Mmehdy

The next thing that will explode as a result of CGC entry will be Pulp original art...especially covers....that is a great long term play right now before the CGC pulp grading market is created.

I think pulps, which I have collected since the 1970's are a different animal when it comes to overhang, etc so triming no big, they will make a grade adjustment. It is not like color touch or glue and I agree. This is a very significant announcement in which the value of graded pulps, especially high grade are going to explode. You have to give HA credit for starting the "pulp" auctions, I believe they have had two different ones already. Then CC followed the leader with their latest big pulp auction which is happening now, Other auction houses will also follow the leader. But this is a game changer for pulps and pulp collecting in the future. Why...quick answer is now there will be access from investors or newbie collectors who can rely on CGC to grade and place a floor on pulp values. This is huge move, a game changer. So, do not be surprised to see a number of pulps which have been sitting for years in dealer inventories to get bought up or prices raised. I just go a e-mial today from CC which indicates they will be attending "pulpfest" convention. The "big" boys are coming. Look for a large number of board members or dealers begin accumulating stock and seeking out very high grade examples of the classic pulp pedigrees which exist out there, especially for sellers who are unaware of the impeding CGC entry into the pulp market. You need to act now, as the word will get out the first minute a slab is placed on the internet. . A few years ago I raved about the Captain Future complete set of 17 issues with some pedigree copies among them. A board member picked them up and man he is looking really good right now with this announcement. Pulps are growing up now, and congratulations welcome to the "big" time of collectable graded acknowledgement world!

YEP....I think the Promise books have a great future in our GA comic book world. The pedigree books will hold their value, even at "frothy" prices which some collectors could call them and over time price wise will set apart from the pack, especially 9.4.9.6, and 9.8. But all will do well in the future.

There are several books I intend to purchase and not be outbid on. I wish, and mean really wish I could get a hold of the entire Promise collection list to make my purchase priority list...we can't. So we are gonna have to wing it. I agree it is not like the good old days when I bought say 20 SF copies every time I came in to the store. I do not think I will end up with 20 this time, but I think both and me you can pick out a few special ones, that we either have always wanted and nail them. I agree, it not like the good old days.

My response is this, when we first took on the SF collection as collectors as well as the Church...the uproar among GA collectors especially veteran collectors was 10X what the prices and reactions have brought for the promise collection. Of course buying in hindsight helps in this instance. I would hesitate to say any Promise book with a front and back cover attached as the beginning prices are gonna be bargains, both historically as well as realistically in the future. You can disagree with grade but not the pedigree. The Promise difference is that every book will be available price history, picture wise for the entire collection online 24 hours a day. If you think you are the only one to tell me the comic book market is "frothy and unsustainable " when it comes to pedigree books and prices, let me and you go back in a time machine to when SF/Church hit the market...the only thing people talked about was how you would NEVER recover the price you paid...I mean everyone, except of course the TCBC who were in the the long run, able to hold for a period of time those collectors knew. I am simply stating that as we go towards the end of this collection, just like the SF collection which was slowly getting bought up prices will increase. I hear you point of view, I been hearing that since I have a comic book collector for the last say 60 years, especially since 1973 and the atomic bomb impact of the media acknowledging that GA comic books have real value. I understand what you are saying, I am just not buying it.

The demand for GA books, especially timely given the weekly results of the promise copies of All Winners will bootstrap all under copies up to a certain extent depending of how close they were to the selling copies.. Great buy for you at the time, even better today looking back..Cong on smart buy. All Promise sales go into the GPA and other price guides.

There will be some great deals, even going forward but the above say 17 months will look back and say that was a "smoking" deal for a pedigree copy. Cong to the winner

The problem is most of serious collectors/ buyers knows the MH copy of Action 1 has yet to be graded. So I think the AF 15 which is confirmed the highest graded unless a unknown copy comes out it is the best you can buy. A 9.0 AF15 is not gonna have any effect on the 9.6 market just like a new A1 7.0 would. Look for a world record price and after looking at the scan, this copy is every bit a 9.6...what a great book

That would break any existing price record by a mile, if a copy exits...given the age of the book, I do not think one exists at the 9.8 level, if one did hit the market it would be easily 5 million, possibly 7 Million

In looking at this amazing collection of mostly 9.8's online on the CGC register sets site, it appears ASM1 is a 9.4 which is the lowest graded book. Besides the 1-100 there is also a copy of ASM ANN 1 in 9.6. Look for every issue of this run to break a record.Given the perfection of this run, It is highly likely that this is not a upgrade. We are looking at a perfectionist collector here.

The 9.6 might crack 3M in this crazy market....

3M my estimate

Promise books now on Ha. weekly auctions, look for some super deals here. This is currently at $1,950 and the #8 is a lot cheaper. The best book for this week is the Web of Mystery #1 at a sharp 7.0...great book, look for a lot of promise books to be under the radar here, I count 5 including the GA Action for this week.

Cong Matt, hope you take CGC to new heights as the Pres.

You can call it PE or ABCD or whatever, Blackstone owns it with the majority shareholder interest. I am assuming that a majority stake is 51% of the company as the press release indicates. I am further assuming they did not sign an anti-dilution class which is unheard of him in this kind of transition. Blackstone owns this puppy. Just because they own a majority of the shares and they are a PE firm whatever that means depending on the time of day, does not mean they will be either direct lend or provide access to a very high credit line thru their Wall Street connections. Just read the press release: "Blackstone will seek to accelerate CGC's growth, enabling the company to invest significantly in its current and planned services, adding and training new employees, expanding its geographic and product reach, acquiring new technologies and developing its digital presence". Now this is not gonna happen with best wishes from Blackstone, as a passive PE watcher...the money is gonna come from somewhere and its either hard money direct cash investment, credit line creation etc. These proposed changes require serious cash investment. I stand by my statement that Blackstone will not be a passive equity watcher in this company.

I will second that, bought every issue off the newsstand...

I can remember buying that issue off the newsstands, what a great deal for 25 cents

I agree 100% with this. There are always "deals" out there. Yes, Robo this is 2021, not 1975 or even say 1995. But some of the DC SF SA books and especially 10cent cover price have gone shockingly unnoticed price wise and still have some play in them. The DC SF and I would include also the WAR books are just as great and have play left in them. Yes, Marvel overshadows them, but at some point in the future they will catch up. The key is buying them before they really go crazy. It is a harder today to obtain great material at a reasonable market price and clearly in 2021 and demand is at a all time high, especially among long term GA/SA collectors who know that good material is gonna appreciate down the collecting road. In GA, of course due to rarity and age this is a tougher call or find, But I would say there still could be some really good buys on ungraded and hopefully unrestored GA..which is at least not at the CGC price graded level. It is a gamble. But there is always hope and room for every GA/SA collector to improve their lifetime collection, it takes more time but the win and payoff more than makes up for it. Happy 4th... to one and all.

I have no doubt about your time at CGC for 7 years. However, I respectfully disagree with your CGC asset priority or valuation contribution . It is no longer Steve and Marks show, but Blackstone. This company takes every single asset and exploits their value to the maximum. They will throw any money necessary to make more money and I ask to look at this $500 million dollar investment and the new Blackstone sheriff in town. Here are some facts, Blackstone controls 684.8 Billion dollars in assets, now LOL another 500 million which is probably worth 600M overnight or say 685B and in terms of this investment they asset worth 1370 times which they just wrote a check for. In addition, the fund itself has a capital value of 66.82 B dollars or 133 times plus the value of the check they just wrote. There is NO way their bean-counters are gonna forget the CGC, leave any money on the table when sell, and quite likely keep the CGC asset for a long time, making after investing a return out performing the stock market or their minimum return to retain asset requirement. In other words, these guys are the real deal. CGC is small compared to what they own, will own etc, I am board with that realization . But these guys know the future value of comic books because of the incredible media and entertainment created by past and even new comic book characters. There are enough characters created to next 500 years even if it were to stop today. These guys really do not think like you or I or the individual investor or probably even Steve or Mark. They will chase additional profits with their money without hesitation. Blackstone will never leave a investment dollar on the table, when and if they sell. I am not inferring that coin collecting is any less as important here, but I do not see record breaking movies and platform/tv series about coin collecting or the coins themselves. I do think that ALL streams, including the CGC will be cash infused. $ wise coin collecting or other collectable fields could generate more gross sales and profits, but strongly disagree that 99% if funds allocated will go toward the NGC and new ventures. I agree they will expand or seek new ventures, and I agree the NGC is very profitable, but these guys have enough money and resources to fund every activity which would be profitable and increase overall company value both long term and short term. Of course, when Blackstone yearly reviews profit and gross sales, and sees a ability to add or raise the cost of services such as CGC pressing and grading they are gonna go for it. But Blackstone is not in the asset killing business, but in the asset creation and expansion business of value business . Yes, they do "flip" assets but, I have feeling things are just getting started here in our GA/SA or entire comic books world. Look for this to be not the last major announcement concerning Wall Street involvement in grading, auction house, and large retail comic book companies. Your post gives "Food for thought" and especially your personal insight into the very workings of the CGC and its rank among the existing components. But as Ed used to say introducing Johnny Carson on the "Tonight Show". Heerrres ....Blackstone. This is the tip of the iceberg

Great post Bronze Johnny and I can understand your point of view. I did receive similar feedback on this thread from my two "old time" whale type collectors who have been collecting since one 60's and the other early 70's. They made some interesting points and while I try to get them to come on the boards, they just won't, one afraid and the other just wants to read it..daily...lol. The first point raised by the senior of the two GA/SA comic books collectors was that he speculated that some of Blackstone"s investors, friends or employee's or whomever, even the bankers, knowing that this deal was gonna down in advance, might of began buying choice GA/SA ahead of the curve and this explains possible why we are seeking astounding price growth, especially the 5.0 over million dollar sale of Dect#27 in which there were two bidders at like 1.1 or something like that. This is pure speculation on his part, but his gut is telling him some outside and previously unknown forces have come recently into market, especially reflected in the 22.5 M dollar Ha sale which just finished. So I throw this thought out to the boards to expand, or disagree with. He speculates that they have began amassing or investing in a large number of super key GA/SA or extremely high graded comic books and key original art. Time will tell but he feels that have been amassing this for some time. The second comment is quite interesting. It it related to the Blackstone investment as well as other Wall Street Players. He too believes that Wall Street could come in, and attempt to completely monetize the collectable GA/SA comic book market. HIs concern with this is history. History tells us when a market is speculated and monetized that it will at some point self correct or crash and there is not exception. Our GA/SA comic books world has seen a few speculation booms come and go in 1990's. 2000 etc. BUT the GA and Key SA markets were unaffected by 3 million Spiderman#1's being sold. It has really been a slow and steady up chart for the last 50 years or since Bob Overstreet began in 1971 which 50 years spot on. Bob, in his opinion tempering of the price grown, especially early on was the best thing to ever happen to our comic book collecting world. It was by large means insulated from the pure speculators taking over the hobby on the real collectable issues of the GA/SA and that is why when the comic market crashed on the New newsstand material, it did not affect the price nor demand for Action #1, Cap 1, FF1 etc. His point is if our GA/SA comic book market turns into 90% speculation and handful of real TCBC's the laws of monetary reality will apply. Interesting thoughts. The next speculated target he thinks is HA.Com. Bronze Johnny you post directly deals with these issues raised by our Silent Majority viewers here, I am sure both myself and them agree with your very positive and insightful post 100%. Thank You.

Crystal Ball time here fellow board members and I hope you will add, extend, and give your opinion as to where we are headed in Golden Age collecting land...up up and above for the future. After, my God, 60 years of comic book collecting since buying FF#1 off newsstand in 1961 we have come a long long way. But I can honestly say that 2021 is by far the most significant year in GA comic book collecting that I have participated with joy in. All is not 100% bright, but he is my guess, after 60 years years and I believe over 50 years or ago when I stated the Comic book collecting Clue for all Sacramento comic book collectors (see earlier posts for Journey of a comic book collector for a copy of the clue flyer say circa 1965) we have a hit a milestone year which in 10/20 years from 2021 will be judged very historical. 1- BLACKSTONE Buys CGC in 2021: Let me be clear here about two things. 1- when you control the company 50.1% or more you OWN it, you can at any time take existing shareholders and bleed them out through stock dilution. Now not every company who acquires it will, since the principal owners might actually direct or control the company and then just report to corporate ( Blackstone management) but at some point or whenever they want, they can wipe out anybody. A fundamental rule when it comes to civil litigation: whoever has the most money wins...eventially. Blackstone has the money, a lot of it. It would be exceptionally unusual , probably impossible to get a sophisticated company like Blackstone to grant "non-dilution" shares to the original stockholders...2- Blackstone does not invest $500 million if it does not thing its gonna make a Billion... or more with some of the best number crunchers in the company buying biz. So they own it...lock stock and barrel . Now we deal with the issue that Wall Street now controls a major GA comic book player, and is it that a good thing? It is, 100% and why. Here we have a "Warren Buffet" type company betting half a billion dollars on the CG/SA comic book market and collectables market in general PLUS putting further cash infusions into their purchase to get the "numbers" for their shareholders or investors, or Wall Street or whomever. I like the fact these guys know what they are doing and do not think that this end for "big investor money coming in to buy other players in our GA comic book world, this is just the beginning . It is like the old add, EF Hutton commercial with a 2021 variant .. When Blackstone makes a move..."people listen". The happiness guy alive today or yesterday is not the sellers of the CGC, LOL they are number 2. But Steve, our the CGC competitor IF he got as part of his "sale" of the other company a stock option in that company or some type of retained ownership of his former grading service because that company just became target #2 on the Wall Street investor hit list, especially if Blackstone turns its 500M investment into gold, heck they could even buy them. The future is clear for both CGC and the other guy as I related in earlier posts over the last few years, the" other guy" was created for a" buy out" once they has established a significant market share by their competition. Where the miscalculation lied was that CGC had the market wrapped up on ultra high end sales of GA and SA books and they could not shake them out with a price reduction or quicker grading time. So, they went lateral and sold to another collectable grading company and I am sure after sale today, that it looks really really great today the company that bought them for a bargain with hindsight , and look out..they could be then $400 Million future buyout. The flip side of this is that no way will the competitor ever be able to outspend, outthink, or outdo Blackstone. These guys are the real deal, they put their money. where their month is and they make a profit overall. This insures CGC status at the #1 comic book grading company for the long term future. So that means for the time being that CGC is bulletproof from anyone else. That is not good thing but a great thing. The future and the company performance will determine whether it is a long term hold for Blackstone, or a revamp lipstick resell job. I believe, with this major Wall Street leap of faith in the collectables market, that it looks very good that we will have their management knowledge, expertise and expansion of CGC for a very long time. I am not saying their are not coming in wanting to make money, I am saying if the payoff each year gets better and better they do NOT have to sell, but reap the benefits as long as the return is above their average rate of minimum retention goals they have for their company and investors. I predict Blackstone will keep CGC for a very long time, and when they sell they will make a very very large profit. Even if they sell, for a very large price the new buyers will want keep the asset alive and well with that substantial of a new investment. When Blackstone throws the dice, they are not looking for say 10% or 20% long term return..no they do that probably on stock market trading alone, they are look at two of three times the roll amount, 1 Billion and probably more for the payout. 2- The Promise collection and record GA sales prices in general in 2021: I know a lot of us what to find the "golden Willy Wonka" easy single answer here. Well folks is not one, but a combination of economic and GA/SA comic book Wall Street/ investor recognition flamed by the greatest GA comic book OO pedigree collection coming to market in the last 30/40 years. That is it. Full acceptance that GASA comic books have intrinsic value both in 2021 and in the foreseeable future. That to a lot people GA comic books are and will be in the future attractive widgets to invest in, like gold, coins and artwork. We are there now 2-21 with the greatest acceptance of that fact in the history of our Ga/SA comic book world. We will continue to see record GA/SA prices especially in the Upper or Ultra keys from this day forward for the next 20 years unless a meteor hits the planet earth and gets us again like dinosaurs. Sure, there will be pauses in the next twenty years, some sideways, but overall look forGA CGC graded collectables to hold their own. The one good thing Cyptro currency has created is a generation of NEW investors who will take a chance, gamble etc. The emergence of the Marvel and DC universe both on the movie screen as well as media platforms such as Disney/HBO Max on this new generation of new investors is to EXPOSE this generation of media drive to this material and has thus in 2021 created the perfect storm here in out comic book collecting world. They do not know about stamps, and to some extent coins...but they know JLA directors cut premier on HBO/Max . 2020/21 and Avengers thus as a result this has been very favorable to the comic book world in general with the forced stay at home media driven investor. When great material like the Promise collection hits the GA comic book market it infuses new energy., excitement , and new publicity even to non-collectors as mentioned in other post on the board. That is great thing for everyone here on the form as long term collectors. GA comic book collecting has grown up and matured into a full collecting body in its prime of life in 2021. Hitting on al cylinders. In the past I have been afraid of the "widget" buyer in our great comic book world. With this Blackstone purchase, however I have changed my opinion to say I accept you in our world. Wall Street, widget buyer, pancake presser the world world. I admit it creates our GA even SA comic book world a more exciting and competitive place. Yes we do not know if our E-bay under bidder was "flipper" or even worse LOL a presser flipper...but so be it. I love our GA comic book and will do so until I take my last breath. I for one remember trying to convince the 99.9% of the outside back in the lates/ early 70's that comic books and especially GA comics were much greater than the category that society had placed them in. In 2021 our GA comic book world is bigger,badder and who is to judge whether anyone can participate in it. Ga/SA books could are artistic masterpieces and added with superb stories in my opinion. They can transport you back to a time when we were fighting the greatest evil man has know in history and which Captain American #1 so bravely put on the cover of the newsstands of America knocking it on the jaw or seeing Superman race a train in Superman#3 Now a bigger, even better world can enjoy GA comic book collecting in 2021 and and my prediction for the future GA/SA comic book world the is very very bright.

It has been confirmed on the "Promise" win postings that HA indeed give you 90% of the total auction proceeds if you re-auction with them. I think HA knows a couple of things we do not. One, that a large % of these books will not be on the market for a long time. That very savvy GA collectors will be the owners and that in addition to "Promise" the other super rare and great material might be consigned as well, sort of a win-win proposition. Second, there is a real possibility that some of these books are going into a future "museum" situation in LA. Those will be gone forever. I also see Ha having the possibility of lining up number of collectors who will buy outright those books once reoffered to Ha with their usual 10% commission so do not be surprised if a large number of potential re-sales never hit the auction block. The late comers to the collection are gonna hit HA up as well as "Buy it now" functions, but they will be agressive in trying to otain these pedigree GA books.

wow..ha is putting its money where their mouth is....great clarification.

I agree so it looks like out buyer could be have specially targeted the best condition copy on the newsstand, especially later in the collection.

100% agree, they should pull it