tdotcbc84

I don't think anyone needs to convince others on this forum, that comics can be a good investment  

3 hours ago, delekkerste said:

So, I acquired (either bought or submitted) almost all of my CGC books between 2000 and 2004 before I just quit cold turkey and moved full time to collecting original art.  As a result, however, my grading standards are pretty much frozen in time as to what prevailed back then, which, despite "soft grading time periods", was almost universally more strict than what I have seen has become of grading standards over the past 10 years (to the extent that I have looked).  

The one major exception regarding the older books being, by and large, more tightly graded (even during the "soft" periods) was in the very early days of CGC still figuring things out.  I don't know what qualifies as a 9.9 nowadays, but, back in my day , there's no way that 9.9 should have gotten a 9.9 back in the period when I was actively collecting, which I can only chalk up to CGC still finding their feet very early on.  Even on the small-ish scan posted above, you can see that the upper RH corner is a bit blunted, and very slight wear on the lower LH corner, along with that print roll artifact (I very vaguely recall noticing some other minor imperfections as well; we'd need a better scan to confirm, though). I am certain that there have been other Hulk #181s as good or better than this one that have passed through CGC and did not get a 9.9 because that 9.9 was a mistake to begin with. 

I think people forget that even a 9.8 used to be a very tough grade to get back in the first few years of CGC grading (I'd send in cherry-picked off the stands Moderns and many would come back 9.6s!)  If you were collecting slabs from the outset, surely you remember when that nothing book, The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe #15 CGC 9.8, hit eBay and sold for stupid money back in the day, just because a 9.8 was so rare.  Remember "danten311" who was scooping up all the PPSS #1s 9.8s for ridiculous money? We had some chats off-line where he said, sure, it's a common book, but, he felt safe with the 9.8s...  

All of which is to say that the Hulk #181 9.9 should not have been a 9.9 either then or now, just as the "Gretzky" T-206 Honus Wagner confirmed through court testimony to have been cut/trimmed from an uncut sheet shouldn't have been a PSA 8 either over in baseball card land.  And, yet, in either case, it hasn't really mattered - for better or worse, there's only one CGC 9.9 Hulk #181 and only one PSA 8 T-206 Honus Wagner card, and people want them.

But, in any case, the 9.9 copy is no longer at the top of the Hulk #181 heap now that the original cover art has been confirmed to exist (not widely known, but, the word has been out for the past 18 months among the OA cognoscenti).  The complete story also exists; contrary to erroneous reports, it was not destroyed in the Len Wein house fire, it was merely damaged and has been restored.  

Very interesting insight, and for the most part, I agree with all your points.  I have read numerous accounts of this 9.9 not really being a 9.9.  But let me ask this question - Would you rather have that "perfect" 9.8, or this 9.9?  I'm seriously curious what people would say..... 

SOLD!

1 hour ago, echu said:

per PM.

Payment pending --- Super fast claim from @echu !

First time posting on forums to sell.

Sold and bought a lot on FB / IG / eBay.  Feedback available upon request.

Asking: $800USD + Shipping (Buyer can decide how they want it to be shipped)

Book located in Toronto, Canada.

On 1/19/2019 at 2:08 PM, carefulsum said:

It's not just IH181 that's moving, it seems anything related to Wolverine is being speculated insanely. Look at Foom #2 (which some believe is Wolverine's first appearance even before IH180 albeit in a "prototype form") is shooting up like crazy in just the past 30 days.

Talk about Tulip Mania!

 

 

 

FOOM 2 is an interesting book. I dont' think many speculators go for it, it's truly for the FAN AT HEART!

10 hours ago, Mjolnir! said:

Curious, does anyone know what the sweet spot grade to purchase this book is right now?

The highest grade your wallet allows (I'm actually being serious).  With the exception of maybe 9.8, as that's a completely different game

On 1/12/2019 at 4:08 PM, Drummy said:

That collection of X-Men #1's is beyond crazy.  Awesome!

I picked this up this year...can't believe I haven't posted it here yet:

 

My copy has the EXACT same chipping as yours, almost to the T! or X in this case    If you cover the label, I would have guessed it was my copy you had!

 I don't remember the last time I heard someone say: "I love hawkman!" 

It's the opposite but similar reason why ASM comics are so expensive, even for minor keys.  I hear someone saying "I love spidey" .... like all the time.

Did you still have the Xmen94 ? 

17 hours ago, Guardian Comics said:

Absolute best buying show of the year, and we thought it would have been impossible to top C2E2 and WWC...everything Eric and I were hoping to bring home we did and lots more.  Came home with multiple 181's, FF #5's amongst others etc etc etc Only problem is we sold half of it at one day show we raced home for to be at on Sunday, so we are depleted again with convention season winding down.  

Big shout out to Leroy Harper who always takes care of us, my man Bob Storms who is the best, and to Brian Ketterer who took care of us as well.

And a special thanks to Timmay who started the ball rolling by selling us an ASM #129 at dinner Thursday night.

It was a blast.

I didn't know selling your inventory was a problem  

2 hours ago, Iceman399 said:

I seriously hope you guys are ready...SERIOUSLY!

are YOU ready????? (stop making me spend money!)

16 minutes ago, namisgr said:

Actually I don't agree with that.  If you think that no two copies of Hulk #181 or Amazing Spiderman #300 can be found with comparable eye appeal and differences in page quality, then I believe you are mistaken.

you just helped me prove my point; "comparable" is the key word.

I have people arguing the Hulk 181 9.9 doesn't look as great as some 9.8. --- And at that grade range, there shouldn't really be too much difference in eye appeal.  Yet I hear people arguing which copy is the "BEST" and which copy is actually "better".  Therefore, there aren't two EXACTLY the same comic.  But I'll agree with you, there are tons of comparable copies.

You guys are basically arguing if there is a god

No two comics are the same, can we please agree with that first. (Thank you, I think we all just agreed). - And if no two comics are the same, they will attract different prices.

Some of you are saying White pages have fetched more money, I hate to argue this (because I myself pay more for white pages), but reality is, sometimes, that white copy fetched MORE money, because it has great wrap / centering.

By saying I have done this for 40 years, or I have sold "X amount of copies", means close to nothing, because in the scientific world, it is still a small / isolated sample.  But it doesn't mean you are wrong!

So I'll end with this - even if you collect every single sale ever made on a Hulk 181, and looked at the raw data as a whole, NO ONE CAN PROVE ANYTHING.  The reality is, especially this year, the FMV price of Hulk 181 has changed so much every single week!  How can you scientifically / objectively say this WHITE pages got more money, vs this OFF-WHITE copy?  So many other factors come into play.

Now, on a more SUBJECTIVE statement, I do believe WHITE pages is easier to sell, and at times, will command more money.  But can I prove that with FACTS, no.  Just like how you can't prove GOD EXISTS!   But just because you can't prove it, doesn't mean it isn't true.

3 hours ago, namisgr said:

Already proven, from the posts of a set of collectors on the boards who wrote that they're willing to pay more for superior page quality, and from the absence of posts from collectors writing that that they're willing to pay more for inferior page quality.

You seem to not understand that these facts and the basic law of averages proves the point.  Sad!

Unrelated to the Hulk #181 discussion but relevant to this point, you should see the GPA records being smashed by the dozens from the white paged comics from the Fantucchio collection being auctioned on the Link.

you talking about the past right?  Or is John G F stuff up on the Comic Link again?

This will be interesting, if 9.0 can fetch $7500!

http://www.comiclink.com/auctions/item.asp?back=%2FAUCTIONS%2FDEFAULT.ASP%3F_SORT%3DYES%26Focused%3D1%26code%3D2018sept%26session%3D1%26f1%3Da.MaxBid%26ODire1%3DDESC%26f2%3Di.Title%2C%2Bi.IssueNumber%26ODire2%3DASC%26f3%3Da.MaxBid%26ODire3%3DDESC%23Item_1274678&id=1274678&itemType=0

15 minutes ago, Turb0wned said:

I want to sell my 7.0 WP copy but haven’t been able to get myself to do it.... I was offered $3,600 cash a few days ago and that offer is still on the table. Been seriously thinking about it. I’m open for opinions. I bought it last year for $1,500. 

If you need the cash, sell it.

If you don't need the cash, keep it.  Hulk 181 will always sell, now, tomorrow, and beyond...... just a matter of how much do you want.

Right after trailer, Ms Marvel 1 spiked HARD with 9.8 and 9.6 sales!

Going to be interesting to see where the book ends up after the movie.

Hulk 180 has been creeping as well, rightfully so, if Hulk 181 has been a MONSTER this year.

why not buy both if you got the money

I think long run.... ASM titles will hold value better.  But HoS92 seems more rare potentially?

I don't think OW/W is the issue.  I would say if it was CREAM, then maybe it's an issue.

I would agree with above poster (JTD) - I would take a good wrap OW/W, over a mis-wrap White pager.  The premiums for hulk 181 starts, when you have White Pager with a perfect wrap.  It will fetch TOP DOLLARS.

But at the current rate of consumption for Hulk 181 ---- you just post it anywhere near GPA, and people will buy it almost INSTANTLY!

Is it just me, or does the Nick Cage label make this a cooler book to own?

Also, it states right on the label, that I was cleaned and pressed, I'd want this much more than a fresh conserved label.

Old Labels are CGC history pieces as well.  I grew to love them.

I'm just one person in the market - but I'd say keep it AS IS.

May I ask how you obtained this book?

10 minutes ago, Superman2006 said:

Any interior page of 181 might not match that, but I bet the cover would crack a million IMHO (of course I don't have any original art, so my opinion might not count for much).

From a collector's point of view -- I think I rather have the Hulk 180 cameo OA, over the Hulk 181 Cover ----- Market probably says Hulk 181 Cover OA is worth more though.

Just for reference, I picked up a Hulk 180 9.2 White Pages off of Bob's website for $900 back in June.  At the time, it was $25 higher than the highest ever recorded price on GPA.  Last copy sold for $1320. 

Personally, I'm not a flipper, but I wanted the Hulk 180 part of my collection .... and it only made sense it went up, as 181s are going up.  I like that 6 multiplier rule in the above post!

1 hour ago, VintageComics said:

Why do people keep saying this in every thread and every discussion about values? Nobody has any way of knowing this.

I like it when a dealer sees both sides of the coin

DING DING DING

Conestoga Mall Food Court!  

And till this day, one of the best wrap I've seen on a FF48!  

7 hours ago, VintageComics said:

If I had to guess, maybe $300-400 US? So maybe $500 CAN?