marvelmaniac

I have ton's of low grade books and some have writing/drawing on the cover, they are known as "Reading Copies" and make collecting and filling your runs more affordable. They are Not "Investment Books". IMO you need to learn about Comic Book Grades and Comic Book Grading so you know what you are buying and not overpaying/overbidding on eBay. Here are some reference materials that would help guide you through the process. https://comics.ha.com/tutorial/comics-grading.s?show=comicdefinitions https://www.amazon.com/Overstreet-Comic-Book-Price-Guide/dp/1603602097 https://www.amazon.com/Overstreet-Guide-Grading-Comics-2016/dp/1603601996/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1513338817&sr=8-1&keywords=overstreet+comic+book+grading+guide

I have been using tape as far back as the 80's when no one was even thinking about it and until recently I never even gave it a second thought. Since every Mylite I own has the flap taped and removing it would leave tape residue the tape is staying, replacing 3600 + Mylites to get rid of tape and residue is totally and completely out of the question for me. Hopefully the new generation of collectors will read this and learn something, but probably not, experience is the best teacher.

I was so sorry and saddened when I read about your loss so this is kind of after the fact and it is and disheartening that we are even discussing this at all but... Should this ever happens again (God Forbid) to you or someone else i would just like to add my I have OCD and so I have a Detailed List of Everything in my Apartment with Photographs, Individual Photographs of important higher dollar items and 5-6 views of each room. As things are added or replaced the list and photo's are updated. My renters insurance covers "Cost Of Replacement". As far as my Comics and Collectibles they are insured through https://collectinsure.com/?gclid=CJu3heLP8cUCFYuPHwod4kgAww Two years ago I regraded all of my books, made a detailed list of all books and their grades/grader notes and I photographed all 3600 books and they are listed with their grades. All of my info for my Apartment Contents and Comics/Collectibles are stored on my Computer and Two Separate Flashdrives. One flashdrive stays in the apartment, the other goes with me everywhere I go so if something should happen the info is not lost. CIS also has a list of all of my comics/collectibles and at the end of each year I send them a list of whatever I had purchased/added to the collection that year so my file is up to date. Hope everything works out.

Things like this make books like this affordable for guys like me. If I did not already own a copy this book would be Welcomed and Loved in My Collection.

You are not alone. When I was grading my books a couple of years back I did not think and laid a Mylite on top of my DD 131. The Mylite had tape residue and when I went to lift the Mylite off it stuck to the cover and... A tear to the top left of the cover. What would have been a FN- 5.5 dropped to a GD/VG 3.0.

Back in 96 we were having breakfast at a local Denny's. When we were leaving I happen to look over at the newspaper box outside of the restaurant and saw this... I was flabbergasted, had no idea and have kept this newspaper as part of my comic collection since it is a part of comic history. The painting displayed below (in between the action figures) was done freehand on a canvas (oils/water colors???) by a guy I used to work with. He was into comics as I was/am and we went to a couple of local cons together, went traveling around to all of the local comic shops a few times, etc. Back in 98/99 (???) he left the dealership where we were working and I did not hear from him for the next year or so. Then one day I came home from work and this painting was outside my door with a note that read "he was leaving town (no explanation given) and could not take anything with him and he was giving me this painting because he knew I was the only one that would appreciate it." Have not seen or heard from him since.

Lets go back to the early 60's... They Are Comic Books!!! They were not printed to be fine works of art or New York Times bestsellers. They were printed to grab the attention of pre-teen/teenage boys for reading entertainment only and considered throwaways... Again... They Are Comic Books!!!

We have a lot in common as far as comic book collecting other than I am not looking to upgrade since I still need books to complete some of my runs of Pre-Hero Marvel Horror (JIM and ST) and Atlas/Marvel Westerns. (Kid Colt and Rawhide Kid). I am very proud of my low grade DD #1 as well as you should also be proud to own yours, some people do not own one in any grade. I also have numerous low grade early Silver I purchased to complete my runs, higher grade would have been/still would be out of my price range and just having one in any grade and completed runs makes me happy. Happy Collecting and Enjoy those Low Grade Readers!!!

https://collectinsure.com/?gclid=CJu3heLP8cUCFYuPHwod4kgAww

Getting off topic... The point was/is that just because Delivery Confirmation says the item Was Delivered and Left In/At Mailbox, Front Porch, etc does not mean it went to the Proper Address and unfortunately unless the carrier actually remembers delivering the package nobody in the USPS will know where it went. I have even had cards left in my mailbox or at the door stating I had a package that required a signature and I could pick it up next day at the "Laurel Springs Post Office" and when I get there they do not have it and after several phone calls from the people at the PO it went to the "Clementon" post office or the carrier left it on the truck, "you should get it today". Even Certified Mail with Return Receipt is not 100% guaranteed to be delivered properly, read the USPS fine print. It only tells you it "was delivered" but not "where" and gives you a signature (that usually cannot be read) that shows "somebody" accepted the package/letter.

I am a "collector" and have been "collecting" since 1979 which began as getting back the books I had in the early to mid 60's. I could care less about this or that artist/writer, how many where printed, do not really care about the movies or anything related to the movies, I only care about completing my runs and filling my "collection". I do not care what they are worth, only my family cares about that because they will be "stuck" with them after I am gone. They are insured should something happen. I have completed most of my Silver Age runs and moved to Golden Age Marvel Horror/Westerns and a lot of my "older/early issues" are lower grade (.5 - 2.0) and I am proud to own them and have them as part of my collection.

Why would I want to or why should I have to pay for a PO Box, drive to the post office every week... Also, a lot of eBay sellers do not ship to PO boxes. Getting tired just thinking about it, No Thanks.

Just to add some insight into this from a buyers perspective. USPS has been losing, delivering my letters/packages to the wrong address for over 20 years, ever since the Township told USPS to use street #'s instead of the name of the apartment complex, there are three complexes in a row all with a similar street address and some use similar apartment #'s. Packages, Utility Bills, Bank Statements, Checks, etc. have been lost, some utility bills I received two months later with "delivered to wrong address written across the envelope. Twice I had to close bank accounts because checks/statements were lost in the mail. (Paperless billing fixed most of the issue but not the eBay package issue) My apartment # is I-71 but computers print shipping labels with a Capital I that looks like a 1 and will not put the dash in between so it looks like 171 and since the post office does not pay close attention it goes to the wrong address. When I was lucky I would have the same postal carrier for a year or so and they would get to know me by name so if it was not addressed correctly they still knew where it went, however... USPS constantly changes carriers and carrier routes so there are always new carriers that do not know you. I always added a message to all sellers I purchased from on eBay explaining this and asked them to check the label and make address corrections by hand if needed, only about 50% did this...??? The BIGGEST issue is that Delivery Confirmation is practically USELESS, delivery confirmation ONLY shows it "Was Delivered" not "Where It Was Delivered" and all USPS does each time is say "We will have the carrier recheck" or "We will ask the carrier" which 99% of the time results in Nothing. I corrected the eBay issue by not having ANYTHING shipped to my apartment, all purchases now get sent to my Son's House and I have had no issues since.

Yes, your 3.0 is very cool... but this is low grade.

I did this a couple of years ago.. Re-Graded/Cataloged/Photographed 3600 books, the pics and lists are stored on my computer and two separate flashdrives. Who gets what is laid out in my will and I left specific instructions on caring for/handling/grading and selling comic books with notes on where to find specific info such as the Overstreet Grading and Price Guides and online links to places such as My Comic Shop/Comic Connect, etc and where to find all of the info on my computer/flashdrives. My Son/Daughter and Sister each received a sealed copy of the will. I also feel that unloading your books now as to not burden your family is silly, why should I stop living and enjoying my hobbies now just because I am getting older and may die in the next 10-15 years...??? You could die tomorrow so that rational says you should never start collecting things or doing anything that may burden your family in the first place.

Still looking and will probably never get one since my research shows #12 never existed. Until somebody in the know can confirm that 100% the search continues.

I cannot tell you exactly what the proper archival storage protocol is to prevent "rust", however... Mylar Bags, Acid Free Boards, Kept Away from Sunlight/UV and a Controller Environment (Temp and Humidity) are the keys to preserving your books properly. Mylars bags are not airtight, they protect the book from outside environmental hazards and you need some humidity or the paper will dry out resulting in brittleness. From what I have read 68-72 degrees and 50% humidity is recommended for paper conservation.

Lovin That!!! My stuff is all displayed, my bedroom looks like it should be a 10 year olds, not a 62 year olds.

Just have to say after reading some of these posts and this is just an observation on my part... Your idea's of low grade and my idea's of low grade are worlds apart.

Low Grade FR 1.0

I am all about completing my runs and already have numerous low grade reading copies of early issues.

We have a family tradition that has been going on for 5 years now. Each year at the end of January, we (Myself, Sister, Daughter, Daughter In Law) take four of my Grandchildren (three 8 year old's and a 3 year old) on an annual Toy's R Us excursion to spend some of their Christmas money, we make a day of it as a family. The Grandkids always look forward to doing this and start talking about it as soon as the holidays are over, they will be severely disappointed should something happen to Toy's R Us.

Two of my favorite Marvel storylines of all time. F.F. 111 - 116 and F.F. 208 - 214.

There were no video games when "Boomers" were kids.

I probably should have added this in my original post since this is the book that made me say "WOW" as a kid when I saw it and got me interested in collecting and reading Marvel Comics back in the 60's.