POLL - Who buys CGC books?

[drbanner]

In your opinion, are the majority of CGC buyers investors, or collectors?

 

 

 

And why?

[fantastic_four]

The majority are both investors and collectors. Every slab I've bought was to fill or upgrade the runs I collect. I bought them slabbed either to protect the investment or to ensure the grade.

 

As to which motivates each individual purchase more, investment or collecting...I'd have to lean towards investment, but it's a tough call. At one time, I read an article where Borock said that the majority of comics CGC slabbed were Silver Age. Many Silver Age comics are a risk of restoration, and the majority of buyers bought those slabs for the same reason I did, to protect the investment. I'd have to assume that the majority of comics slabbed today are probably Bronze or Modern; in that market, I'd assume it's mostly for investment since the risk of restoration is almost nil. There are more than a few collectors who buy Bronze/Modern slabbed just to ensure they're in very high grade, but I'm guessing those people who truly want those individual books for the long haul may be in the minority.

[The_Man_Of_Steel]

Why didn't you add a readers selection option in the poll?

 

 

 

I love RAW bronze/modern books! I can get em cheap (90%+ less than .60 cents) and therefore not think twice about reading em!

[Rickdogg]

I have a ton of slabbed books in HG and tend to dump anything under a 9.4. I personally buy slabbed books to make sure it has less of a chance of being damaged in the future by mishandling or some dumb mistake. It also sure looks purty

[drbanner]

Readers are collectors, although not all collectors are readers!!

[Guest]

Mike,

 

I buy books that are slabbed to get some guarantee of grade. Even with bronze books, often the quality of book seen in store bins is poor, and I've gotten fed up with buying overgraded items online, some from sellers with good grading feedback.

[OldGuy]

"Readers are collectors, although not all collectors are readers!!"

 

My daughter loves reading comics and my wife will even read one from time to time (when I make her), but neither one collects them.

[blowout]

.......when i'm buying books over $100 online (silver age primarily) i will buy it slabbed for the following reasons:

 

1. i have a pretty acurate gaurantee of the grade of the book

2. the slab offers long term protection for high grade books

3. less chance of damage in the post

4. restoration check

5. reduces risk of fraud (kind of)

 

........books under $100, i will buy raw (less risk factor), although there are some great bargains to be had on ebay for mid grade slabbed silver age books!

........i don't buy slabbed books outside of ebay though, as i trust my own grading skills and like to leaf through a book before i buy...........

[aardvark88]

Tired of buying raw bks advertised as nm & paying over nm guide just to have them arrive vf+. Now is the time to pick up cgc silver DC keys w/ slight resto for 75-80% off. Bargains for collectors filling in runs.

[The_Man_Of_Steel]

Hmmm, you have a point povertyrow, but rather than re-do the poll, I'll create a new poll asking how many CGC books the same people own. Afterall, the voting is kind of one sided anyway.

 

 

 

How many CGC books do you think I own?

 

 

[murph0]

Right now, I buy slabbed books of lines that I love to collect like ASM. When I start buying slabbed books of like Luke Cage or DD, then I'll become an investor as I have an alterior motive for making that purchase...I'm buying it not b/c I like it but for the sole purpose of selling it at a profit..

 

Brian

[He11blazer]

Most collectors consider their collections to be investments also, but most investors do not consider comics a serious investment.

 

So the answer is 'collectors'.

[violentluke]

I just collect but I do consider them investments also..I dont really read comics that much other than the occasional graphic novel..I started collecting because of the art..

[wingnuts]

I just collect but I do consider them investments also..I dont really read comics that much other than the occasional graphic novel..I started collecting because of the art..

 

+1

[Soft-Serve]

I like to get my favorite issues slabbed in high grades (high as I can afford). Just so happens that my favorite issues are often key issues. So, this is gonna be expensive....

[oakman29]

31 to 40 slabs is really not alot in your poll,especially given most members of the boards.

[Kevin.J]

Definitely a collector.

I prefer raw comics and 99% of my collection is raw.

If I am buying CGC I really only want to buy Signature series books.

I have about 700 slabs altogether and these range from SS to books I can only find slabbed.

I have never cracked a slab...yet

 

[rjpb]

I only slab to sell, and when I've bought slabbed books I've usually deslabbed them unless I planned on selling them in the short run, the exception being a higher graded/priced book that I decided to keep in the slab - and eventually did sell anyway.

[Babygorilla-migration]

I do not own and slabbed books as of right now. I wouldn't pass one up if it came at the right price. The SS books are fantastic, I've also seen some sketch covers that I would gladly pick up.

[Webhead1981]

I only buy Silver Age graded books as it's the only way to ensure the grade of a 40-50 year old comic.