grebal

. . .

So why, when given the choice, do so many sellers here opt to allow ebay to have a superior return policy when board sellers are often superior in every other way?

Ebay coddles buyers.

 

A savvy buyer always has an out through ebay, if they carefully limit the reason for their return (or canceled transaction) to "I did not buy that, it was a mistake," or "it was different than I thought," etc.

 

It's a cost of selling on ebay. Even if ebay seller wanted (and adopted) policy of "no returns on CGC books," such a policy is practically meaningless since the buyer will find a way to return the book. Sellers still state in ebay listings "no returns" but practically all the bidders seem to have figured out that it's an unenforceable policy if they play it right (paypal protection, with perhaps some lying, is the ebay buyer's province).

 

Here it's basically the frontier with a few basic rules.

 

I agree with everything you've said...

 

It just doesn't address my question.

Okay, I'll try a different vector: why do dogs lick their balls?

. . .

So why, when given the choice, do so many sellers here opt to allow ebay to have a superior return policy when board sellers are often superior in every other way?

Ebay coddles buyers.

A savvy buyer always has an out through ebay, if they carefully limit the reason for their return (or canceled transaction) to "I did not buy that, it was a mistake," or "it was different than I thought," etc.

It's a cost of selling on ebay. Even if ebay seller wanted (and adopted) policy of "no returns on CGC books," such a policy is practically meaningless since the buyer will find a way to return the book. Sellers still state in ebay listings "no returns" but practically all the bidders seem to have figured out that it's an unenforceable policy if they play it right (paypal protection, with perhaps some lying, is the ebay buyer's province).

Here it's basically the frontier with a few basic rules.

Maybe "Triumph and Torment", originally done as a graphic novel but was reprinted recently ? - (got a copy on Amazon for decent price when I heard it recommended somewhere)

Doom partnered up with Strange to beat Mephisto and rescue/free Doom's mom's soul - according to a story from back in AT 8 (Gene Colan IIRC), it was an annual ritual that Doom attempted each year, and he always had lost.

This doesn't seem to be a simple case of doubling your prices so you can advertise sales price at 50% off.

And you'd think with that high level of "inventory fmv" their insurance premiums would be much higher than if something closer to liquidation value was used.

Any essential Doctor Strange reading suggestions to take a "crash course" on the character?

 

Strange Tales 169 because you can't touch the 110 anymore!

First app. of Brother Voodoo ? ; )

I'd go with ST 126 to 146 (last Ditko issue) for a 21-pt saga that includes a few stand-alone stories interspersed along the way. Assuming you have access to the run, it's a good background read and hits many highlights - starts with first Dormamu/Clea, and you meet such notables as Mordo, Nightmare, aged Ghengis, and Eternity, as I recall.

Marvel Team-Up #95, GD/VG 3.0, $3 1st App. Mockingbird; heavy cover creasing

take please.

Unless it's better than VG 4.0 I don't think scotch tape ever causes book to be "restored" and get the PLOD.

Even with tape it's a nice book to have.

Yeah, I guess if you sided more with Cap in Civil War you could see BP as an anti-hero type I guess. He was working with Stark to get revenge but I loved how Boseman portrayed him and I'm pumped for his solo film.

The term "Black Panther" in the 60s when T'challa character was created had some baggage as anti-establishment because of the movement. It's very possible that has zero meaning, but it could also be wherefrom the bad boy rep sprung.

.....another option?

 

Nice! Back when he was still including the second E in Lee. And like other 'old school' collectors I much prefer splash page sigs to cover defacement.

To OP, I think best idea so far is get a sentimental item signed, and buy an existing collectible with a good Lee sig. His is most common sig., so, in the coming years, selecting between books w Stan Lee sig may eventually boil down to clarity of sig and placement.

To get higher guesses try smaller scans next time.

CGC grade 7.0 because based on the contest they overgrade these. Otherwise looks 6.5.

4.0, Nice book!

Bubble wrap (or cushion) between the edge of box and the CGC case (already in bubble wrap). That's the only 'best practices' detail I didn't see mentioned yet.

Ah, man, until I saw that last pic with chip I was around 9.0-9.2 for bits of spine and corner wear.

Maybe 7.5. At best could see 8.0, it's so sharp o/w.

I think as recently as July I might have posted a comment to the effect that I think sigs on the cover is defacement, except for maybe artist's work but only if unobtrusive.

Then I came across this in my box. Not even a spectacular book or anything, but I've seen the light - I like my sig book.

Anyway, good luck getting Stan to sign where you want to, I heard great idea: tape a template over the cover so that only space for sig is exactly where you want it (then only need worry about orientation and mishandling, etc.).

You simply can't hold this JIM83 in your hands and think 3.5, it's simply too nice of a comic.

That makes a big difference, I agree completely.

Before CGC the 'overall eye appeal' was basically the grade (absent a major crease or something). I think since collectors still regard eye appeal as very important CGC can't help but incorporate those standards beyond just counting ticks and applying rules.

3.5-4.0

+1

In the contest last month there was a single book [showcase 35] with the same water stain on back/front, and I guessed 4.0 (I'd kept guessing low prior to the round so I increased my guess from 3.5 to 4.)

Turned out CGC graded it 3.5, and most contestants got it right at 3.5. Which is usually what books with such a waterstain end up grading out at.

http://boards.collectors-society.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=9513336&Board=50&fpart=all&gonew=1#UNREAD

Although 1) we don't know whether interior of the Showcase 35 had stained pages, and whether CGC will give higher than 3.5 if interior is clean like this Thor, and 2) such a key book as Thor's intro. might earn a "key bump".

I'd grade it 3.0+ if selling raw.

If playing the contest I'd predict/guess it got a 3.5 based on scans. My alternate guess would be up a grade, to 4.0.

Great transaction, Jer. Thank you very much for taking care of selling this batch of books for Nick (Medina). Nick's grades on the books that you sent me were helpful and accurate.

Great packaging and super fast, plus I need around 12 comics in this great bunch of books. The others are so nice maybe I'll upgrade a couple, and sell the rest, great deal too.

Gracias dude. And, thanks Nick !!

from the original sale thread:

Thanks for the input c4fun and valiant, always glad to get others' perspectives.

I get where he's coming from, particularly in the event e.g. that all the books end up in VG, at best (which would price out just about the asking price imo).

In the past when collecting (2008 and earlier, but practically only ebay) I was one suspicious/skeptical/glass-is-half-empty scrutinizer. Guess I've mellowed.

Though I still shop on ebay too, and recently found seller with scans that have whites that are too white; !, that gave me an itch for a while. And like others I disapprove of keyword spamming (CGC in titles, adding key #s, etc.). So there's still plenty of the crotchety still in me.

Both bighairjer and Mmanick are good guys and I personally wouldn't be worried about buying from either of them.

+1

Also, didn't see any red flags, or reason to suspect something fishy with listing, so I bought it.

If it turns out I get a stack of confetti/pulp and can't get my money back then I'll have been wrong . . .

[Certainly it won't be the first time this week.]

If you're willing to buy from someone who isn't playing by the rules you're part of the problem.

Sorry you feel that way. In my world I'm a person who follows most rules most of the time, although I'm far from perfect. [but mama always said I'd be a problem one day]

As Harvey mentioned, the grading approximation was sufficient (particularly in light of the pic), and it doesn't really matter to me which are the 4-5 books I couldn't see, since the rest of the books were interesting enough to purchase for the asking price.

: (

^ Funny, that is the same issue (CM33 in 9.8 with cutout) in the link they gave No-man.

It's an incomplete book. So I think you can get a qualified label and get the actual grade.

 

If you want a blue label, I would say it's either 0.5 or maybe 1.0 max.

 

I could be wrong, but I suspect that if you had a comic that was otherwise a 9.8 or higher, the loss would probably be greater than 1.0. At least that's how it seems to me.

Think he meant the final grade would be 1.0, not the loss.

People care if cut-out affects story or not, but do collectors tend to distinguish whether the cutout is a coupon, MVS, or (in my case) a letter from letters page (about 1 inch by 2 inches, with ads on reverse side of letter page)?

My letter cutout came from an FF 46 in FVF otherwise. I figure grade remains 1.0 (blue) at best or 7.0 qualified, correct?

the comics4less sale prices are mind boggling to me. They must have amazing customer service and extremely strict grading, because they very frequently sell raw books for the same price or higher than a graded copy. The Marvel Premiere #10 I wanted which books somewhere around $30 or so? sold for $60+ shipped today.

Might be a bit of collector solidarity since the C-4-L guy last month suffered a well-known theft of major comics, including e.g. AF15 etc. Or maybe it was swell of 'summer over' buyers? Or maybe the books on offer were well-timed for demand (like Doc movie coming soon)?

But c4l has sold plenty of books at good discounts from guide - twice in past few months I've won 10-20 books from c4l, and he is a reliable/winning dealer, and most importantly accurate grader. But I paid well below guide on my two big rounds I bought (bunch of Thors 127-151 at $11 for VG/F to $20 for F+; XMen 11 VGF $64, #16 & 17 F/F+ at $56 & $42; Avengers 9 VG $93, 69 VG+ $22, 77 VG $13, 85 VGF $18, ASM Ann 1 VGF $260 !).

I suspect the Kamandi 1 at $32-something was good timing luck of seller (with a lot of similar era DC #1 in decent grades) and not indication that it's 'hot.'

That's not me in the photos.

Pffft, I think most of us could figure out that you're not really Spiderman.

I remember the comic shop in Wantagh, NY near the train station as being located in different place than you guys - on Wantagh Ave. just no. of Sunrise Hwy. Maybe they later moved to Sunrise just east of the Wantagh Pkwy/Want. Ave, the one I think was mentioned. Or maybe that was a different store that opened after the smaller one closed? Anyway, I remember one down there too, just not the same as you guys mentioned (Buzzetta and ?).

I grew up in Levittown and was there 70s-90s, and during my hunt-for-comics-by-bicycle days from 1975-80, when that Wantagh store wasn't enough, I finally found another back-issue store a long ride east on Sunrise Hwy into Amityville, I think around Rt 110 and Merrick Rd (or Sunrise), it was called Manketo's Memorabilia (sp?).

Then a few years later I recall a "Heroes World" opened up in the Nassau Mall (on Hempstead Tpk, just east of Wantagh Ave.) third shop on the left as you enter the Mall. That was big time, it had more than just a handful of long boxes of back issues, it was huge.

Selling for first time (few times) can be a bit of a challenge, establishing your bona fides. Although I've seen new members often jump right in with sales thread when they are established Ebay sellers and they give reference to their ebay ID.

But buying for the first few times is much less of an issue - first "take it," and then pay. As mentioned, you can wait for the seller to send PM-invoice, or just shoot them a PM. Even when busy with a sales thread, they'll soon get to it.

I've never heard someone complain that they've gotten too many PMs (even when accurate).

People here love using PMs. And even if you jumped in with your very first post and bought Amaz. Spiderman #1 instead of Doc Strange 1, the seller will be happy to take your money before he ships the book. Authenticating yourself as a buyer rarely seems an issue - just give 'em the money.