vaillant

BTW, to me a book beyond 9.4 (Near Mint) is always a Near Mint, no matter if it is a 9.6, a 9.8 or whatever. The defects are negligible, for what I care, as I have had books graded but I always eventually break them out to have them browsable/readable. The few I did not was because they were Signature Series, and I regret having bought them, as they are costly books (FF #5 and #12).
In fact, if I could sell them and buy non SS copies, I’d be very glad!

On 1/6/2023 at 1:44 AM, trademarkcomics said:

Then they would also not understand why a 1/25 variant cover might fetch more than the regular copy, since "technically" they were not present on all copies.  Not everyone understands the appeal of rarity. But these same people were probably paying $20 for a roll of toilet paper in 2020. If something is super rare, a small percentage of buyers will be enough to drive the price up(like how a small percentage bought up all the toilet paper in 2020 making tp rare and valuable). In fact, in an auction if all you get are two bidders that can be enough to drive a price way higher than going market value.

And you cannot just put the inserts into regular copies without it being very obvious as I have proven earlier in this thread. So, the fact that they only reside in a very small portion of a particular issue's print run automatically makes the copies with the inserts more valuable regardless of any cultural impact they may have or even how large the percentage of potential buyers would be interested. Why else would an Amazing Spider-Man #252 CGC 9.0 Mark Jewelers go for nearly $600 in November while regular 9.0s went for an average of $200 in the same time period? Did that buyer spend $600 only for the American culture of jewelry inserts? Or possibly because there was no cheaper #252 CGC MJ insert copy available(limited availability=rarity)?

Right now they run from $600 for a 8.0 to $4000 for a 9.6--while regular copies go $200-500 for the same grade range. There are only 5 CGC ASM 252 MJIs in any grade(one is a 9.6), while there are MORE THAN 60 regular CGC 9.6s.  

As I have explained, I do not reason in terms of "CGC copies" (besides the fact that being registered in the census they can be checked for information): to me they are copies like all others, just professionally graded, useful especially if you do not trust a seller grading skills or think you maybe want to sell the book.

As far as the variants go, I might enjoy if there were few, when there were few, so if the original cover was so-so I could opt for the variant. But what they have become is what I call "artificial rarity": not interested at all in this.

On 1/5/2023 at 12:11 AM, trademarkcomics said:

True. I could produce a comic with a one issue print run and even though it's one-of-a-kind it would not be worth the paper and ink I used to print it because there would be zero market for it. But as Marvel's flagship title, there will always be a market for Amazing Spider-Man. And if I had to choose between a CGC 9.8 copy of #175 with a mark jeweler insert or without, the choice to me is clear.  

Yes, but it is also understandable that one might not particularly care for an insert which was not, technically, present in all the copies. As I said, the value of these inserts to me is that they give context within american culture of the period. A similar thing goes for editorial attachments (not just these related to the characters) here, there are collectors actively looking for the Italian Mickey Mouse (Topolino) with inserts, and willing to pay extra. This is a relatively recent thing, at least on large scale.

On 1/1/2023 at 1:32 AM, trademarkcomics said:

My two cents:

For me, it has little to do with what's on the inserts. It has way more to do with the rarity of the inserts. So when Mark Warren states that if it was a Hostess insert he could see the value I think he's missing the point. There are three major reasons comics have value: Content(1st appearances, seminal events, etc), condition(no need to explain on this site) and rareness(simple supply vs demand). Just as with errors like double covers, mis-coloring, etc, I collect insert copies simply because they are harder to find(especially in high grade) than non-insert copies. It's simple math. 

Rarity does not automatically mean desirability, anyway. As you implied, the reasons for value is inherent, but if you take out the content, rarity by itself is not a value indicator. Condition has also some objectiveness to it, as I like to remind when people despise well-kept copies. And as opposed to keep the graded books in cases, I continue to say CGC's valuable service is a professional estimate of grading, not an end in itself.

On 12/27/2022 at 9:06 PM, Get Marwood & I said:

I always loved the actual feel of them, too. Solid, stable, like having an inbuilt double backing board. The aerial view of a run with the tell tale blue lines running along the centres. And being a completist probably has something to do with it, I think. Collecting doesn't have to make sense, happily. 

Well, it always make sense, in a way or another, otherwise it would not substantially be an interest.
I enjoy them for the same reason, especially as a "foreign" collector: their cardboard supplies a further protection to American books, which are way more delicate than our local editions, and above all gives a sense of context, of the american culture which generated them. It’s equally cool for me to have, say, a non-local book with a local stamp, etc.

On 12/27/2022 at 5:09 PM, Mark Warren said:

Because there are lots of very smart collectors here who know a lot about the hobby and what they have to say interests me. You don't have to slab your comics to participate on a messageboard devoted to the history of the medium, even if it happens to be sponsored by CGC. I buy lots of slabs because I appreciate the fact that CGC and CBCS check the books thoroughly but I always crack them out when I receive them.

Dude, it's a jewelry ad. If you like it and think the books with the insert are more valuable, that's cool. Nostalgia is a strange beast. I don't buy 80's books unless they have the UPC code for example, even though I know it is less aesthetically pleasing than the art box, because that's how I saw them on the newsstands when I was a kid. I just think assigning books extra value because of an ad is strange. But we can agree to disagree.

Edited to add: if the Hostess ads featuring various superheroes eating fruit pies and Twinkies were done in the form of inserts I would definitely value the copies with the Hostess inserts higher than copies without the inserts, and I'm not kidding.

Well, I quite agree on the first part, as I generally could be pretty much not interests in inserts (the collecting market of our own Disney title, "Topolino" in the last 15 years have been heavily influenced by this, as there is a lot of inserts, often local ones, inconsistently placed in issues, so some demand a lot more now if complete).
But what you say afterwards does not make much sense, as one might enjoy the original jewelry ads for the same reason one likes "newsstand" copies. As an Italian, I cared a little about the newsstand barcode before learning the difference, and I even preferred the direct marked ones, especially when the box artwork was nice and custom-made. I find the cardboard inserts very nice, they document an era. And commercial value is clearly influenced by desirability: while I agree it does not make sense to make an absolute in terms of "value" and abstractly promote as "more valuable" a book with an insert, it’s nice to document and enjoy them.
What is probably wrongly formulated is the question that started this discussion, if abstractly asked.

Thanks for both the evaluations, I appreciate it and if there are more opinions are welcome!

On 11/28/2022 at 4:16 AM, KirbyJack said:

Your FF page was incredible. I envy the new owner!

I had to sell it to purchase a new computer. Of course I loved it, but having met Jack and having some signed items he gifted me, I realized I was not particularly attached to the original art.
Very likely I realized way less than I could have by selling it in USA, but I decided to gave it to a reputable dealer here, which found me a buyer and paid me pretty quickly, so it’s all good.

Hi, I am waiting for the evaluation of a friend collecting art here as well, but I wished to ask as I have never actively collected original art, and I just kept a pair of things I am affectioned to.
Having sold recently the more valuable page that I had (a FF Kirby page from issue 62), I decided to sell this Rudy Nebres page from Dr. Strange as well. Ideally I would have liked to avoid auctions, also because it would be good for me to sell it in short, but I have difficulties in determining a fair asking price, as I saw similar pages that sold on Heritage in the last 2-3 years, but price are pretty varied, and most of them have Dr. Strange featured. This one basically has Clea alone.

It’s from Dr. Strange (vol. 2) #21, and it’s page 10. Signed by Nebres.

Thanks in advance for the help.

On 11/22/2022 at 6:54 PM, speedcake said:

Bump. Lots of good stuff left. 
 

I picked up a bug on my trip and have been sick in bed the last two days. Hoping to start getting packages out tomorrow. Very sorry for the delay, but wanted to update everyone. 
 

 

Don’t worry, take your time to get better! 

On 11/6/2022 at 3:11 AM, speedcake said:

Marvel Premiere #45  VF/NM  $14

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

On 11/9/2022 at 3:06 AM, speedcake said:

Strange Tales #121  Good+  $20

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

On 11/9/2022 at 3:10 AM, speedcake said:

Strange Tales #122  GD/VG  large dollar sign written on front cover   $25

spoiler alert: Dr. Doom is, in fact, in the story...or IS he?

 

  Hide contents

 

If the 20% discount still applies I will take these (with US shipping).

On 10/27/2022 at 4:55 PM, Gambo said:

Yes thank you, the main problem for me is the process prior to submission, because apparently the only services which Clean and Press comics are located in the US, and from what I read online I would prefer avoiding the CCS pressing service when submitting.

I don’t know about pressing, but I fear I am not the right person to advise about grading through an Italian facilitator, as when I did it I did it through Nick @Comicana (which is in the UK).
I know there are a pair of facilitators in Italy but the few people I have heard that have books graded by CGC are doing it directly with CGC itself. If you are on Facebook just join the group "Collezionisti italiani comics USA. C.I.C USA" and you can get in touch with people doing it.

On 10/12/2022 at 5:44 PM, jimjum12 said:

 

#83 is also the first Schemer, very important for Kingpin story unfolding. #83-85 are powerful issues.

On 10/9/2022 at 4:27 PM, thewritestuff said:

Sky Blazers #2. Awesome & Rare WWII grey-tone cover. For the past fifteen years or more, this has remained the LONE HIGHEST graded out of only 4 on the census. The next closest grade is a 6.0! $1,100/best offer.

This is also a great book for *another* reason. Namely, this one. ;)
Very first (and only) edition in USA of Will Sparrow, Italy’s first proper "anti-hero" character, created by the genius of Federico Pedrocchi (founder of the Italian school of Disney authors) and Kurt Caesar, the german-italian fundamental author which created "Romano" (on "Il Vittorioso") and other key characters of the Italian comics scene in the 1930s-1940s.
Caesar also served in the German army as a logistic figure/interpreter/field artist and was friend of Gen. Erwin Rommel.
See my old wartime sales thread for more info.

OK, all should be updated now, the Batman lot goes to CyKiK (thank you!).

If there is something which interests you, please don’t be shy and send me an offer. In short I will probably close the thread.

What a great book!
A pity that with the current economy people have little money to spend, but this is a great offer!

I love that these have been in your collection since 1968!
I was born in 1969 and this is awesome… If I still had a stable income I would have been tempted in order to downgrade/upgrade the ASM #4 and/or Avengers #4 but right now I am tapped out…

Ending in about 9 hours… still a very good price to bid away!

On 10/1/2022 at 6:34 PM, CyKiK said:

Hello.  My name is Cy (aka CyKiK).  My friend Mel asked you to hold these books for me.  I would like to purchase these books. How can I do this?  First time I have used CGC.  Your guidance is appreciated.  

Hi, I will send you a private message (you can access them by clicking the "mail envelope" icon on the top right of the forum page to define the details.
Many thanks.

 Giant Size Creatures #1 and Hulk #377 are SOLD.

And I’m very glad it went to @gunsmokin which is a great guy.

On 9/27/2022 at 11:16 PM, CheeseFrog said:

@vaillant Apologies for the confusion - FF67 was claimed by @gunsmokin

All good, I will just take discounted#68 and #69 regardless. So I can offer them to Italian friends and entice them to collect original editions.  

I listed the Four Favorites #4 that I had on sale in my current thread in Mixed on eBay, with a starting bid of $99.
Try your luck! :-)

(P.S. There are also a few other items that I am auctioning and/or selling, check them out).
 

 I have moved a pair of books elsewhere.

The Four Favorites #4 has been listed on eBay with a starting bid of $99, if one wants to test luck and get it for cheap. :-)

I see the #67 is not marked as sold. Is that an error or is it still available?
In that case, I would take it as well with the discount!