Casey Ryback

On 3/30/2022 at 5:40 PM, BlowUpTheMoon said:

jog on Shad! 

On 3/30/2022 at 12:00 PM, shadroch said:

I don't understand peoples reluctance to share their best investment strategy with strangers. 

On 3/30/2022 at 12:00 PM, shadroch said:

I don't understand peoples reluctance to share their best investment strategy with strangers. 

Since there are millions of comics and its not as if everyones competing for the same one, then neither do I, I agree with you n100%, however if thats how people feel Im fine with it. I think its more than that though. Its the self important, bombastic attitude of someone feeling that their view is the only one when it comes to comics and feel they have to make a point. Im not sure why, it doesnt get under mine or anyone elses skin, their comments are just ignored, but it does make some people look a bit sad and pathetic. Ive been collecting 30 years have 10k comics, lucky enough to have a few expensive ones and like to know other peoples view on whats hot in the future so feel I deserve to put a polite post on a public forum. If someone feels bitter and controlling on that then fine (a bit of fun banter is funny), but jog on with the serious points and save your time as the comments dont register as even slightly meaningful, important or effecting, they really really dont. . 

On 3/29/2022 at 10:08 PM, Robot Man said:

As an older collector, can I offer you some advice?

Under no circumstances put your money in a bank account as an investment. A couple of percent will get you no where.

Do you have a job with a 401k? If so, put the maximum you can afford in. If not, open an IRA and or, do the same. And put it in stocks. If you know nothing about them, have the plan invest for you.  They will go up and down but if you are young you have time to ride the market. The sooner the better. If you have 15-20 years of work ahead of you, you will be amazed at how much you will have when you are ready to retire.

I retired a few years ago. This and paying off all debt excluding my morgage has put me in a very comfortable position.

Dabbling in comics and other hobbies has just added to extra money when needed or wanted. I bought a classic muscle car and a vintage motorcycle with some of my collection proceeds. Both will hold their value and I have a lot of fun with. I can now travel and enjoy life AND comics. 

Comic books are pretty and fun but could be slightly risky especially in this currently violital market. Buy what you like and dabble with your extra money. But don’t count on retiring on them exclusively. 

 

Relying on them would be silly. Like most people (hopefully) I have the usual pension plans, equity in house and some savings. Maybe it’s a male thing but having some savings in an object and one you love is simply pleasing and sexy. The 200k pension was never an objective, just a happy accident. I don’t have room for cars, Pokémon cards confuse me, watches is something I don’t understand enough and there are problems with every other collectible. It’s not like I want to gamble my entire net worth on a roulette wheel, just a tiny bit on something that’s fun and if you get it right usually profitable 

On 3/29/2022 at 7:58 PM, D2 said:

Unfortunately, as a collector, I have found there to be 2 types of books. Keys which go up, and non keys which are nice to have. 

I spent 95% of my time and money buying books that I liked.

Then I sold everything and started from scratch. Now I only buy books that I love and I think have the highest probability of going up. Only keys. I hate having a collection of only keys, but I had a collection of mostly non keys and it took me literally 6 years to sell them all. (I decided to sell books individually and not as a bulk sale). The keys are hard enough to move... 

Yes my long term plan is sell my 15 odd expensive keys with Heritage who always seem to get fair market hammer prices and will only take 5% off the seller, and sell in bulk or even gift the other 10k I bought for me to whoever wants them. 

On 3/29/2022 at 7:44 PM, D2 said:

I wouldn't buy anything from this list.

Literally nothing.

I do like CA books though, early great covers, but not sure about them as long term investments, its the collector in me that likes them not so much the investor. Obviously the early key ones are out of the question even though they would be safe bets so I do wonder if the last 10 years hasnt dragged the other less important ones up up by much what would?

On 3/29/2022 at 7:19 PM, Kevin76 said:

Schomburg covers, WW 2 covers, Any Captain America Comics book, Superhero Timleys, Detective comics 1-100,168,225 Joker/Catwoman covers.  Any pre code horror classic cover you can't go wrong on, Most anything before 1945. L.B Cole covers.  All are safe bets, A lot of guys in the thread are trolling you. They don't like comics and investing in the same sentence. 

Good advice, like the CA idea. keyboard warriors are always brave brave souls when behind a computer screen. I also think its lucky very few people are born into the position of an autocratic dictator, its obvious thats many unfulfilled people crave to be in their heads

On 3/29/2022 at 6:23 PM, piper said:

First Wood God?

Hes surely due his time. Number 987th on the list to join MCU, guranteed

On 3/29/2022 at 6:59 PM, thunsicker said:

Truth be told, this is where I am.  I have bought exactly 1 'investment' type comic in the last two years.  And even then it was $500, not in the range it seems you are looking.  But given that you seem determined to invest in comics that's why I gave the advice I did about not investing in a comic that just went up 400% in the last three years.  

Prices these days have got me going back and buying comics from my youth/young adulthood instead of the early silver and gold comics that most would call 'investment' comics.  Sienkiewicz Moon Knights and New Mutants.  Miller Daredevils.  Watchmen and Dark Knights.  Perez Teen Titans.  Claremont and Byrne X-Men (though many of them are out of range now).  But again, I know you have most of the stuff that you would collect and are looking for investments, which is why I didn't go this route.

Im not rich I just have a few thousand dollars generated every year or so that seems boring to put in a savings account so its great to use it to save and grow on something I love. I agree though, Im just finding it harder and harder to find that place in the comic world. Maybe I should play safe and shove it in a bank account, but comics have been kind to me in terms of my investments and find it hard to trun my back on them when I have spare money. To be honest these thoughts are what Ive had for probably the last 6 or 7 years and every year prices have generally gone up so who knows maybe its worth rolling the dice again now

On 3/29/2022 at 6:23 PM, Pontoon said:

So you decided not to sell them after all?

 

No I did some. I sold AF15 as I have in a grade 5 too, Walking dead 9.8 (felt it had peaked and was going nowhere in next 15 years) and TMNT 1st (big big big mistake) and HS92 (the lowest value one I had and seemed to be stagnant). The ones I was discussing here were about half my collection and needed to sell to fund a house move. The offers I got were silly on the whole, ie sending my comics to another country to someone I didnt know for a big fee. I didnt know heritage had recently opened up a London office to ship comics safely with a 5% sellers fee, so I sold them to a UK dealer for what was a fair price at the time. The ones I have left (some of these plus about another 7 or 8 I didnt want and need to sell) I will sit on for the next 15 years unless one of lifes emergencies come up

On 3/29/2022 at 5:54 PM, Poekaymon said:

For investment, you can’t beat Marvel Premiere 31 in 9.9. 

I feel you are mocking the charisma of Woodgod by the way. He has proven to test the passage of time

On 3/29/2022 at 5:55 PM, NoMan said:

Whoever posted re: DKR #1 9.8 I believe is on the right path. 

The ignore button is helpful here, not perfect, but does help.

One of the first comics I bought, just released at the time ! Part of my main collection, read it to death, was before I started looking after my comics and looks like its in a CGC 3 grade now!

On 3/29/2022 at 3:43 PM, ThothAmon said:

Bronze westerns. 

When the two gun kid and kid colt join the avengers you will look such a fool for being a cheeky monkey 

On 3/29/2022 at 3:34 PM, BlowUpTheMoon said:

Let's see them! 

get a catalogue from heritage auctions around spring 2037 to see them, you can buy one too then if you want

On 3/29/2022 at 4:11 PM, Stefan_W said:

It is a tough market to figure out investment choices since many of the bigger keys are sky high right now. I dont have a crystal ball or anything, but I cant see everything sticking at current market prices. 

My personal opinion is a lot of the early Batman keys, particularly GA ones, are solid investments right now. Yes, they are jumping in price but they have been undervalued for a long time so it is more of a market correction than anything. 

I was looking here but they all seem so highly priced and never do anything exciting price wise (not in the ones I can afford) I turned down a batman 1 (ok in a 2 only, but hell batman 1) about 15 or so years ago because it just seemed silly money. I cant remember how much but think less than 10k, or at least my memory has convinced me it was. Not sure what of the affordable ones I would go for. Despite owning 608 retailer the modern ones dont excite me but that seems to be where any movement comes from. Like the idea of a golden age batman but remember these purchases I make are only every 2 years or so now and I want to make them count

On 3/29/2022 at 4:10 PM, FlyingDonut said:

Buy multiples cheap of any Bronze, Copper, or Modern Age Marvel character that has not yet been announced to join the MCU. ASM 265 comes to mind as an example. I believe your return will be significantly higher with much less risk than buying a Daredevil 1 (just as an example).

Its good advice and the investor in me agrees, but I suppose the collector in me loves owning some of the blue chips just to look at and know I own it. I wouldnt swap 100 Hulk 181s for my AF15 if I was given the chance to go back in time even if that makes sense from a return point of view. Stupid I know else why label those comics as investments if you cant park the comic book reader in you

On 3/29/2022 at 3:53 PM, Kevin76 said:

Invest in golden age/pre code horror 

Any particular key thats affordable you would consider?

On 3/29/2022 at 3:43 PM, D2 said:

Hulk 181. 
I posted the same question in the Bronze Age forum and this was my response. 
Across the board! 
I wasn’t even interested in 181, I was asking about Giant-Size X-Men 1, and still…

every single person

said to get 181

Never get how a comic with so many copies out there continues to rise (yes I know what it represents). One of my big regrets. Had the chance for an early 9 point something with 4 sigs on in yellow, Lee, Wein and Trimpe. Cant remember the 4th. Passed on it as just couldnt see the return and thats what I was buying it for. Dont know how mnay years ago but only about $1200 and that wasnt a bargain so must have been a while. My own comics are from about 86 onwards so mainly tat, the 1 in 500 I buy for investment have to be considered purchases and I made a wrong one there.

On 3/29/2022 at 3:43 PM, THE_BEYONDER said:

Get a newsstand UF 4 if you can find one.

I drawn to that, but its the gamble on such a modern comic thats getting silly so soon. I know in 15 years Miles will probably trip off the tongue in the same way Peter does now but seriously thats a lot. Tempted to spin the wheel though

On 3/29/2022 at 3:00 PM, SuperBird said:

I'd consider Fantastic Four 49: 1st full appearance of Galactus, and thier 1st cover, which matters more and more these days. 

Interesting choice. I have 48 in 9 (very generous 9 I have to say) I picked up for very little about 15 years ago thats part of my "pension comics".  I think 49 is a great cover and will only increase when FF are established with MCU. Surfers 99.9% in the upcoming film so how can they not include Galactus if hes there? 

On 3/29/2022 at 4:07 PM, thunsicker said:

My point was not to make you ashamed for your purchase.  My point was to say I don't like buying into a comic that has quadrupled over the last 4 years or so.  I think those are the comics that are least likely to hold/increase their value.  This isn't the stock market where a company can increase share price because their earnings beat expectations and growth looks great.  Comics will always be somewhat exchangeable.  As such I would look at those that haven't had explosive growth over the last few years and bet there.  Showcase 6 as someone mentioned above.  Maybe My Greatest Adventure 80.  Or if you are gun-shy of DC because of B&B 28 look at Tales to Astonish 27 or Daredevil 1.

No I agree. My point was when ever I post this sort of thing 90% of the replies are self righteous comments from people who were probably not born when I started my collection (which is 99% worthless because I bought for me). Even the slightest suggestion that I would want to spend any of my hard earned savings on something that might get me good a return in a few decades is considered something I should be burned at the stake for, which is just pompous ego driven buff. If people want to just spout back the usual nonsense that makes them feel they somehow own what people can and cant do in a free society, then simply keep quiet, your views are not welcome and change no ones opinion.  Youre replies are very helpful and fair and no criticism was aimed at you in any way

On 3/29/2022 at 2:51 PM, Wolverinex said:

Buy up every copy of Showcase 6 you can find.

Which young boy didnt grow up with a Challengers of the Unknown poster on their wall and pretend to be Ace Morgan? Either none or all I suspect. Probably the latter

On 3/29/2022 at 2:22 PM, thunsicker said:

It's interesting that you haven't gotten a good return on B&B 28. It had a good run up from around 2006-2014. So unless you bought in 2014 it has done well for you. In that respect both of the comics you mentioned have had a significant run up over the last 6-8 years and I would think would be closer to B&B 28 performance (since 2014) over the next 6-8.

I cant remember the exact time I bought BB28, but it was around the time of the 1st Snyder Superman going in to production. I bought it at CGC 8. It climbed steadily, went up a good amount when Justice was announced then the price bombed when the film turned out to be lemon. Its gone back up a little since but against my Marvels its been quite poor. I know Im meant to hang my head in shame if I mention I buy the odd one every few years when I have savings to make money on in my older years, but obviously its these things you need to look at if youre brave enough to put your head over the trenches and risk taking the bullets of the "purists"  . Think youre right, Im 49 so by the time I plan to cash these in around 15 years from now they will hopefully have risen quite a bit

On 3/29/2022 at 1:26 PM, Mecha_Fantastic said:

I have a response, but it's for people who buy to enjoy, not to primarily invest, nor to speak down to me. 

Get more flies with honey,etc........

You obviously didnt read my statement about buying comics for over 30 years for my own enjoyment only and have over 10k of them. There is nothing wrong at looking at how you will fund your retirement using a tiny, tiny % of the  comics you own through the hobby you love. Still I appreciate there are a hard core group of collectors who want to view the hobby as a closed dictatorship where only they should be allowed to set the rules or say what people can and cant talk about