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MAY1979

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Everything posted by MAY1979

  1. You post reminds me of all the places around my home i have planted hardwired NAS' Love the part about under the Kid's beds although can not imagine that being "safe" for most
  2. I don't de-slab and space is an issue. At first I got creative with existing space but that lasts only so long. I now get rid of other stuff I was storing like DVD's (after ripping them full iso style w/multiple backups) to make space. At current rate of consumption my guess is all space I'm willing to use will be depleted by 2023. To slow that down I've decided I will halt my submitting of Comics to CGC (150 books in 2021). I don't sell comics and no longer feel the need for validation of what I own. That should extend my need for space until 2025/2026. As for reading comics it's 2022 there are other ways to do that without touching my books I've been doing it since 2010 actually. On a 12.2 Tablet its very similar to having a Comic in hand. My Chromebook is somewhat like having a full sized magazine in hand. I also can pinch and stretch a touch screen in order to adapt to my optical shortcomings. Its very rare when i can't find a Digital Copy of book I want to read be it "official" (approx 75% of the time) or through a more dubious method
  3. Agreed. In 2021 I sent in one book that had a COA. Then placed it and the original sleeve in back of the slab's sleeve when I got the book back. Logically I don't understand the COA in the case of my book. I mean it's pretty obvious what it is if one has the book in hand.
  4. Even $7 would have been waaaay too high. Raw Mid-Grade of an easy to find book - perhaps it has WP
  5. Huh??! How am I blaming the publisher? Its a comment on the Comic market and that DC is not undervalued. DC and Marvel to best of my knowledge have zero concern with the value of their Silver age back issues. The memories are old and I was very young, it could have been #69 as I recall it was a Kingpin 12 cent cover and obviously no idea if it would graded same as the JLA? Still even a standard run 1967-1972 ASM would have been a wiser choice than a 1968 JLA, even if the ASM was 9.2 or 9.4 vs 9.6. Most major Marvel character tiles non-key issues from 1968-1970 also would have been a better expenditure than the 1968 JLA. Which brings us to: My only point is for folks not to fall into the trap of thinking DC high-grade "scarcity" equates to being undervalued. DC is appropriately valued for its demand, which is significantly lower than Marvel. P.S. At least when I moved to Comic Art most of what I picked up early on from 1999-2002 was 70's Marvel. I figured correctly that the DC stuff would stay lower in price and when the Marvel stuff jumped I did pickup a decent amount of DC. Now all 60', 70's Marvel art is sky-high and still rising and much of the DC is doing the same, at least for "name-brand" characters or artists. 80's stuff is now becoming insane as well. For me luckily the lessons learned stupidly buying DC books in the 1990's allowed for intelligent choices with Comic Art as that decade ended.
  6. As part of my on-going ( off anf on) comic and trading card slab scanning project the box containing my Machine Man's (or is it Machine Men?) floated to the top. #1 was self-submit of $2 raw purchase I made in 1998. It can't been seen in the scans but the gloss and on this one is amazing so I could not care less that the wrap is not perfect. I do wonder if the slightly oc wrap did prevent it from receiving a 9.9? Its one of the nicest books I've ever submitted, razor sharp, glossy, perfect spine and flawless back. #10 My favorite Machine Man cover. While the title was before my time it was my first childhood Machine Man In the early days of the CGC census I noticed there was only 1 9.8 copy and hoped it would come up for sale - well it did, 15 or so years later... I ended up winning it for less than the expense of grading. Perhaps the OW/W pages turned off the WP crowd but to have the only 9.8 in original old school CGC Slab Label is priceless to me.
  7. Technical grades do not equal how nicely a book may present. For me personally a Perfect Spine is more important than a "Perfect Wrap" or White Pages (if pre-1980 books only)
  8. I think it's great news for collectors. Hope there are more and more a comin'. I want to see enough out these and for sale that the book going rate is $98 Canadian Dollars or less
  9. I use E Gerber 914M2 - expect pandemic super-gouging on these. Perhaps it's bit OCD, but I feel slabs do look great in them
  10. Thanks I missed "drawer" part I used Collection Drawer boxes for raw comics for few years and so did my Buddy at my LCS (I recommended them to him after I first got mine). The problem we both had is after about 18-24 months they bowed out. Which then made them difficult to open and made them look like . Given the cost it was very disappointing. On mine they were only stacked 2 high as well and they advertise you can safely do 6. When my buddy closed his shop (my LCS) to semi-retire he found a 4 collection drawers that were unused. He gave them to me. I figured I'd give them a 2nd chance. The pic represents the first that started to bow outwards and it was after just 6 months. Note that its only stacked 2 high and it is the top box.
  11. Its the E Gerber box that is Branded for them using their large logo - think White Label type deal. I personally like my stuff as free from advertising logo's as possible however most other people don't seem to care Although I can drive to Hotflips' Warehouse so the convenience is really nice.
  12. I like the heavy plastic BCM bins great for stacking these will take the weight. These are 'The Cadillac" of Graded boxes IMHO: https://www.bcwsupplies.com/graded-comic-book-bin Please note the due to pandemic interrupted supply chains Vendors on Amazon and Ebay are heavily gouging. BCW is out of stock. These bins in most cases are double or triple what they were last year which in itself was much higher than 2020. The expectation is these will have a lower cost late in 2022 although even BCW for the ones they will have in April are asking 2x the 2020 price...:( Last time I purchased the BCW it was Nov 2020 and I paid $129.99 for 5 w/free shipping. The first one you assemble may be a bit of nightmare, for me everything after the first was easy-ish. There are also the eGerber graded cardboard boxes: https://www.egerber.com/catalog_comicBox.htm Personally I'd think risky to store these more than 2 high but I do lean towards overly cautious Again expect pandemic related gouging. Lastly in the cardboard arena https://www.amazon.com/CGC-Graded-Comic-Storage-Boxes/dp/B01M213QU4/ref=sr_1_7?crid=2ZC52W5DLZ1Y3&keywords=Graded+Comic+Book+Bin&qid=1643991354&s=office-products&sprefix=graded+comic+book+bin+%2Coffice-products%2C71&sr=1-7 I picked up some of those. They comparable to the Gerber and are made in USA. No logos a nice clean box.
  13. Pressing not mentioned in the post. Is that speculative or confirmed? P.S. Agreed its horrible service, not customer service.
  14. Yes but the TAT's last April (2021) were half what they show now. So it is customer terrible service as fast track books received by CGC April 2021 are not yet returned by Feb 2022. Has been noted CGC has a mere 20 graders, it's now 2 years of record submissions and record profits, the number of graders should have be doubled over a year ago. Seriously they are in a rather low-wage state and staffing-wise are seemingly operating in total austerity mode! How cheap is Blackstone? They did get more warehouse space but that is a literal (given their location) and metaphorical low rent move that provides no true value for the customer, if anything it lengthens TAT's. Because Blackstone cares deeply about you the customer and your future business </sarcasm> This is what happens when you have no true viable competition. We can thank Borack's flipper mentality for that as with a proper business model instead fast cash grab his new outfit could have been at same level as CGC at this juncture.
  15. I changed the thread title to: "Fantastic Four 199 Marvel Special Market Edition distributed by Whitman" Marvel Whitman or Whitman Variant is much less wordy even it technically not 100% accurate. I really don't see "Marvel Special Market Edition distributed by Whitman" catching on. I think folks are going to have to deal with the easier to use 2 word terms and expect to see them stick which I believe they have done already
  16. Peter Parker Spectacular Spider-Man 90 never gets any love On-Sale Same day as MTU 141. Peter Parker 90 is my favorite Milgrom Black Cat cover. While I'm not the biggest Milgrom fan I do have a soft spot for his Hulk covers. Specifically in the 230's, 240's, and 250. Something about them is comforting to me in that Grilled Cheese Sandwich with canned Chicken Noodle (or Tomato) soup kind of way.
  17. They don't necessarily do it on every auction but they can if they want. Personally when i did use Heritage every single win of mine was at my max or 1 bid below. Glad you enjoy Heritage but those i know are tired of being legally (yep its legit in Texas) swindled in effect by them. Feel free to start a thread with a poll, my guess is those who have had your experience are not in the majority. A poll can easily prove the prevailing perception. BTW: Why is Heritage allowed to be vindictive if one takes 5 business days to pay but it's OK if they take 5-10 weeks to ship out the item.
  18. There is whole bunch of stuff legal for Auction Houses In Texas and the way I interpret what i read is the house is permitted to drive any bid to the max. The horror stories are real. My rule #1 for Comics, Cards and Art purchasing is never use Heritage. It's also my rule 2,4 and 7. I consider anything that goes to them as non-existent items in my mind.
  19. more like 20 , 15 years ago was 2007 Time does fly...
  20. My opinion Generally when a bubble begins to burst on a former hot Copper/Modern book the first to drop is the lower high-grade of 9.6. The 9.8 will maintain for time before it too follows suit. While it does not answer your question it's along similar lines I guess. BTW in the situation I mentioned the only people still buying the 9.8's at top price are; the oblivious, the uninformed, the ignorant, or those with more dollars than sense. During that time is when those trying to manipulate the market on a book tend to go all out knowing it's all about to cave in. Is the $1650 one of the cases, I don't know but it is certainly plausible and explains that alleged sale perfectly. The manipulation also does not need to be for internet sales but to beef up a book's going rate for private sale or trade. The same situation has already occurred with Starslayer #2, 9.8's can now be purchased for less than 9.6's were selling for from late Sept - Mid Nov. It why never purchase a book when hot, never ever at hot market price, is a collecting rule i live by. I simply move on to another book that interests me.
  21. Based on the Cert # look ups around 50% of the books graded late in 1999 had no page quality notation. I have one of them, my first CGC graded DC and ran me $40 in March 2000. My guess is the WP only crowd will avoid these. What I can say based on my experience with the earliest slabs is CCG was more strict on grading than just a year later.
  22. Picked this raw in the early 90's. Back then in my youth had enough for no more than $40-50 in total purchases at show/con then that was it, might as well go home. I decided to go with this over books like ASM50 in similar grade. DC's were much more rare in high grade and Marvel in higher grades seemed to be everywhere. I figured how many more chances would i get at 1968 Batgirl cover in high grade. I was wrong the correct answer was it does not matter how many there are the smart money purchases Marvel. Once again with Supply and Demand takes two to tango. Throughout the 90's I repeated that mistake over and over and over. So yeah perhaps I'm bitter but when I see folks say DC is undervalued I know they are wrong. DC is appropriately valued for the subset of Comics demand it has compared to Marvel Note: much of my Silver Age is un-scanned with nearly all DC still being raw. Raw most of my DC will remain. Other than Keys and Batman at current CGC rates it pays to submit the Silver Age Marvel I do have.
  23. Hi, Anyone else notice that since last August pretty much every week a Fantastic Four 199 "Whitman Variant" in CGC 9.8 has been sold on eBay. Also seem to be many in 9.4 and 9.6 as well https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=fantastic+four+%2B199+cgc+9.8+Whitman&_sacat=0&LH_TitleDesc=0&rt=nc Via history can only see back now to early Nov, but I'm pretty sure I started to notice these last Aug or Sept: https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2334524.m570.l1313&_nkw=fantastic+four+%2B199+cgc+9.8+Whitman&_sacat=0&LH_TitleDesc=0&_odkw=fantastic+four+%2B199+cgc+9.8&_osacat=0&LH_Complete=1 Prices somewhat steady, yeah they go up and down but never lower, as of today, than $75 and never higher than approx $152. If prices do fall to $50-$60 I may even break my own guideline about only purchasing books I have can view in hand and pull the trigger on one. Is there a story behind why there are now so many these in 9.8 of what was once a semi-difficult book to find in any grade?
  24. From photo's I never state grades above 9.4 as the pics only tell so much. This is one of those cases where only based on photo's a 9.6 or 9.8 is plausible I have only 15 books Graded/Slabbed that were published this century, Alias #1 is one of them.