The Less Blob

I did. And/or magazine. Or I am in the process of switching. No plans to take a long box up my rickety not up to code stairs.

He isn't always around.

You did good. Better than the stock market during that stretch.

Criminey, I instinctively paid right away right after my offer was promptly accepted (by a reputable dealer who frequents these boards), forgetting that I probably have a 20% chance of there being a 10-15% off coupon tomorrow. AHHG!!

OK, I read their prices. 2.5% of FMV on a $30Kish book to scrape the CT off? Seems odd, it could be one little scrape or 20 plus unsealing some tears, etc. No proportion to the amount of work they're doing, just the risk of messing up the book in the process.

Anyway, I need to get in shape so I can lug boxes of comics up and down my stairs. Right now I have my 13 year old do it.

His screen grading looks ok most of the time. No idea about books in hand though.

I am making a lot of offers on books. I am getting some flexspend money back soon, so I am not as broke as usual. I am looking at recent completed sales and factoring in prices from my 2005 OPG. I figure if I can get a solid GA or SA slab for around 2005 OPG that is good (unless recent sales say it should be lower). For raws, some % of 2005 OPG. Needless to say the vast majority of my offers have been rejected and sellers probably want to punch me in the face, but a few were not! (Hey listen, I've been on the other end. You never know if someone is just trying to feel you out, so a counter can make sense. I've gotten stupid lowball offers and countered and we ultimately came to a fair number. I can't blame them for trying to get something cheap.

It is why in the 90s when I had opportunities to buy AF 15 and a host of other keys for prices I could afford I was hesitant to do so. The only time I bought those sorts of books was from an OO collection that came into the shop. I remember looking at a 2.5-3.0 AF 15 at the Four Color comics booth at a show for $500 around 1998 and thinking about whether it was trimmed or messed with and how I might be blowing most of my budget for the show on one book...Oh well, should have bought it anyway. Any idea if Stan Lee signed over where there is color touch with a big fat metallic marker whether it would come back CT? Heck, the DD 1 I bought from Carbonaro back then, of course, it had work done on it according to CGC (albeit a minor tear seal).

And also, what is your address, where do you keep your comics, and what hours do you work? (I kid, I kid...)

That's a pretty good looking 6.5. I know this was 16 years ago and none of my business, but out of curiousity, how much did you pay (and understanding you knew it was restored)? (I know, I could look it up on heritage if I could remember my password). And I am guessing the new slabbing, pressing, and CT removal ran you $100-$200?

How much does it cost to take off some "minor" color touch? Or is it a book-by-book estimate? And does CGC re-slab if your send in a PLOD for CT removal or do they charge you for a whole new grading?

DTA does have a lot of esoteric stuff ... if you want some oddball issue of Teen Confessions he might be the only game in tow...and it seems he takes offers, so maybe it is just a game with high asks, but when he has a $3 (on a good day) modern at $20 it is silly time. I guess we won't know what he actually sells his stuff for and how frequently.

Only so many hours in the day. I suspect the deals have been found and he is not inclined to make further pricing errors.

I have been way overweight since being on these boards and am not afraid to poke fun of myself. Last time I was in shape was 2000/2001. If I posted a pic of myself here it was from then. Had some ups and downs since...got half way to where I hoped for my 20th high school reunion back in 2000 (and a few other events that year) and then packed pounds on after that. Having had some angina last year and that apparently not being enough to get me to change my ways, it took my wife deciding she wanted to get in better shape to keep me on this. She went from carbs galore (yelling at me if I did not make a side of rice or pasta with dinner) to pretty disciplined keto and going to the gym 5-6 times a week and has lost 25 pounds, and she was "average" weight for a woman to start with, so she is actually pretty thin right now, but right for her frame. Us both eating the same meals, rather than me making carbs for her and me trying to make low/no carb for me, has made all the difference this time. Sorry, I know this has nothing to do with comics, but a lot of us here are in the mid-40s range and dealing with weight issues due to sedentary desk-bound lifestyles and right now is that point where we can possibly avoid an early grave if we fix things. John Candy dropped dead at 43 (although he may have had a congenital heart condition). By some miracle I have pretty normal blood pressure, but have been high a few times when sick with bronchitis or under a lot of stress.

Melted butter helps. Butter is ok on keto/atkins/paleo, etc. But I actually don't mind it steamed with some salt. Being at war with my local pizza place really helps the pizza avoidance. Them being douches coincided perfectly with me going on this diet. And I kind of don't mind staying away from my local pizza place near my office too as they raise prices every other week and are always ranting and raving about how great that guy in Washington D.C. is.

I noticed a few people running 50 and 99 cent auctions with free shipping or 99 cent shipping. Is this just something where every week a few new sellers think this is a good way to unload junk, lose a bunch of money, and realize you can't offer free shipping on 99 cent books? Because I look at the sales and there is just no way to make money unless one person wins 50 auctions and they ship media.

Wives yell at husbands to do stuff in the house and it frazzled their brains and they forget other stuff. That's what happens to me.

Why, do you want to pay $70 for a $12 book?

A thought. In 100 pounds maybe I start tweaking the diet.

I think you are missing the need for an enterprising person to take an intelligent approach to it and do it like a business and have multiple locations. Seeding a few "good" books in these might help too. This takes up as much space as those gross gumball machines I woukd never let my kid put money in. I can't imagine those are revenue generators. Anyway, the market is hardly efficient.

A snack machine can be fitted, which is what we see. But they cost $2500. Maybe if you are a mechanical type you can pick them up cheap and fix them.

My son has one for how to train your Dragon. He won it as a grand prize through sonething legitimate.

I don't assume that at all. It has barely been tried. I have never seen one. And if someone has been trying to sell $4 comics they have been doing it the wrong way. The key is figuring out how to get the machine cheap. With that said, maybe the interest isn't there, kids are illiterate, etc

3 for $1 stuff priced at 3 for $3 or $5. I don't see any way for this to be worthwhile or profitable selling 33 cent comics. The machine itself costs a few grand. So even if leased, $50 a month? Then as the vendor you need to run around stocking a few dozen machines in a 75-150 mile radius. At some point you are spending $3 in gas to sell $2 in comics if too cheap. I am not saying you can't squeeze out a side income in the right market.