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best buy ... worst buy

Started by blackterror,

34 posts in this topic

blackterror

blackterror

Posted
Posted

Who hasn't looked at a dealers wares and wondered or asked, what do you recommend? And

If you're like me you are always prowling the books on the web. And sometimes you observe books you may or may not buy, but you note that's a good book at a good price ... or vice versa a good book at a not so good price. Now, let's keep this on topic ... Golden Age books only and have fun ... pointing things out to each other ...

 

 

OK here goes ... (I have nothing to do with either book I mention, by the way)

 

 

A Best Buy ... Metropolis has Phantom Lady 13 in CGC 9.0 for around $6600 I think ... I thought that book went cheap in the Heritage Auction ... and even though Metropolis has marked it up .... I think it's still cheap ... it is tied as the highest graded copy ... is a classic hero/horror cover ... on a pale blue back ground ... with a litttle tougher Gerber scarcity rating (5). While other icon highest graded books are doing multiples of guide ... this book is priced below guide 9.2 and although it is 9.0 as a highest graded golden age copy it might as well be a 9.6 ... My point is how many key high grade (tied for highest grade) Golden Age pedigree books ... did I say Key ... are priced beneath current guide 9.2? Anybody? I hear the crickets chirping.

 

Further ... Phantom Ladies are always in demand, and on tons of want lists, ... for whatever reason ... I don't think you can go wrong with the title as the Queen of GGA ... If this book were not a $10,000 plus book in the near future I'd be very surprised ...

 

 

VERY IMPORTANT POINT ... We all know buy what you like and there are no worst buys. The book I'll suggest as a worst buy tonight is no dog ... it's just not a best buy in my opinion ... I'm not dogging any books ... if you get my point. ...

 

 

A worst buy ... Comic Connect has a Human Torch 12 in CGC 6.0 for around $4850 ... I love this book ... it's a great book, but for that kind of money ... there are so many better buys ... I mean like on one site I saw a Human Torch 2 or 3 in something like CGC 8.5 for like 4k... now I don't know what a fair price is for the HT 12... it is a beauty ... and the market will go up ... but this price is leap frogging so many other books ... I'd say more like triple guide $2700 to $3000 would be a strong price ... also keep in mind ... unlike the Phantom Lady above which is the highest graded copy .... the HT !@ is like the 8th or 10th highest graded copy of that issue and with a common Gerber scarcity rating (4) ... I look at the book and say wow ... I'd like that ... then I say no way ... someday that price will be cheap ... but right now ... just too aggressive ...

 

Further thoughts ... if it were re-submitted and the seller got a higher grade ... then the price is justified ... maybe it is an 8.0 ... or if it were released from the slab so that the grade 6.0 didn't overshadow all of that books desirable qualities ... once a book is slabbed sadly some beautiful books are crushed by a grade that seems to take away from them ... Imagine a perfect book with a one inch spine split ... the slab says 4.5 ... the book is so desirable ... it's gorgeous, but the slab kills it ... in time the market may get smart enough to see past a number on books ... but right now the market doesn't ...

 

Which is why an HT 12 ungraded ... but badly warped, went for over 4k on EBAY recently... the book may ... come back after pressing as a CGC 9.4 ... or it may develop a spine split and turn into a 4.0 ... but the point is the book went high because of several factors ...

1.) an auction format with a least two buyers in a bidding war

2.) the possible upside and AND ...

3.) the fact that it was not in a slab with a low number on it ... without the number to block our view we could all see the desirable qualities of that book ... we could even see past the warping ... that would have made it what a 3.0? Low grades on slabs blind us to the worth of otherwise valuable books.

 

PS I know if you're stalking a book you wont' call it to our attention of course ... but there are so many books out there.... surely ... some of them won't be on your immediate action list ... and you can point them out to somebody else.

 

 

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mr.schomburg

mr.schomburg

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BT,

While I understand your points, and they do make sense, let me take issue with your HT 12 example, I know, you are not dogging the book, but I feel you are completely off base on this particular book.

First of all, it may only be a Gerber 4, but is it for sale often...no, it has been of late, but that is because the prices are bringing copies out for sale.

The book in question is a fellow formite's and he paid at auction close to 4K if I remember right unslabbed. He in my opinion got a little bit of a raw shake on it, as at worst I felt it was a 7.0, but in the eye of the beholder right? Then to add to this another formite just paid close to that price or more for a beautiful copy which in my opinion will maybe tie comic connect book at a 6.0 at best, and only after pressing.

So in my humble opinion, this book looking at very recent sales is very strong and worth the 4800.00. I am actually supprised no one has BIN it! I paid 1200 for a restored copy and feel I stole it, I didn't at first, but a short amount time has shown me I scored a great deal.

Its very hard to keep up with the ever changing GA market. Many books have been hot in the last 18 mos., and HT 12 is one of the hottest I have seen.

Show me a 9.0 copy and I'll show you a 20K plus book!!!!

Just my .02 cents!!

Paul

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reality_consensus

reality_consensus

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With respect to ft88 and octobers comments ..

 

I guess this goes to the heart of the matter .. if the book was slabbed in its current state and given a 3.0 or so grade .. it would still be a very attractive book and probably one of the better 3.0s around with mucho "grade arbitrage potential" .. I would think a perspective buyer would realize this and bid accordingly .. as showcase-4 did in the Ebay auction ..

 

If the intent of pressing is to make the book more readable .. so be it .., but if it then pressed and CGC'ed, I dont get the point .. since it cant be read encapsulated .. furthermore, any increase in grade is temporal ..

 

I have had books pressed with very minor bends (due to stacking) by Susan in the past .. as a curiosity .. after several years, they reverted back to their "natural state" .. this was explained to me as a "paper memory effect"; Susan later discontinued her pressing services.

 

 

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rjpb

rjpb

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$4800 for a 6.0 HT #12 seems aggressive pricing - but who knows - 6.0 is practically high grade for a war era GA book. I will say this - HT #12 should be worth more than a HT#2 in the same condition - as I'm sure there is much higher demand for the #12.

 

So has HT #12 surpassed Captain America #46 in value and demand, or would one expect similar pricing on a 6.0 Cap #46?

 

Is HT #12 now a $1000+ book in 2.0 condition?

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Silver Surfer

Silver Surfer

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A worst buy ... Comic Connect has a Human Torch 12 in CGC 6.0 for around $4850 ... I love this book ... it's a great book, but for that kind of money ... there are so many better buys ... I mean like on one site I saw a Human Torch 2 or 3 in something like CGC 8.5 for like 4k... now I don't know what a fair price is for the HT 12... it is a beauty ... and the market will go up ... but this price is leap frogging so many other books ... I'd say more like triple guide $2700 to $3000 would be a strong price ... also keep in mind ... unlike the Phantom Lady above which is the highest graded copy .... the HT !@ is like the 8th or 10th highest graded copy of that issue and with a common Gerber scarcity rating (4) ... I look at the book and say wow ... I'd like that ... then I say no way ... someday that price will be cheap ... but right now ... just too aggressive ...

 

Further thoughts ... if it were re-submitted and the seller got a higher grade ... then the price is justified ... maybe it is an 8.0 ... or if it were released from the slab so that the grade 6.0 didn't overshadow all of that books desirable qualities ... once a book is slabbed sadly some beautiful books are crushed by a grade that seems to take away from them ... Imagine a perfect book with a one inch spine split ... the slab says 4.5 ... the book is so desirable ... it's gorgeous, but the slab kills it ... in time the market may get smart enough to see past a number on books ... but right now the market doesn't ...

 

Which is why an HT 12 ungraded ... but badly warped, went for over 4k on EBAY recently... the book may ... come back after pressing as a CGC 9.4 ... or it may develop a spine split and turn into a 4.0 ... but the point is the book went high because of several factors ...

1.) an auction format with a least two buyers in a bidding war

2.) the possible upside and AND ...

3.) the fact that it was not in a slab with a low number on it ... without the number to block our view we could all see the desirable qualities of that book ... we could even see past the warping ... that would have made it what a 3.0? Low grades on slabs blind us to the worth of otherwise valuable books.

 

PS I know if you're stalking a book you wont' call it to our attention of course ... but there are so many books out there.... surely ... some of them won't be on your immediate action list ... and you can point them out to somebody else.

 

 

You referring to my HT#12 on ComicConnect. meh Just so you know someone offered me $4,000 for it the other day but I passed, I'm not really motivated to sell it so unless a full price offer comes my way that's where it will stay. I can get $4,000 for this book today and from more than one collector. An 8.5 copy was recently listed by PGC Mint for $4,750 (which I thought was way too low) and it sold in a matter of minutes, I know because I was second in line. I did think that the grade was generous but if it was listed at $6,000 I still would have bought it and it would have been BIN'd very quickly. I believe Metro had a raw 9.0-9.2 copy that was listed for $8,000-$10,000 and it sold last year. Guide or trying to justify and appropriate multiple of guide for this issue is a mistake and those that try and do that will most likely miss their oportunity to purchase a copy of this book. Aside for issue #1 is there better cover or another Torch issue that ranks higher on people's want list, I don't think so. The book is under valued in my opinion, not rare but it doesn't surface in decent condition very often. I missed out twice in the last 3 years when good copies have surfaced all because they were BIN'd in a matter of minutes. Another good example is a Marvel Mystery Comics #9, sure it much rarer and harder to find but prices for even sub 2.0 grades have absolutely sky rocketed (doubled previous GPA data) and if one shows its face around here you can bet that there will be at least a dozen people tripping over each other to get it. Try sticking to 3x guide and watch the book slips through your fingers. I have underestimated this books value at least 3x in 3 years and have regretted it every time, still need a copy.

 

Its all about what you collect and what you see as valuable because I wouldn't even consider spending $2,000 on a Phantom Lady book if I had the choice between the two books. Timely lovers will rank a copy of the Human Torch #12 in nice condition very high on the must have list.

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Silver Surfer

Silver Surfer

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Posted

I paid 1200 for a restored copy and feel I stole it, I didn't at first, but a short amount time has shown me I scored a great deal.

Paul

 

Stole it is right! :baiting:;) I sold Paul that copy and as soon as I bought my upgrade I was flooded with requests to buy that book.

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blackterror

blackterror

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Oh come on guys ... you are missing the point. I'm don't mind you replying to my original post ... I'm honored to have generated some discussion ... but I challenge you to generate your own bestbuy/worstbuys. That means you ... in your opinion ... target a book that you think is a best buy ... and a worst buy then post them...

 

:wishluck: How about this ... if you comment on someone else's best buy/worst buy ... you need to at least offer a couple of your own. Get it? You can comment all you want on someone else's best buy/worst buy ... but the price of commenting is ... suggesting your own. That seems fair and this thread may very well become one of the best on the entire forum. And no I don't mean suggest one every time you comment ... but in a regular way...

 

I was about to do another bestbuy/worstbuy ... but when I checked in and saw not even one other poster has suggested a bestbuy/worstbuy, but has instead just responded to me ... that was a turnoff. I did not intend for this to be nothing more than a thread of agreeing and disagreeing with my opinion ... that will get stale very quickly.

 

Anyway ... I'm not to suggest a second bestbuy/worstbuy before some of you have done your first :popcorn:

 

Look at Heritage and Comiclink or PGCmint or whatever (recent) past sales or books for sale ... and pick two out of the thousands that you think are a best buy and a worst buy ... then as you comment on others thoughts .... this thread will reallly fulfill it's purpose ... and I think it will Bangzoom : ) ...

 

So for now .... I'll wait to see if anyone else will suggest a couple ... before posting any more golden age bestbuy/ worstbuys....

 

The books you suggest can be for sale or recently sold ... either way ... even a book you bought or didn't buy and why ... looking forward to others insights :shy: .

 

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mr.schomburg

mr.schomburg

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Posted
I paid 1200 for a restored copy and feel I stole it, I didn't at first, but a short amount time has shown me I scored a great deal.

Paul

 

Stole it is right! :baiting:;) I sold Paul that copy and as soon as I bought my upgrade I was flooded with requests to buy that book.

 

Where is the greamlin for showing me running down the street giggling with my HT 12 that came back 7.0 minor resto :baiting: Now I am just being mean.

 

:grin:

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adamstrange

adamstrange

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Oh come on guys ... you are missing the point. I'm don't mind you replying to my original post ... I'm honored to have generated some discussion ... but I challenge you to generate your own bestbuy/worstbuys. That means you ... in your opinion ... target a book that you think is a best buy ... and a worst buy then post them...

 

But it's so much more fun to criticize! :baiting:

 

I certainly have to give you credit for an interesting thread theme, but the nature of a post about over-priced book is likely to result in someone's ox being gored. In this case it was a board member's book and, as you've seen, he responded. I happen to agree with him, and was thinking last night when I read the post that it was a book that would quickly sell at 4k -- something he confirmed in his posting today. That means this particular book has a 20% premium over the easy sell price but that doesn't mean that word won't get to the right customer resulting in a sale some week(s) down the road. If by over-priced you meant relative to market, then I am not so sure this was a good example.

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G.A.tor

G.A.tor

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best deal:

the detective 29 in ext restored fn/vf I just sold at $5500 :)

worse deal:

my detective 31 in 5.0 blue that i turned down an $18K offer on ($20 K anyone?)

gator

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buttock

buttock

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A worst buy ... Comic Connect has a Human Torch 12 in CGC 6.0 for around $4850

 

this was the bidding on the eBay Torch 12......demand may challenge the "worst buy" category

 

http://offer.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewBids&item=190132738040

 

Actually, that just shows that there were only 2 people willing to bid within 50% of the winning bid. That would suggest that since one of them is now out of the running, similar copies would only fetch about half what that one went for. So demand may not be what you expect it to be.

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adamstrange

adamstrange

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A worst buy ... Comic Connect has a Human Torch 12 in CGC 6.0 for around $4850

 

this was the bidding on the eBay Torch 12......demand may challenge the "worst buy" category

 

http://offer.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewBids&item=190132738040

 

Actually, that just shows that there were only 2 people willing to bid within 50% of the winning bid. That would suggest that since one of them is now out of the running, similar copies would only fetch about half what that one went for. So demand may not be what you expect it to be.

 

This is a tricky auction. The book is raw with warping. I would think that at least one of the bidders was bidding at a level that assumed the book could be pressed. But a $2500 market price for an ebay auction book that is raw and very warped still shows considerable demand.

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showcase4

showcase4

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Posted

A worst buy ... Comic Connect has a Human Torch 12 in CGC 6.0 for around $4850

 

this was the bidding on the eBay Torch 12......demand may challenge the "worst buy" category

 

http://offer.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewBids&item=190132738040

 

Actually, that just shows that there were only 2 people willing to bid within 50% of the winning bid. That would suggest that since one of them is now out of the running, similar copies would only fetch about half what that one went for. So demand may not be what you expect it to be.

 

Buttock,

you lost me ( I think ).......are you suggesting that if another similar copy ( warped and all ) was sold on eBay right now, it would only sell for $2200 even though this one just sold for $4400 simply because I would not be bidding on the second copy? (shrug)

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