MAY1979

Oakland - I've had over 20 of mine graded.  6 scored higher than Vinny's Label, 8 graded lower and 8 were precise. Overall that's pretty good however part of the credit i feel goes to me for picking out what I felt were the strongest condition books.

Here's one that I always felt was nicer than grade Vinny's label , CGC agreed with me.

I've a bunch of Northland I had graded from 2001-2003 that I never had noted as a pedigree ;( 

I've probably submitted around 20 Northland's overall very few received a grade that was equal to the cert and none that received higher. Here is one that was equal.

On 5/11/2024 at 7:55 PM, Gus Landt said:

I'm ready to buy issue #1 in 9.8 condition, but I see a ton of auctions to choose from.  Are all Universal Grade 9.8s with White Pages considered equal?  As in I may as well buy the cheapest one I see (looks to be just shy of $500)?  Or is there something else I should be looking at?  Sorry for the beginner question but I am brand new to graded comics, and the Godzilla #23 9.8 I bought on eBay 2 weeks ago was my first ever graded comic. :-)

 

If you value money, I'd be more patient going forward.  Bronze Age and later Comics on the whole are free-falling overall in FMV. Buying stuff when it's hot is never prudent.  IMHO #1 will be sub $350 sometime between Oct 2024 and Feb 2025. Its a High 9.8 population book and demand by then will drop significantly.

If money is no object then simply offer Jordy $150K for his #1 ranked collection

On 5/11/2024 at 7:38 AM, CGC Mike said:

Hi Label errors can be sent to us anytime.  Here is the wording to our Mechanical error policy.  

There are two types of Mechanical Errors:

• Holder defects, which may be returned by the original submitter within 14 days of the submitter’s receipt of the collectible.

Note: If you are submitting through an CGC Official Submission Center or Authorized Dealer, please contact them to make a return, or contact CGC Customer Service directly.

• Label defects, which may be returned by anyone at any time.

Thanks Mike, I will submit them at a Con later this year.

I love Sugar and Spike. Classic Cover IMHO

Another Canadian Price Variant CGC labelled wrong...

@CGC Mike I have a few CPV Digests that wrongly show "Newsstand" Not "Canadian Price Variant"  in the DB, as well as are labelled incorrectly. Does CGC still back it's product and reputation by their fixing errors or am I (all of us) out of luck?

On 5/9/2024 at 8:48 AM, BA773 said:

So if i understand its all freaking reprint of the Fawcett GA stories...? Absolutely any novelty? 

If it is, there s absolutely no argue to collect it, especially considering that Fawcett GA books still affordable... 

Tanks fer sharin'

On 5/9/2024 at 3:13 PM, Silver Surfer said:

Someone needs to make a massive private offer for his Thor work. At least let him think about it and maybe eventually he would consider it.

I'd rather Walt keep it locked away himself rather, than some Rich Boy or Crypto Bro keeping locked away for themselves.

On 5/8/2024 at 8:58 PM, timguerrero said:

I don't doubt he knows it is an appreciating asset and he will probably leave precise instructions on what is supposed to happen to the art in case of his death. I'm thinking I will have my family send everyhting to Heritage

Careful with that - remember Nicholas Cage!

Starting to get the feeling that more folks will go back to cable or satellite - not sure data backs that up yet but have a suspicion it will in 1-2 years....

My opinion OW/W totally 100% fine for 9.8 but 9.9 or 10 must have White.

I'd bet heavily that if both those ROM's were cracked and re-subbed they would now get White pages, I've seen  it many many times with older slabs.  However the books would also come back graded 9.8, given their current grade appears to be a true gift!

Maybe this can be explained????

^ They will be yellow with black top banner

As this thread is in Copper hope a Sept 1990 book/mag counts.  During my youth, In 1990-1991 when going to local cons (but not school) I sported  a "Who Is Darkman" promo pin on my denim jacket

Tough magazine to find in High Grade!  Sought one in 9.8 for nearly 20 years and still NONE Exist. When I saw this 1 of 2 9.6 that Presents Above It's Grade (based pics from CGC site) i was all over the auction. I believe light color rubbing on back cover is reason for 9.6. I seen many less appealing looking books graded the past 2 years score a 9.8.

Thrilled to finally have a nice displaying copy. Mine from back in the day is 9.2 at best. As I recall my LCS' only got a few copies of the book back then and given how condition sensitive zero chance they were going to be in my preferred condition - and weren't.

Note the scan makes the color rubs far more noticeable than on the actual slabbed book in hand.

On 5/7/2024 at 9:31 AM, grapeape said:

You just need $$$ and you'll find just about anything for negotiation.

True!  I never, well almost never, sell Comics or Comic art but there have been times I was offered "stupid money" then negotiated up from that and parted with items that I never thought I would...

The saying "everyone has a price" exists for the mere reason that everyone does.

3 Universal truths:

- Death
- Taxes (exception for large corporations)
- Deception or far, far worse from; Sellers/Dealers of Comic Book Art, Comic Books and Trading Cards

On 5/6/2024 at 12:24 PM, Lee B. said:

Here's one more listing, from 1980, advertising the covers to #159, #161, and #163.  You could buy all three covers for less than the costs of a Swamp Thing panel page from the same advertisement:

http://comicartads.com/content/daredevil-163-cover

http://comicartads.com/content/swamp-thing-6-page-18

Good Lord...

On 5/4/2024 at 9:45 AM, Stefan_W said:

Prior to the pandemic prices were pretty stable with small yearly gains for bigger key books. The trends you mention show massive upward spikes during the comic boom followed by an equally massive drop in price after things largely returned to normal. We are still standing in sand to a degree where new foundations for most books (especially new ones) are not yet set. Having said this, it appears as though the biggest drops for most books are behind us. 

The most troubling part of all of this is buyers are more reluctant to open their wallets and make purchases while there is still instability in the particular segment of the market they are interested in. The way this plays out is people often just sit on their wallets expecting an even better deal on a book to come along down the road. There is less of this now than in 2023, but it is still very much a factor.  

not to mention all those who have exited the hobby to the point that less collectors now than in late 2019. Typical of any bust. Comic hobby as whole is now in an attrition state, in what is likley a permanent paradigm expect the few new collectors entering the hobby to be greatly exceeded by those leaving (regardless of reason for doing so).  The bleeding will not stop only question is; for how long it can be impeded.

Dealers yer salad daze of 2020-2022 ain't a never comin' back in yer lifetime. Now we get to see who actually has business acumen by those who remain standing. Hint those who do have true business acumen are likley not spending time here whining about lower FMV's they are doing whatever it takes to adapt, like the oh so dreaded by the Midus' here action of lowering prices, to ensure steady inbound cash flow...
 

On 5/2/2024 at 5:10 PM, blazingbob said:

Hmmm.

Music Concerts aren't exactly cheap anymore.  Unless I'm watching a street musician I'm into the stratosphere for a concert.  

Sporting Events,  Try a NY Knick,  Ranger or Yankee game to feel fleeced

Restaurants?  Man if you want some inflation try eating out.  Better yet head out to California for some  Big Macs.  

I've had 2 Big Mac's in my life. Yakked/Ralph-ed/Hurled both times within 2 minutes of eating them, similar to the super-size me film.  That's the anthropological reaction the body has when it believes it's ingested is poison. Which in the case of that type of a "burger" is pretty much on point..

BTW:

- it wasn't 18 (that's a modern lie) it was $15 
- it wasn't CA it was CT...
- The $15 it was for what they allegedly call a meal. I say allegedly as french fries and soda pop only constituent a meal to those lacking a 3 digit IQ. 
- Average Big Mac price in CA is currently $5.11 - which IMHO is $5.105 more than it's worth
- Average Big Mac price is higher on Bob's Long Guy-lind  than in CA

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/18-big-mac-meals-see-150028269.html

On 5/2/2024 at 8:16 PM, Stefan_W said:

They certainly do.

As a for instance, I had this ASM 316 go for what was a record price at the time. One sale landed above this in GPA at around the same time, but I believe that one was a news stand that was not recognized as such on the slab or in the notes. 

It is a lot of fun to be on the right side of these sales. 

 

That auction was the reason I decided to submit my Childhood copy... It did grade a 9.8 but as the FMV continues its plummet I'll soon wonder if it was worth the expense to send in....

wanna know why there won't be another comics boom...~67% of collectors are 50+

Exceptions, Outliers, Blue-chips, and Hot item De Jour will always exist but the pandemic was the hobby's last across the board hurrah. The only question is how fast attrition will occur.

Sleeping in their stores is akin to Midas Syndrome.

On 4/28/2024 at 11:50 AM, shadroch said:

Around 1990, I was set up at a NY show, and at the table next to mine was a store owner from Virginia.  We spent four days talking and watching each other's table. He was near Alexandria, and I visited DC often, so a few weeks later, I dropped by his shop. It was a nice enough shop but I was stunned to find out he slept on a mattress in the backroom and showered at a gym.  Living his dream came with a cost.

I know 2 Comic Shop owners who did that except they did not have a gym... The shops were especially ripe in the summer.

There are so many more sound investments than Comics that are far far easier to liquidate with low fees.

On 4/23/2024 at 10:30 AM, ygogolak said:

That 9.8 was a steal. I was getting $50-60 for #23 raw in 2021.

#22,23,24 Population Comparisons

#22 has increased the least, both in # of 9.8 as well as percentage.   #23 population now may be satisfying demand?  Time will tell...


As of April 16 2024

June 29, 2021