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Overstreets definition of scarce comics.

Started by bronzilla,

56 posts in this topic

DrWatson

DrWatson

Posted
Posted
It goes like this:

 

Scarce, Scarcer, Scarcest.

 

So scarcer is more scarce than just scarce.

 

Got it. So is scarcest more scarce than rare? hm

 

No. Rare is scarcer than scarcest.

 

Not that scarcest is a term that's used in fandom....

 

My scarcity scale from most to least...

Hard

Tough

Scarce

Really tough

Seldom seen

Scarcer

Very few

Rare

Very Rare

Impossible

One of a kind

Does not exist

 

(This started as a joke, but I actually started thinking about it.

Now I am seriously wondering if Scarcer is too high and Seldom seen is too low! :pullhair:)

 

 

I like your list, but I think "Extinct" belongs there too.

 

Not sure if Extinct should be before or after Does not exist.

 

Or maybe even instead of, because surely it existed at one time right? :insane:

 

Yes, extinct should definitely get squeezed in there somewhere. It just sounds like it belongs.
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MrBedrock

MrBedrock

Posted
Posted
OT: By the way Richard, you sold me my very first CGC book - DC 100 Page #6 Pacific Coast :cloud9:

 

Happy to be of service. If I remember correctly, I thought I had that book priced pretty stout. Seems like a real bargain now! Glad you are still enjoying it. Hopefully I will get something you need so I can sell you your next CGC book!

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icefires

icefires

Posted
Posted
OT: By the way Richard, you sold me my very first CGC book - DC 100 Page #6 Pacific Coast :cloud9:

 

Happy to be of service. If I remember correctly, I thought I had that book priced pretty stout. Seems like a real bargain now! Glad you are still enjoying it. Hopefully I will get something you need so I can sell you your next CGC book!

 

100 pagers (thumbs u

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Red Hook

Red Hook

Posted
Posted
It goes like this:

 

Scarce, Scarcer, Scarcest.

 

So scarcer is more scarce than just scarce.

 

Got it. So is scarcest more scarce than rare? hm

 

No. Rare is scarcer than scarcest.

 

Not that scarcest is a term that's used in fandom....

 

My scarcity scale from most to least...

Hard

Tough

Scarce

Really tough

Seldom seen

Scarcer

Very few

Rare

Very Rare

Impossible

One of a kind

Does not exist

 

(This started as a joke, but I actually started thinking about it.

Now I am seriously wondering if Scarcer is too high and Seldom seen is too low! :pullhair:)

 

 

I like your list, but I think "Extinct" belongs there too.

 

Not sure if Extinct should be before or after Does not exist.

 

Or maybe even instead of, because surely it existed at one time right? :insane:

 

 

I would add imaginary to the end of that list.

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icefires

icefires

Posted
Posted
It goes like this:

 

Scarce, Scarcer, Scarcest.

 

So scarcer is more scarce than just scarce.

 

Got it. So is scarcest more scarce than rare? hm

 

No. Rare is scarcer than scarcest.

 

Not that scarcest is a term that's used in fandom....

 

My scarcity scale from most to least...

Hard

Tough

Scarce

Really tough

Seldom seen

Scarcer

Very few

Rare

Very Rare

Impossible

One of a kind

Does not exist

 

(This started as a joke, but I actually started thinking about it.

Now I am seriously wondering if Scarcer is too high and Seldom seen is too low! :pullhair:)

 

 

I like your list, but I think "Extinct" belongs there too.

 

Not sure if Extinct should be before or after Does not exist.

 

Or maybe even instead of, because surely it existed at one time right? :insane:

 

 

I would add imaginary to the end of that list.

 

:signfunny:

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JohnT

JohnT

Posted
Posted
It goes like this:

 

Scarce, Scarcer, Scarcest.

 

So scarcer is more scarce than just scarce.

 

Got it. So is scarcest more scarce than rare? hm

 

No. Rare is scarcer than scarcest.

 

Not that scarcest is a term that's used in fandom....

 

My scarcity scale from most to least...

Hard

Tough

Scarce

Really tough

Seldom seen

Scarcer

Very few

Rare

Very Rare

Impossible

One of a kind

Does not exist

 

(This started as a joke, but I actually started thinking about it.

Now I am seriously wondering if Scarcer is too high and Seldom seen is too low! :pullhair:)

 

 

I like your list, but I think "Extinct" belongs there too.

 

Not sure if Extinct should be before or after Does not exist.

 

Or maybe even instead of, because surely it existed at one time right? :insane:

 

 

I would add imaginary to the end of that list.

 

Mythical. May or may not have existed, but is now lost in the mists of time.

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JohnT

JohnT

Posted
Posted

To be serious for a moment (sorry), Overstreet does appear to be making concrete estimates of an issue's population. The glossary defines them:

 

Scarce=20-100

Rare=10-20

Very Rare=1-10

 

Of course, the key is the word "estimate." No one can know for sure what's out there in an attic or a collection.

 

Since OS assigns numbers to each term, I would assume the numbers are meant to apply regardless of whether the book is GA or bronze.

 

Now, as for what they mean when they say DC 100-page 5 is "scarcer," who knows! (shrug)

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Dale Roberts

Dale Roberts

Posted
Posted

I don't think scarce in Overstreet is related to a particular number, but more a comparison to surrounding and similar issues. If there were 200,000 GI Joe #1s printed, and 80,000 #3s, but only 30,000 #2s, then in relation to the other surrounding issues, it is more scarce.

 

 

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JohnT

JohnT

Posted
Posted
I don't think scarce in Overstreet is related to a particular number, but more a comparison to surrounding and similar issues. If there were 200,000 GI Joe #1s printed, and 80,000 #3s, but only 30,000 #2s, then in relation to the other surrounding issues, it is more scarce.

 

 

They define "scarce" as 20-100 in their glossary.

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JohnT

JohnT

Posted
Posted
I have a hard time believing that any book produced since 1965 is truly scarce then.

 

Me too.

 

I'd like to know how they decide whether to use the term.

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MrBedrock

MrBedrock

Posted
Posted

If I remember correctly (and I am getting old so it is getting faulty) he used to have a column in the CBG which tracked very scarce to non-existant comics. I don't remember how he compiled his data other than having folks contact him if they info on certain books. I would love to know what his final data was. Is it published anywhere?

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HouseofComics.Com

HouseofComics.Com

Posted
Posted

Good memory! Yes, he felt that the Overstreet designations needed improvement or at least needed to be put to the test. As I recall, he had folks contact him and probably queried some major dealers and collectors as well. I'm not sure if everything was ever summarized (when I went off to college in 1987 he was still at it but when I resumed reading CBG a few years later I think his column was gone) but there were certain issues that he was "striking off the list." Ie, "Overstreet says this is rare but I've already found 15 copies so that's bogus." Anyway, he was basically saying what this thread is saying and put some serious work into proving it.

 

I know there are people on the boards who remember this better than I do and who probably even contributed info to him. Now if you'll excuse me, I think it's time to do some web searching for Lawrence and see what he's up to these days!

 

Marc

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codfish

codfish

Posted
Posted
Ok if this has been done before my apologies, How exactly does Overstreet decide the scarcity of a comic? They define scarce as being "20 to 100 known to exsist" Where do they get that information. CASE IN POINT: D.C 100 PAGE SUPER SPECTACULAR #5 The love stories issue. I own 2 copies. Gold key ASTROBOY #1 I own 4 copies. I am not bragging, honest, but both these issues are listed as scarce only 20 to 100 exsisting. I own multiples of other scarce comics, I did not pay huge money for any of these comics, I just am very diligent in looking for them as I like obscure scarce items....or so I thought. So does any one else think the term scarce by Overstreet standards is not accurate?

 

Scarce, rare, and very rare need to be removed from the OSPG in my opinion. Take Wonder Woman #105 for example. According to OS this book is scarce and I indeed expected it to be hard to find when I started my WW collection well before the online market existed. Now I know though that this book is as about as scarce as Chinese in China. I could probably find 100 different copies of 105 before I could find one copy of #72. In fact since I have started buying Wonder Woman (in 1993 or 94) I have only seen 2 issues of #72 up for sale.

 

Of course I have questioned many of the scarcity designation of many other comics in the OSPG. For that reason I feel they should just do away with this altogether or at least remove such designations when it is obviously not the case. (I know that one book listed as scarce several years ago was actually delisted (Tarzan #200) but such cases are rare)

 

While Gerber's index is a bit outdated too it gives one a much better sense of just how hard some books are to find. Determining scarcity is really hard when you really can't track all of the copies ever made of any book. Who really knows what is still out there to find. I keep thinking big collection or even the odd find is not out there to find any more but I keep being proved wrong.

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