paul747

Picked this up a while ago. Thanks Bob!

20 minutes ago, oakman29 said:

You know it's always been right book , wrong time. Wrong book , right time for me. Very frustrating.

I get that ! Now with the price creeping its probably hard as well.

2 minutes ago, oakman29 said:

Lets just say I would kill to have a Fantastic Four 1, a true grail book.

What are you waiting for?

21 hours ago, Bomber-Bob said:

So true. IMO, TTA 35 should be the more significant and sought after book to TTA27. TTA27 is a prototype issue. All the other PreHero prototype issues don't get the attention like TTA 27. Crazy.

This is spot on ! TTA #35 is way undervalued going forward. I agree, I agree ! ! !  TTA #27 Is great but it is a prototype book.

2 minutes ago, shadroch said:

Not really important, but some of my keys are Superman 14, multiple Spidey 14s, multiple Avengers 1 and 4, some HG early JLA, early FFs and Spideys, All Winners 1 ,All Select 1, some Marvel Mysterys,

bunch of Timley Captain Americas, some Schomburg Nedors. Typical stuff.

I say:

FF #1  7.0

Hulk #1 6.0- 7.0

T.O.S #39  8.0

AMS #1  7.0

I think all of these are going to keep going up, if money is the game. They are also awesome to look at !

Or a 7.0 AF #15  but that's eggs in one basket...

Or early batman books .....

Or... buy the bronze top keys in  9.8  ( also awesome to look at.)

#realworldproblems

good luck !

Congrats !  what key books do you already have?

Great books.........AGAIN

On 3/20/2018 at 10:53 PM, Aweandlorder said:

It had to be done:

 

WOW. I don't think any of those are worth much. I did not realize the extent of his fraud.

5 hours ago, Sqeggs said:

https://www.hakes.com/Auction/ItemDetail/220414/CAPTAIN-AMERICA-COMICS-3-MAY-1941-CGC-70-FINEVF

I'm amazed at what a huge gap has opened between Cap 2 and Cap 3.

It will close as 2 will rise.

Ill take the GR #7

10 hours ago, delekkerste said:

Yep.  Sure, some % of die-hard collectors, especially very wealthy ones, will go to their graves without selling their collections.  That doesn't mean it's the norm, though - as you pointed out, a number of prominent Boomer collectors, even those who didn't need the cash (like billionaire hedge funder Marc Lasry), have already cashed out in recent years.  

Also, space is a big consideration, as you said.  My parents are looking to downsize and I still have all of my comics accumulated during the 1980s and 1990s at their place, and I am dreading having to find the space to store them.  I already have a storage locker in NYC (not cheap, but, cheaper than taking up valuable Manhattan residential space) that is bursting at the seams.  Many people do not have sympathetic wives, spare room or money for third party storage to keep growing ever-expanding collections.  And, at some point, what's the point, really?  Even if you never stop loving comics, that doesn't mean you want to be devoting your 60s, 70s, 80s and beyond to maintaining a large collection and all that it entails, let alone that being your primary focus in life.

Eventually, it is far more likely to be demographics/aging that causes this hobby/market to enter into a long-term secular decline, not an economic downturn (though, that may certainly accelerate/accentuate it).  The market looks great right now, but, the long-term seeds of decline were planted in the mid-1990s when future generations' interests were split into an infinite number of directions with the sweeping changes of the Information Age.  Future generations simply will not have the numbers, interest or financial resources in the aggregate to clear the market at today's prices, let alone ever-escalating prices.  Most Boomers and Gen Xers couldn't even buy their collections over again from scratch if they had to; the Millennials and Gen Zers, not even having the same level of exposure/interest, let alone having as good earning prospects or the benefit of the easiest interest rate and most bubblicious asset value conditions to build wealth, will have NO chance whatsoever.  NONE.

I've long since stopped trying to pinpoint when the inflection point will occur, but, it's like a cumulative probability function:  the farther out you go, the greater the chance that we will have hit the secular peak of the hobby where it doesn't get any better for the vast majority of the hobby.  I mean, sure, maybe there's a case to be made that Action #1, etc. remain on upward trajectories (though, frankly, I do not subscribe to that theory...but, that is another debate), but, there will come a point when the vast majority of the market hollows out over time.  10 years?  20 years?  30 years?  I'd say within 30 years is a near-metaphysical certainty, and that even 20 years is probably a stretch.  Not that the market/hobby will implode overnight by any means (and, let me be clear:  no one is saying that it's going away completely or that truly iconic, desirable books will suddenly become near-worthless), but, 20 years from now?  Yeah, I'm pretty sure by that point we will be looking back and saying the best days of the hobby are behind it.  Demography is Destiny.  

I can see where you could assume your theory from.  I am starting to think your constant gloom is to try to keep the prices down .  Follow the money ! its not just nostalgic old comic book people buying into comics , far from it ! The collectible pool of buyers is growing to include,  international buyers, art buyers, general collectable buyers, Disney collectors, pop culture heads and many more  ! I believe you are truly underselling this genre of collectibles.  There have been many public examples of kids in their 20's buying golden age books, I think it took a very long time for the comic market to become more main stream and respectable and I think that time is almost here.  In my opinion this market is not going down in 10, 20 or even 30 years I think it will be the opposite.  I do believe like any market there will be big dips and big hills but things will average out. There is a lot of money in this world and American pop culture comic book characters are now very worldly ! I think we will be looking back and saying FXXK ! I should have grabbed another copy of that book ! 20 or 30 years from now they are going to revive all these marvel movies in 6D and live interactive movie technology, and a Hulk #1 is going to be 150 grand for a mid grade.  Golden age comics are so rare and demand is very high right now and high grade silver and bronze age classic books are relatively rare compared to demand.  Modern variant collectors will get crushed.

#12

I agree and wonder the same things.  I don't think there is evidence that the pence books where printed first .  I do think it will turn and pence copes will be more valuable because of rarity.

1 hour ago, Ride the Tiger said:

Sometimes people just aren't thinking. Take this for example.

 

 

  I guess its time to list some. Whats a 9.6 going for?

Great heads up ! saved $100 bucks.

1 hour ago, Howling Mad said:

As much as I love this book I'm not sure why it's seen such a dramatic increase over the last few years. It's pure speculation, through and through.

I'd love to own one, but not at this price point.

It seems like a lot of silver age comic books are making fresh new highs , I don't know what  exactly is going on, but it is getting really expensive to buy many books. Its so hard not to recognize these prices or value. I don't think prices are going to go in the opposite direction.  The demand is real and the supply is not infinite.  I am excited and bummed at the same time.  I have definitely been priced out of many books I really wanted to add to my collection, I fear I will never own them at this point. Who knows !

8 hours ago, october said:

I bid on maybe half a dozen of his books including that one, and got demolished on all but one. $9k for that seems like a huge risk to me. It probably has to hit 8.0 or better to be worth it, and the sun shadow on the bottom edge gave me pause. 

I am no pro but 7.0 Tops. The staples are shot with see thru holes? tanning and general defects I agree That 8.0 is a real stretch.

$76,000 for an 8.0    A Hulk #1 sitting at $62,000 for a 7.5 yup silver keys are playing AF 15 catch -up... WOW

GPA is so out of date on silver keys ..

11 hours ago, roostir said:

Hi Everyone, as promised when I posted this, I wanted to just do a quick follow up and status on this issue. As mentioned, on 1/23/18, per CGC's direction, I took the time to put together a detailed email along with images, information, dates, and all of the items requested when I spoke to their service person on the phone. 

Today is 3/4/18 and I have not heard anything from CGC. At this point, they clearly and obviously damaged my book and charged me for it, asked me to take time out to put together a detailed email re-explaining what I had told them on the phone and then they promptly ignored me. Apparently, the request to email the details is a good way to get customers off the phone when the conversation becomes uncomfortable. I have no reason to believe that they had any intention to take action or even have a discussion.

So... in summary and in response to the original question posed by my thread, "Am I Hosed?". The answer is YES. I trusted CGC with my books, paid them quite a bit of money for a service which they didn't stand behind. That is the bottom line.

I would take it easy. I think they will get back to you. The fact that they do not have the damage issue mentioned in the grader notes is a huge tell (it would definitely be listed). If CGC somehow is responsible they will 100 percent Stand behind the mistake. I also think that the presser you used is a stand up guy as well.  My opinion.

On 3/2/2018 at 3:31 AM, VintageComics said:

UK copies have been picking up steam for some time now.

Personally, I don't think there is a difference although I know many disagree.

I think that UK Pence copies  are the VARIANT TO OWN.  I think its coming.  I love the 35 cent variant keys and even some Canadian and Newstands but come on!!! The UK edition was a victim of horrible understanding and false knowledge. If it is ever really validated that these books went on the press first, holy cow !   All these guys spending insane cash on low print run variants and modern gimmick variants are missing the boat. The Uk pence Thread on these boards is a wealth of knowledge.  My opinion.

30 minutes ago, NP_Gresham said:

You are only looking at the one end of the equation.  Supply And demand.  

Demand is only one half, and you certainly underestimated there,  as was pointed out before the reboot SW #1 was the BEST SELLING COMIC BOOK IN 25 YEARS! No Wolverine comic came close to that. the demand for all things Star Wars is clearly there in force.

Further the supply on the SW #1 35 cent variant is extremely low.  There are periods where not a single copy is listed for sale.

Hulk #181 is always available. Any curtailment in demand i.e.: economy takes a little dip or unemployment goes up and both sides of the Hulk #181 equation are going to take a hit.

The numbers don't lie, SW #1 35 cent variant is the king of the hill.

If a 9.8 ever emerged it would annihilate all records for Bronze 9.8's

I think that Hulk #181 has real demand and real appreciation. We would need a huge comic book crash for this book to really come back down. At that point there will be lots of books to choose from. If this market stays healthy, the ship has left the port and will continue to climb.  Hulk #181 is a top book to own especially in 9.6-9.8  I don't think it will be cheaper so buy one if you want one. 10,200 CGC copies and only 100 9.8 copies it would take a lot to kill that demand for a top book of a character soon to be fully owned by Disney. Just an opinion.

13 hours ago, Jaydogrules said:

Interestingly, the last hulk 181 9.8 just sold for more than the last 9.4 star wars 1 35 cent issue and it (star wars 1 35 cent) is trending down in all recent sales, whereas hulk 181 is trending up and constantly setting records in almost all grades.  

Guess in reality all it took was one disappointing movie to cool down that star wars book pretty fast.  

-J.

Stars Wars 35 cent VAR is far from trending down ! just go buy one Jay and then you can promote another winner.  Its not going anywhere. Even if the fan boys don't like the movies.

On 2/26/2018 at 1:35 PM, Dark Knight said:

I really don't know.  There's another 8.5 copy at the current CC copy, but not as nice looking due to that black writing on the "X".  I guess we shall see where that copy sells at? All i know is that strong eye appeal books sell for a premium, sometimes more than a higher graded one.  Looks like it is becoming the norm now as more and more people are taking notice unlike in previous years.  

But in the last HA Sunday auction, I noticed quite a few record prices.  The FF 1 CGC 3.5 sold for around $8500, the Hulk 1 CGC 3.5 UK copy sold for around $9500, which is about where a US 3.5 copy sells for, and of course another X-Men 1 CGC 5.0 for $6k+.  New market prices?  Looks like SA keys are catching fire.  

I agree , Record prices I also agree silver age keys are on the rise and Uk editions are catching up !