Surfing Alien

That's my under copy. I figured it would go up for sale at some point but I have no problem with that, I made some money on it and used it to fund others. If comic guys get back into them big time it could wipe out supply of anything scarce in an instant, although higher prices will bring out more copies of things you don't see much of now.

Patience, pluck and luck. It helps that I collected pbs for a long time so when I see things i've never seen or know are good, I can hit the BIN if it's cheap or bookmark the auction if I have to bid on it.

I got the same deal going. It's a dilemma for sure !!!

Yup, both MacDonalds are 1sts. Pretty minty too. Colors are unreal.

Here's a bunch of keepers from some lots.

Same here. That's a wonderful and eclectic hoard you showed there

Let's see 'em Glad you had to work lol, I was expecting more action on it, has everything going for it - interracial romance PBO, incredible condition for the series and the last book of the series, which I am sure did not sell well. I got in a bunch of lots that I have to unbox that I did really well with but I'm gonna have to sell a bunch of the unfocused ones

Speaking of Uni Books, this rare one just arrived. It appears unread and the colors and page quality are astonishing, especially considering the poor paper quality they used. I was ready to go all in but I got it relatively cheaply, probably because no one really knows what it is. It's the only copy i've even seen a picture of. That's what is satisfying to me about collecting these, there's still a chance to get scarce books cheap, while the opposite is true of comics with so many people thinking their drek is gold bars.

RSG is the pioneer in photo/cigarette covers - it came out in 1948, 3 years before the comic book and before most other paperback photo covers started in the 50's- and was controversial in and of itself at the time with the model's father successfully getting the letters pages cut out of the book. Photo covers in general are scattered pretty far and wide but Uni Books come to mind off the top of my head with prominent photo cover usage (including the aforementioned Marijuana Girl) and quite a few Avon digests and 1st series Avons used them.

I love it, It's kind of a poor man's Reform School Girl because it's the same publisher and composition. Reform School Girl is like the hot trashy girl at school that the cool kid got but if you were lucky you got to ride shotgun with her not-quite-as-dangerous friend Broadway The light bulb typography is pretty cool too. Nowhere near as expensive as Reform School girl but there's not a whole lot of them out there these days.

For sure! Thanks!

That's what I want to pay but sadly I don't think it's gonna happen unless it's mixed in a lot and no one notices it

That one's a little smuttier than what i'd keep in my collection but there are tons of brilliant photo covers

Most times that I go against this advice I regret it when the book disappears later

It depends on that combination of factors. Since I sell books fairly regularly, i'll take the plunge if I'm confident i'll double my money. If it's a sharp copy of Marihuana for $100 i'm buying it no matter what (and no, that never happens anymore ). But it's super hot and always sells. For less sure things, even if they're rare, as with all "store stock" you have to have the time/patience/$ to be tied up in something that might not sell quickly and 2x price isn't enough. If you don't sell books, you have to ask yourself if you'd rather spend that money on something you really need.

No doubt on the reading quality. I've been reading a bunch of the pulps i've bought lately. It is a lot of fun to journey back in the time machine these present and enjoy the innocence of some of the tales and the period ads and letter columns. I've found the various reputations true - Astounding and Argosy have been the most polished stories in their niches. Weird Tales is a league of it's own in the ghost/weird stories - many that wouldn't fit in another publication. Planet falls in the middle with some great stuff and some sketchy work. The lower end mags like Fantastic Adventures vary incredibly widely in story quality, with one or two cool tales and some stories that seem to be just raggedly thrown together. That all said, I enjoy the Astounding Freas period and the October 1953 issue is unavailable for anywhere near what the guide price says it is.

Great picks. Kunstler is very high quality. When I started collecting in the 80's those Avon T series were considered too new to be really interesting but time passes and many of them are more interesting now than a lot of books in the earlier series. I remember seeing the lot with Ladies of the Dark and wondering what the name was for - I figured it was the owners name but pseudonym makes sense. I've won some nice lots from that seller and others but you've hit the snag, which is the pile up-of unfocused books. I've done fairly well lately selling those off to fund more purchases...which leads to more unfocused books which leads to sales which leads to...

Thanks, i've bought a few off him too, including a few decent deals. He seems to have a large supply of interesting stuff but i've seen a few of these auctions go for more than what other available copies on the internet are priced at. Note - Not this one - it is pretty rare and likely one of the last needed for anyone trying to collect the MMM's. I guess he has a dedicated following on these auctions and some people aren't scouring for other copies sometimes. Nice pickup on the Big Sleep - it's a must have Avon. I'm glad picked this pretty clean one one up a while back.

Strong action on a book that has always been rare. Does anyone know this seller? I wish I could get these prices... https://www.ebay.com/itm/264747103784

It's hard to know what's truly rare because the market is so unorganized. The best you can do is search for other copies for sale at a given moment, which can be misleading. Accumulating "opportunity copies" of Popular Librarys with great covers is great sport!

This Avon was in the mail. Still picking these off where I can. I used to have them all, #7 I don't see as much. They're reprints but what a lineup! (and cover!)

Sandman I presume? Great pick-ups!

Yup It was the nicest copy of this book i've seen and was able to bundle it in with a few auction wins

Could be a horde but I suspect it's more likely a mistake, or a reprint. I've seen a few vintage paperbacks reprinted in a look that is close to the original. Someone did that with Marihuana, although granted, they didn't use the old copyright date or charge $95. https://www.amazon.com/Marihuana-Drug-Crazed-Killer-at-Large/dp/487187611X/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?dchild=1&keywords=marihuana+"william+irish"&qid=1591292552&s=books&sr=1-1-fkmr0 I'd be skeptical at minimum.

Here's my mail call today, another inexpensive war cover. It's hard to beat a Kuttner/Moore story, and a red DeSoto cover with a GI punching a Nazi in the face, a male harpy and a babe over a futuristic city background. At first I thought the right edge was trimmed but it looks too perfect and appears to be wrapped to the back with an outsized overhang on the rear. Any expert opinion would be appreciated.