astrometric

Putting aside all of the obvious talking points i.e. time machine effect and having a deep connection to glorious childhood memories that come to the fore front etc. and in many cases that have been forgotten. That deja vu/total recall impact of being in the moment again is so incredible and tremendous. From this perspective, collecting is pure awesomeness and joy. However I must admit that I am becoming addicted to registry collecting which is a whole different planet. I think there is something much deeper rooted here at the anatomical level. Perhaps it is the way our brains are wired or some kind of dopamine looping feedback effect etc. @FlyingDonut had a very succinct observation in the true madness of collecting at this level and I find myself doing this all the time. I acquire a book I need for my registry; now I can't even wait to get it in the mail; I put in the cert immediately after I have paid. The slab shows up and sure for a brief moment I might be in awe or excited but ultimately it gets placed in a box along with its other comrades and then on to the next one. I thought about putting a collecting room together but all I can think about is all the slabs I could buy to get my registry ahead instead of deploying that money into a room. There is something that goes beyond the time machine effect. There is an adrenaline like surge you get when searching and being on the hunt. Maybe this function in of itself is nostalgic because as kids we would race into the toy stores on a quest or a 7/11 to get to the comic racks and read the last IH or Bats etc. I just made a connection with a fellow boardie who is selling me a bunch of uber sweet SS slabs I need for my ASM registry and I am absolutely on cloud nine right now. Will see how long this feeling lasts before you guessed it; on to the next adventure.

As with any census numbers you have to get deeper context. For instance there are ten CGC 9.9 copies in the population. However I can unequivocally account for four of these as I know the present owners will not be selling. And I'm willing to bet the buyer who gobbled up the 9.9 last year for $15K or $17K ( I can't remember if he BINd or B/O) that in reality leaves 5 or 6 unaccounted for. You can't just look at an aggregate number at face value and say, there are so many of these out there. Yes there are but in terms of actual available supply in the marketplace, that is a different proposition. On the blue 9.8s there is just over 10K. Sounds like a big number but let's just assume 40% of those holders are not going to be unloading their slabs. That really changes projections and price action. I merely was pointing out these most recent listings that have popped up over the last 48 hours as really good indications of price strength. This slab is still making higher highs. The next week will be interesting to see how the bidding style auctions I posted land as I don't believe the demand and price action is going to cool anytime soon.

And just like that. A gigantic ASM300 slab tree has popped up and 9.8's dropping everywhere. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Those were the days

If you just look at that aggregate number of 23,000+ slabbed, it is misleading. You have to give it context. From the perspective of 9.8 SS slabs, only 1.2% exist of that entire total float. I have seen stocks go the moon with way bigger populations than that. 1.2% is a tiny number. If you extrapolate further how many are signed by SL alone and then SL +TM, that number dwindles even much lower. Now imagine during a price uptrend like this, not enough supply comes to market, it just exacerbates the momentum. I just looked on CL, CC, Pedigree, WW etc and the only SS 9.8 SL/TM I can locate is on eBay. One with a $9,999 BIN and one with a $25K BIN/BO. So in reality is there one that is buyable at this very moment; no. Years ago, different supply scenario; you could bring up eBay on your browser any day of the week and find yourself an SL/TM 9.8 SS for $2Kish. The supply has totally dried up. None. Kind of reminds me when SW #1 CGC 9.8 sky rocketed to multi thousand $$ price points. You had all you could eat on that one for years and years// tons of 9.8 slabs all over the web on any comic site any day of the week including Sundays in the $500-$700 rang via bidding style auctions, exchange marketplace, everywhere multiples every month. Then one day just all of sudden, the supply somehow disappeared and the price just took off to a different planet.

You tried! I believe this most recent price action is going to shake the fruit tree free of more opportunities. I just thought of the flip side on this one. Imagine instead of an ad hoc 24 hour listing, this was setup late on a Thursday night for 10 days and ran through two full weekends. Probably would have run more.

Anti-climatic. Pretty much bid up to full value with nearly one hour and a half left. Hammer = $7,025 (Still a new high) There is a 2X SL/TM listed right now as well but BIN = $9,999

This is interesting. Meanwhile over on eBay last night, ASM 300 in bidding style auction lands @ $3,951 (caveat: New case but OW/W)

The last 2X TL/TM 9.8 sold on a BIN way back in mid August @$6200. If you extrapolate the current price heat this book has experience since then, I can honestly see this landing in >$9K range.

Incredible. This book is hotter than Tesla or Amazon stock. I thought for sure this one was gonna be the greatest setup opportunity for me personally and was keeping it quiet. A 24 hour only listing bidding style WITHOUT "SS" in the listing description on a whopping 3X 9.8 SL/TM/DM. Thought I could grab it on the cheap. Well it's about to break $6000 right now with still two and half hours left. Can't wait to see the hammer on this one.

Why am I just getting an eBay alert that this 300 9.8 SS SL is no longer available How did I miss this one? What a deal for a mere $3250! I noticed the description title does not have "SS" explicitly stated. I need to up my search game and include "signature" "signed" etc.

I will take all of them.

I can't remember exact time frame; perhaps 2010/2011. Out of nowhere an ASM 300 9.9 slab popped up I think on CL. People were going nutz because there was less than a handful in the census. I want to say it ended up selling in the mid/upper $3Kish-$4K range. What unfolded next again can't vividly remember but I want to say over the course of something like 6-8 weeks, a total of 3 more ASM 300 CGC 9.9 opportunities popped up for sale (perhaps same one was flipped twice & the near $4Kish selling price brought out a seller or two) I was strongly considering buying it at that time but in those days the 9.8's were selling for way way less keep in mind. This part I do recall like yesterday; a comrade of mine who I traded with online did not even flinch or hesitate. He snagged a 9.9 in this time frame for $3600 and said he will never sell it. I know for sure he still has it. At some point in time 5 years later, the price really took a sharp upward turn. Here is a red label 9.9 that fetched $12,180 on CC in 2015. I believe the last sale of an ASM 300 CGC 9.9 was last year on an eBay BIN/BO listing in the $15K range. This could be verified. I really think based on where it sold in 2015, the most recent sale was underpriced and if you let one of these run presently in a bidding style auction on say CL, should have $20K potential. Would be very interesting to see that one.

There were a bunch of incredible 9.8 Cap slabs up for grabs from the Federal Hill Collection. I wasn't able to snag a single one.

Absolutely. Only reason I can't use them is because they are so noisy. My personal collectibles time is very late at night so you start moving a few of these slabs around dressed up in mylar and yeah, that is not going to end well.

Right. The other batch I had from a few years ago that finally ran out (same identical product) no smudges whatsoever and the bags were distinctly more clear. For raws I always use E Gerber products, so I don't have any reference point. Cloudy is fine, I just am not thrilled in making contact with the bags with my hands and then these clear smudge marks appearing by me wiping a layer of something off from the surface of the bags.

I realize this is a bit obsessive but regardless of raw or slabbed, I always seal my comics. A few years ago I bought cases of the BCW Comic Book Bags (pictured below) that is perfect fitting for slabs. All of my bags were crystal clear. Fast forward to now, I just bought a couple packs off eBay from a powerseller with thousands of feedbacks. The packs were sealed and new. However all the bags have this kind of cloud like haze and when I go to seal slabs in the bags, it leaves smudge marks on the bags; similar to if you wiped a layer of dust off a surface. (See below) Cheers for anyone with input.

Getting really hot now. One of Kind ASM 300 CGC 9.8 $25K

Yes I realize above is from 2017 but this is the best stated part because it's so true. And if you have competitive registry syndrome, it takes it to a whole different level vs. just completion syndrome. (Cheers BTW on that FF run; that is a most challenging run in that caliber grade.)

*Received my 1st ever Spidie custom CGC label *Two awesome Supe hauls launched me into the reg top 60

I searched eBay sold history and there is not a single bidding style auction for ASM 300 CGC 9.8. There were however some incredible missed opportunity BINs - VERY recently I might add. $2100 $2600 Meanwhile on CL with 24 hours remaining @ $3019 Any guesses to hammer on this one with 24 hours left? Definitely pays to lurk on eBay given two snags above in the last few weeks.

Reminds me of the wild wild west days when everyone could see everyone's ebay handle on both selling and bidding side. I would be bidding on a comic and get multiple emails from other sellers before the auction even ended. Or best was if hammer bid came in super large and caught folks off guard; the runner up bidders would be getting flooded with emails form other sellers offering same slabbed comics or toys etc.

Looks incredible. It's as if your memories are now encapsulated and caught in time. Slabbed toys really gravitated to me years ago because I realized quite often as a kid the best part of the experience wasn't necessarily actually playing with the toys in every single instance; rather it was the incredible buildup of anticipation, searching the aisles in stores, and then seeing/holding it for the first time in person, or opening a holiday/birthday present and not expecting it etc.

I just wanted to point something out in case it helps just one person and this is probably not breaking news for allot of you. I would strongly advise you NOT selling any gift cards on eBay and accepting payment via Paypal. It appears that Paypal has revised this specific category with respect to seller protection. If you sell a gift card on eBay, the Paypal seller protection clause will not help/protect you. So a buyer can buy your gift card, use it and then do a charge back. Buyer is protected but you will be left hanging. I'm not sure what the recourse is on the eBay side of this kind of scenario. Cheers.