manetteska

I apologize if this has been asked before; just posing a hypothetical between issues:

If a 1:10 variant of WD #1 was published and available the same day as the regular #1 -- and was a true 1:10 -- how do you think the price would compare to the "regular" cover?

a. A lot higher

b. A little higher

c. The same

d. A little less

e. A lot less

-- Consider that for comparison's sake both copies are in the same condition, both are either graded or raw, both have the same "probability" of being 9.8's, etc. etc.

There are art forgers who make millions off of fakes that get by the art experts. There are decades-long debates between experts as to whether a painting is fake or not. They introduce various levels of microscopy, go back through provenance paperwork, conduct interviews, etc. And still they are at odds.

 

And yet the art world continues to function, selling high value pieces that may or may not be real. They experts do their best and what you - the buyer - are left with are their opinions.

 

If a 100% effective method of detecting restoration and/or forgery does not exist, you cannot blame a company when they are not 100% correct. This is not a pro- or anti- CGC statement; it is a general statement for any company and/or person that "detects" restoration.

 

there's a big difference between original art and mass produced comics though.

No doubt; one can spin off on many different tangents here, but in terms of "detecting restoration", the analogy is rather accurate.

There are art forgers who make millions off of fakes that get by the art experts. There are decades-long debates between experts as to whether a painting is fake or not. They introduce various levels of microscopy, go back through provenance paperwork, conduct interviews, etc. And still they are at odds.

And yet the art world continues to function, selling high value pieces that may or may not be real. They experts do their best and what you - the buyer - are left with are their opinions.

If a 100% effective method of detecting restoration and/or forgery does not exist, you cannot blame a company when they are not 100% correct. This is not a pro- or anti- CGC statement; it is a general statement for any company and/or person that "detects" restoration.

My concern is that the practice of micro-trimming will be met by a wave of indifference.

 

 

I don't see how any other outcome could come of this. If CGC is admittedly unable to consistently detect trimming, then consumers only have 2 choices:

 

1. Indifference

2. Stop using CGC

 

Is there another option I'm missing?

I wouldn't want a trimmed book - micro or not.

Can anyone (or company) consistently detect trimming? Why is this issue specifically on CGC?

Like a dog with a bone.

 

keep buying those ottleys

I thought I was one of the privileged few to be on ignore.

Like a dog with a bone.

Why is it so hard to believe that a fool and his money are soon parted?

Not surprised at all. Things like this happen every day.

Just wondering at it all. The bidder appears to know how eBay works (based on feedback count), yet is doing everything wrong.

Runaways #1 @ $55 and a ton of bids. I can't tell if it's one guy who hit the button 55 times or one guy who really, really wants this comic.

I don't trust this auction.

Why start the bidding at $55 when the comic usually sells in the $15-$20 range?

No grade assigned, pictures instead of scans, no BC picture, comic is in the bag the whole time, etc etc etc.

I can't say if the seller is questionable or the buyer is not informed, but this is an anomaly.

It looks like he made a sweet $50 just off of a piece of it.

 

Sweet Sweet Profit

 

 

What was his follow-up PIF offer?

 

Nothing good

 

I just offered to give someone a solid 9.6 or better X-Men 212 singed by Chris Claremont and CGCED for free. Tho he didn't want the book that would have been a sure $150+ he wanted his X-Men 141 done instead, so I put up all the fees to have it done. Something I know a lot of people wanted

 

 

 

 

Wow...so the 212 got better since you listed it? And it's spiked in value too!!

 

My offering X-Men 212 or #171 Listing as 9.0 or better(id say better)

Only pick one you say?

 

I'm going to try something different

Pick one of the comics and next weekend March 7th at WW Sacramento i'll have Chris Claremont sign the book and send it off for the CGC Sig series. (It cost a bit of money to do everything thats why it's just one book) I'll put whoever claims the book address so it ships to you once it's done being graded

 

Now it's going to be a while before you get the book(CGC grading can take a bit of time) But whenever the book comes in I'll ship it off to you

 

I pay all the fees SIG CGC SHIPPING EVERYTHING & you get a nice high grade book. I know the 212 in really high grade can go for over $100

 

 

It was a nice idea...but sub and shipping is about $30 and the book is $5 raw in "9.0 or better".

 

Even if I rounded this up to $40 you made more than that on your Flip of the Infinity Gauntlets with 2 nice sets of comics left over to flip.

 

No need to puff up the offer. It is what it is. It's not junk, but it's not $150 either.

 

 

lmao

 

I always under grade my books. I've said it more than once i'd rather under grade than over grade. That book was way better than a 9.0 you can ask the board member that sold it to me. I only say grades because people complain if you don't, on the boards pictures don't speak for themselves.

How/when do you decide to over-grade and/or grade appropriately?

In a sales thread it's a 9.0 but in a PIF it's a 9.6 (or better)?

Superior Spiderman 29 Campbell Double Signed $218.50

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/321360708069?_trksid=p2059216.m1431.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT.

The ever-present Stan Lee signature.

Correct.

 

I have purchased a consignment book from MCS before. Saw it on eBay - at a decent price - then went to their website and bought it 10% cheaper. However, there is still a 3% "buyer's premium" on top of that.

 

That part I don't understand, though I don't run an auction house. So I am being charged 3% to buy an item from MCS who in turn charges the seller for selling an item through them? Double-dipping?

 

That's typical for an auction house. Someone brings them their stuff to sell and the auction house gets a percentage of the sales. They buyer also pays a fee (usually 3-4%). The local auction house by me charges 4% with a 4% discount for cash, so no fee for cash sales.

Yes, I thought some type of fee was typical for an auction house. I wasn't trying to point the finger at MCS specifically.

The fees people are listing here - on both ends of the sale - make me want to change business.

 

it's also a consignment item tho. MCS always lists consignment items at ridiculous prices, usually like 100000x more than they're worth. Books worth $10 will be listed as consignment items for $40.

$10=40 close to 100,000 x I like that math

 

 

 

i figured with that many zeros, it'd be obvious i was exaggerating. has anyone here ever bought one of MCS's consignment items? i assume they sell some, but i can't understand how.

 

Doesnt the owner set the price they want to sell at, not MCS, when consigning?

Correct.

I have purchased a consignment book from MCS before. Saw it on eBay - at a decent price - then went to their website and bought it 10% cheaper. However, there is still a 3% "buyer's premium" on top of that.

That part I don't understand, though I don't run an auction house. So I am being charged 3% to buy an item from MCS who in turn charges the seller for selling an item through them? Double-dipping?

What about Action Comics 684?

Wasn't sure if you were looking for ALL DC Universe or only that date/issue range.

maybe they both want the same comics. I've done that for fun, just bumping the bid one at a time. Don't use the auto snipe stuff.

I thought that too, at first, but then all their bids are passing BINs that are available.

Perhaps one eBayer is trolling another?

Why not bid on the CGC'd copies?

 

more:

http://offer.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewBids&_trksid=p2047675.l2565&rt=nc&item=331159673777

http://offer.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewBids&_trksid=p2047675.l2565&rt=nc&item=221400454179

 

this one only features - d***d (72)

http://offer.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewBids&_trksid=p2047675.l2565&rt=nc&item=221399063866

For what it's worth, all 3 of these auctions feature different items for sale -- though they are all MD related.

But, yeah; I have no idea what that person is up to.

 

The question for me is to slab or not to slab. I'm guessing a 9.6 is still bad news on this comic.

 

If you are having trouble determining 9.6 vs. 9.8 I would avoid slabbing. It's money down the drain if they all come back 9.6 or lower...

The moderns I've pulled myself and submitted on-site to CGC have all come back 9.8's. Not as high volume as others, but a good enough number.

This MD batch came from an outside source. There is a slight depression on them (either from handling or elsewhere) on the back cover.

With a press -- 9.8 no question. Without, I'm on the fence.

Don't know if I want to take the time to send them all for a pressing (which could be months) or roll the dice.

First World Problems.

yep...dwindling supply and the price goes up...my supplies are pretty low, making me a bit nervous.

 

At this point I wouldn't go much below $50 for regular #1..

 

Are you talking about in the future or right now?

 

If that is a current price, I don't want to tell people how to spend their money, but...

 

Current....I wouldnt sell for much less than 50...its a gamble but thats what makes it fun. Ive sold enough md to pay for all of this years comics

The question for me is to slab or not to slab. I'm guessing a 9.6 is still bad news on this comic.

yep...dwindling supply and the price goes up...my supplies are pretty low, making me a bit nervous.

 

At this point I wouldn't go much below $50 for regular #1..

Are you talking about in the future or right now?

If that is a current price, I don't want to tell people how to spend their money, but...

I agree, though...I would be shocked if it was for a WW show. Publishers no longer attend WW shows, and outside of the WD 1 series from last year, there generally aren't any con exclusives for them (that I can recall).

 

Last year's WWPhilly was one of the worst shows I've ever attended.

Second that! Total waste of time and money

Yikes! And I thought MegaCon 2013 was bad.

What was so bad about it?

No problemo.

That 3 Expo variant is hard to peg. However, I am glad they put out an alternate for the current issue and didn't go back and re-create a #1 variant.

Nice that there are no phantom or ghost variants for this one.....5 issues and only 2 alterrnate covers

Though only 1 of the covers is really "different".

*** And there are 3 alternates if you count #3's Image Expo.

Honestly ZaCrew and Krighton, this is truth. It's not like people who've voiced a different opinion don't still read this thread and care about this book. As stated, even though I disagree as to why it's currently hot, doesn't mean I don't want it to be. The repeated backhanded comments are just asking for a response. You call it raining on a parade...I call it doing a rain-dance......you're gonna get wet.

This is why I was asking several pages back about what others who frequent comic stores have bee hearing.

I don't remember seeing a Bleeding Cool article, or other large internet source, saying anything about MD.

Is there a general buzz at the comic shop? If not, how are people hearing about it?

3.) I think it likely will, but all it takes is one tv rumor and its gong show time. If it ever reached 20K sales, it'd have my attention, pass 30/35K and the book would have me sold. BUT, it still would have started its run-up off a shilled sale. Nothing will ever change my opinion on that 5 feedback-er sale. That's Pamela Anderson level fake.

 

All future sales of a book are now suspect because of a single auction.

 

You heard it here first, folks.

 

Disregard the fact that the book was a CGC 9.8 variant that is limited to XXX copies. It WILL impact sales of all raw copies - even standard covers - and issue #10, whenever that comes out.

I don't think that is the point of his post.

 

Then what is the point?

That the run up started off of a shilled sale.

Which run-up?

The price or the increase in sales? Or both?

In either case, you want me to believe that people started buying a comic because the price of a 9.8 graded limited variant was $350?

And this buying includes the regular cover for #1, as well as for 2, 3, and 4?

And during this time of the "run-up", subsequent sales of this same comic never reached that level again?

So if this auction ended at $250 no one would be buying it -- either off of the shelf every month or on eBay?

3.) I think it likely will, but all it takes is one tv rumor and its gong show time. If it ever reached 20K sales, it'd have my attention, pass 30/35K and the book would have me sold. BUT, it still would have started its run-up off a shilled sale. Nothing will ever change my opinion on that 5 feedback-er sale. That's Pamela Anderson level fake.

 

All future sales of a book are now suspect because of a single auction.

 

You heard it here first, folks.

 

Disregard the fact that the book was a CGC 9.8 variant that is limited to XXX copies. It WILL impact sales of all raw copies - even standard covers - and issue #10, whenever that comes out.

I don't think that is the point of his post.

Then what is the point?

3.) I think it likely will, but all it takes is one tv rumor and its gong show time. If it ever reached 20K sales, it'd have my attention, pass 30/35K and the book would have me sold. BUT, it still would have started its run-up off a shilled sale. Nothing will ever change my opinion on that 5 feedback-er sale. That's Pamela Anderson level fake.

All future sales of a book are now suspect because of a single auction.

You heard it here first, folks.

Disregard the fact that the book was a CGC 9.8 variant that is limited to XXX copies. It WILL impact sales of all raw copies - even standard covers - and issue #10, whenever that comes out.

I just sold The Wake #1-6 for $45. It would be nice if I can list Trillium after it finishes and get a price like that too.

 

Not too shabby for a mini halfway-ish through.

 

Guesses: Once the mini is complete (10 issues, I think), will the full set price be better than this ratio of sale/cover?

 

Good question and I don't know the answer. It seems that most but definitely not all series sell for a better markup earlier in the run though there is still some profit left at the end. Superior Spider-man is a good example. I've seen only a couple of the complete sets over 1-25 go for over $100 while I saw many of 1-15 or 1-17 bring just under $100. Its always a guess but its also nice knowing you can read some of the good stuff for free.

That's what I thought on Deadpool Kills... -- money early, not later. I sold some 1's and 2's for a good margin, then scrambled to make even on 3 and 4.

Now it turns out the whole series is selling for crazy prices. Go figure.