG copy to come to market for some time... Also, the VOH usually sells for more money anyway in pretty much all grades.

 

I guess it really just depends on what the individual wants out of their grail. The start of the "new trend" or the one that helped to end that trend. Each has historical significance in their own right.

 

I would have agreed with you before, but there's no way a VOH 12 at 8.5 would sell for $6300 (even with white pages).

 

 

That's why I said usually. I agree that the VOH would not sell for near that amount, but if you look at almost all other grades VOH 12 still sells for more. There's no way a CSS 22 5.5 would Sell for 1300 like the VOH. I think 9 times out of 10 the VOH will still sell for more in mid to lower grades.

 

The highest grade CSS to sell in the last 2 years was a a 6.0 so I think someone was just waiting to snatch up a nice looking copy.

Ok I gotcha. That goes to my question in the CLink thread - does this sale push up the mid grade copies?

The CGC 8.5 that's on Comic Link is already at $5,000!

 

and a 3.5 is nearly $500.

 

This book is out of control. IMHO - Comparatively, the Vault of Horror#12 should still be the holy grail of EC.

 

Well that was a nice copy with white pages and probably the first HG copy to come to market for some time... Also, the VOH usually sells for more money anyway in pretty much all grades.

 

I guess it really just depends on what the individual wants out of their grail. The start of the "new trend" or the one that helped to end that trend. Each has historical significance in their own right.

I would have agreed with you before, but there's no way a VOH 12 at 8.5 would sell for $6300 (even with white pages).

Thanks Ernie for the good transaction! He paid immediately and was super easy to deal with (thumbs u

Is it me or does that guy look like the scarecrow from Wizard of Oz?

If he only had a brain.

the comedians are definitely out in full force today in GA!

new aurora representative. one of my favorite ingels' covers.

 

Cool book! Is it me or does that guy look like the scarecrow from Wizard of Oz?

LET'S SEE!!!

+1

You're not officially in the club until you post pics

Oh wise Gator,

 

I've got a SA question for you, hopefully you'll indulge me! For investment purposes, would you rather have a mid-grade key (like AF 15) or a high grade semi-key (for example X-men 2). Assume market prices for the two books in question are equal today.

 

Oh and who's going to win on Monday?

AF 15 $ for $ 7 days a week and twice on Sunday

 

LSU by 10

 

Easiest answer in this whole thread

The one about comics or the one about football?

Oh wise Gator,

I've got a SA question for you, hopefully you'll indulge me! For investment purposes, would you rather have a mid-grade key (like AF 15) or a high grade semi-key (for example X-men 2). Assume market prices for the two books in question are equal today.

Oh and who's going to win on Monday?

not the nicest grade but nice looking copy

 

 

 

20 is one of my favorites as well. Nice pickups!

As for the HOF #28 Dukedog, you know where it is. I'm not sure I'm willing to let it go just now, but I promise you first crack at it.

 

 

That's cool, I'm not sure I can afford another GFC right now, anyway. But please do let me know if you do decide to part with one of your copies.

 

------------------------------------------------

Original GFC Haunt of Fear prices:

 

1 $2,400.

2 thru 5 No copies available for individual sale

6, 7 $560.

8, 9, 10, 14, 19 $480.

11, 12, 13, 15 thru 18, 20, 21 $400.

22 thru 28 $320.

-------------------------------------------------

 

Makes me want to cry.

I'd love to know what the original TFTC prices were if you have those as well. Thanks for the great info!

The original point of ranking the books was to determine which ones went where. The five best copies of each title were made into sets, and later sold as such. The four lowest ranking copies were made into patchwork sets and were retained by Gaines, and whatever copies were left in the middle, if any, were sold individually. When Gaines passed away in 1994, the "bottom four" sets he kept were presumably inherited by his daughter and two sons, and in recent years these books have also become available.

 

Ever since the collection entered the public domain, the ranking has become less and less relevant, especially so since encapsulation by CGC has created the opportunity to sell the books without a certificate at all. The vast majority of sets have long since been broken up. Certificates have been switched around, accidentally and intentionally. And obviously, many copies won't be in the same condition as they were when originally ranked.

 

I'm no longer even interested in the ranking as it pertains to grades. I just think the data is an interesting part of the history of the collection, and should be preserved for its own sake as best it can.

 

 

 

I don't quite remember it this way, Dukedog. My recollection is that the numbering was based on condition. No. 1 was the nicest copy. No. 2 the second nicest, etc. There were no grades on these books - just the ranking.

 

The best copy was retained by Gaines and the others put into sets. I was collecting Piracy at the time and bought the top set available - No. 2 - through Russ' auction. A few years later the No. 1 became available (as Gaines or his estate decided to sell the best ones), and I subsequently bought that one too through Russ' auction.

 

As Matt has said in a previous thread, the books were perfect for pressing. So the copy of ISF 30, which was the worst copy of the bunch, turned out to be a 9.8 after being pressed. This makes perfect sense to me since most of the flaws were packaging defects.

 

I wish I had kept those sets!

 

Anyone else buy any of these when they were first offered to confirm my recollection?

 

 

 

 

When Russ Cochran first began promoting the collection, he sent out a brochure featuring an introductory article written by him, and another one written by Bob Overstreet. (I'll post links to these pages, as I made the scans very large for the sake of clarity.)

 

Page 1

 

Page 2

 

Page 3

 

 

Thanks for the great info! Do you still have the original pricing sheet? I'm curious as to what they sold for originally

About 80% of mine have certificates. I don't know anything about them being switched around but I guess if it can be done, it will be done.

 

FWIW, the CGC grades don't really match up with the Gaines copy number.

 

Thanks for the info Jeff! Could have just been hearsay on the cert switching.

 

That's an important point on the copy number vs. the grade. I read previously around here somewhere that Bob O. sorted through them fairly quickly, mostly using the FC as a guide.

 

The comment about the speed of the ranking came from me based on a conversation with Bob Overstreet. I like having the certificates as they were nicely done and have Bill Gaines sig.

I thought that might have been you that wrote that, but I wasn't sure (thumbs u

+1 on having the certs. I only have 2 GFCs, and both still have them.

About 80% of mine have certificates. I don't know anything about them being switched around but I guess if it can be done, it will be done.

 

FWIW, the CGC grades don't really match up with the Gaines copy number.

Thanks for the info Jeff! Could have just been hearsay on the cert switching.

That's an important point on the copy number vs. the grade. I read previously around here somewhere that Bob O. sorted through them fairly quickly, mostly using the FC as a guide.

For the people that have a lot of these in their collections, what percentage of the books still have their certificates with them? I've heard that many of the certs have been switched around as well, any experience with that?

I finally got mine! She's a beater, but she's mine. Bought through eBay from a boardie. Thanks Jon!

 

 

 

Congrats,

 

I've been wanting to join this club for a long time and I almost went all out on that book. Instead I settled for Jon's Monster Crime.

Did any non-boardies win my books?

 

Thanks guys, glad these two found good homes.

 

This is like the scene in Rounders where someone asks why they all drive out to AC when they could have just stayed home to take each others' money

Nice pickup and welcome to the club!

Just made some sales recently, so I thought I'd finally start one of these up. Let me know how I did!

Thanks, Mitch

Dear Gator,

Thoughts on the $1.1M AF 15 sale? How will it impact the high end GA market?

Dear Gator,

 

How do I get my wife to like comics?

I tend to get naked, get in bed, and surround myself with comics... my wife instantly migrates away from me and takes an interest in the comics...might work for you too (thumbs u

I'm going to give it a shot! Pics to follow...

Dear Gator,

How do I get my wife to like comics?

They went through a group of SA X-Men recently and got some CRAZY prices. Just a cursory glance at those scans tell you that (for the most part) these are not "high grade" copies. Probably less experienced buyers taking a seller at their word... too bad they got the screw

Here's my recent acquisition. The front cover looks great, but the back definitely brings it down:

What book are you buying next?

nothing specific at the moment I am afraid, though I did just pick up a pretty sweet book from a friend in NY

What did you get?

Just awesome Mark, keep at it! (thumbs u

I've been on eBay since 2003 and have never had a problem until this summer.

 

Since September I have had on NPB on my GSX #1 CGC 9.8, and a bidder who bought 2 books in October to the tune of $2K (DD #6 CGC 9.6 and ASM #44 CGC 9.0) and has paid for one of them ($500 book) this week...nearly 5 weeks late, and still has not paid for the $1500 book.

 

I'm going to put a clause in future auctions that payments are due within 7 days.

 

I've never had a problem, now it's ridiculous.

My stuff is a lot lower priced than Roy's, but I've seen it too. Especially for people that use CCs on paypal... what is the downside to paying immediately? As a buyer that's what I try to do (the next day at the LATEST).