mec3437

I've slabbed a few storylines but never a series that was more than five issues.  X-Men 129-137 comes to mind since I still have a couple of those books to submit.  Other than that, the only full run I have would be Punisher 1-5 of the limited series, and slabbed runs of retailer incentives from some of IDW's Transformers series, but I wouldn't consider those especially impressive.  I have recently thought about doing it with Canadian price variant runs of X-Factor (seven issues) and Punisher (5 issues).  If I do that, I'd like them all in 9.6 at least.  I have thought about doing it with a cheap, fun series.  Something like Thing or Dazzler would easier from a cost perspective (cheap raw prices).  I haven't found a full on series I would want to slab though.  I did see pictures of a person's CGC 9.8 run of Transformers #1-80 and about crapped my Optimus Prime underwear.  It was pretty cool to see.  

I'll give you $500 in cash right now!  

I kid.  Those are very nice books.  I'm sorry about your brother.  

A handful arrived today.  Some more should arrive in the next few days.  

17 hours ago, THE_BEYONDER said:

2 comics for $1.49.  One cent off the combined cover price.  I'm sold!  

Complete runs:

Alpha Flight v1 + annuals

Excalibur v1 +annuals

GI Joe (Marvel)

Transformers (Marvel/Dreamwave/IDW)

Wolverine v2 + annuals

New Mutants v1 + annuals

X-Force v1 + annuals

X-Factor v1 + annuals

(Uncanny) X-Men v1 + annuals

X-Men/New X-Men/Legacy/X-Men + annuals

X-Men Unlimited v1

Punisher multiple volumes including Marvel Knights & Max series

Punisher War Journal v1 & 2

Punisher War Zone v1

Dazzler

The Thing

Star Wars (2015 series)

Darth Vader v1 and 2

Doctor Aphra

I think that is it.  Currently working on Canadian price variant runs of Uncanny X-Men, X-Factor, Punisher, and Transformers.  Also working on X-Men UK price variant run.  

Edit: I didn't add in the tons of mini series from the 1980s-2000s or short run indy series (ie. Human Torch 1-8, Drifter, Invisible Republic, etc.)

The more current phrasing of "Freshly Graded/Slabbed" or some bullcrap along those lines.  It sounds like they're trying to sell fruits and vegetables on the roadside.  "I picked this 9.8 fresh off the vine!"  

18 hours ago, kav said:

"I'm a veteran"

This one irritates me more than it probably should.  As a veteran, it really bugs me when people try to get discounts for their service like it's some sort of entitlement from the VA.  

On another note, Over Christmas time I had someone send me a message asking if they could have a 1/2 off price because a slabbed book was for his children.  He got upset because I wouldn't accept his $250 offer on a $500 book.  I must have forgot that it was my fault he didn't pull & pray hard enough with his wife and ended up with two kids.  

1 hour ago, serling1978 said:

That's pretty cool due to the scarceness of a run like that. I can't imagine that many complete pence runs of a series like X-Men exist out in the collecting world.  I'm a huge collector of runs and have #1-#400 or so for a lot of the major series (ASM, X-Men, Hulk) and complete runs of smaller series like Defenders, Nova, Master of Kung Fu, Tomb of Dracula, What If, Marvel Team Up, etc etc etc, but i don't think I have the patience to seek out any all pence runs .  So more props to you!

Thanks!  It's a chore.  As far as X-Men goes, I have #96-152 minus the gaps due to there not being pence issues.  I have a sprinkling of issues before #96 with the earliest pence in my run being #13.  I'm sort of saving for a lower grade #1 but realistically, I'l be buying another GSX #1 to fill that hole.  I have some smaller series, but not many.  More of a Copper Age Marvel mini series collector too.  So, in addition to my X-Men pence run, I'm working on a Canadian newsstand run of Uncanny X-Men, Punisher limited series, with Transformers and X-Factor about to be added to that list as well.  I'm halfway through the UXM portion, but I guess I've taken a shine to some of the price variants that were still first prints for the UK and Canadian markets.  It's always nice to see fellow run collectors.  It seems like the keys have been all the rage last 13 years or so ever since the whole MCU thing came about.  

She didn't like the clutter once I got past a five long boxes, but she never discouraged it.  I think she was happy I was reading.

5 minutes ago, jools&jim said:

Does anyone still use "OOP" (out of print) on eBay to imply that, for example, a VG Conan #105 is somehow scarce or exotic?

Lately I've only seen it for certain TPBs or actual books

I'm currently working on a complete X-Men pence run, and I really have to give a shout out to @Get Marwood & I for his work on compiling tons of pence copies and all of his research.  So, thank you.  Moving along, I ended up with a pence copy of a Daredevil #163 a couple years ago and thought it was kind of neat.  I actively go out of my way to find pence copies first for any books I'm looking for.  If it does, I'll hop on it.  I dig them, and will buy them if the condition is reasonable.  I have several Hulk, Iron Man, Daredevil and Fantastic Four pence copies but working on X-Men is my pence focus right now.  For me, it was something different to look at after I completed my full run of X-Men.  I have two 35 cent variants to track down as well.  I know quite a few collectors who won't touch pence books for whatever reason, and others who have no problem because they can be a little less expensive even when factoring in shipping from the UK.  

I think my best was winning an auction in 2000-2001ish for the first 40 issues of Marvel's Transformers run for about $36.  I still have the original 2-40 that I won, along with the rest of the series that I acquired over time.  I sold the #1 a few years ago, which came back as a 9.0.  That sale covered my original cost plus some.  

I was never big on Romita Jr's X-Men work in the 80s, but I always liked this cover he did.  I think I pick up high grade copies when I'm browsing the back issue bins.  Not valuable by any stretch but a book I loved as a kid.  

International packages to me have been fairly normal.  Comes into Chicago or New York, then comes pretty direct.  Canada is the exception.  Two packages from Doug S. went to Chicago.  One went to TX from Chicago before making its way to OH, while the other somehow ended up in Louisville for a few day after Chicago.

Domestic has been different, but not terrible.  Some stuff (first & priority) was behind by about a day but seems normalish now.  Media mail seemed to be operating at its usual pace.  I sent two cheap lots out via media mail this past week.  I just dropped them off due to not wanting to wait in line with all the 'rona going around.  They still have not been scanned in.  I'll have to reach out to the buyers to let them know that there is a delay.  What's odd is that the first class packages I dropped off with the media rate packages are already delivered or will be within another day.  Kinda frustrating, but not a big deal for now.  

On 7/21/2018 at 12:40 PM, Get Marwood & I said:

A chance to voice your opinion and send a message to CGC

I don't think CGC cares what anyone says as long as people keep sending them money

15 minutes ago, valiantman said:

Douglas Adams said it's 42%.

The 24% I got on my algebra final in high school might make my math a little sketchy.

I think my weirdest route went from Chicago to PA to Puerto Rico to Memphis to Chicago to Cincinnati.  That was a priority package.  I wish I still had the screenshot.  I wasn't even mad, I was more intrigued by it.  Right now, I'm sitting on about five days of having two packages not scanned in at the post office.  I've been using the drop box in the 24 hour lobby to avoid lines with the 'rona running wild.  I'm used to maybe a day lag time with that, but five seems a little much.  I wouldn't be too worried with it except that I dropped off other items with those packages that have scanned and moved through the system.  Some delivered yesterday, some going out today for delivery.  It's slightly frustrating.  

The premium is 37%