What's the value of the Overstreet Price Guide to collectors?

[Flaming_Telepath]

But because the shipping/insurance/buyers premium applies to every avenue, apart from face-to-face sales at a show or store, there is no difference. You cannot, and should not, consider those factors in on the eBay sales price, because you would then have to do the same with CLink, Pedigree, Metro, etc. etc.

 

So to make a valid comparison, you simply take the price paid for the book...nothing added, nothing taken away.

 

And if you want to find a good indicator of real world values on raw books, go to any of the reputable dealers and see what sells at what price. These are the venues where, by and large, you are going to get what you pay for (or else you're going to get a refund), so people are prepared to pay what they consider to be FMV.

 

eBay can never be considered to reflect FMV, because everyone who buys there is only prepared to pay FMV for an item in much worse condition than that being advertised.

[Aces]

What's the value of the Overstreet Price Guide to collectors?

 

I shell out $20-$25 every year for the hard cover.

[Poe]

A comic collector is looking for a book. He is willing to pay up to $10 for it.

 

He finds the book on eBay. Shipping will run him $4 and so he puts in a max bid of $6. The auction ends at $6. If I am understanding your argument you would suggest that the selling price of the book is $6 correct? Same guy finds the same book at a convention priced at $10 and buys it. If I understand your position, you see the comic in the first instance selling for $6 and the second book selling for $10 correct? Because I see it completely different. I see a guy paying $10 in both cases for the book.

 

If a collector is willing to pay $100 plus a buyers premium for a comic at an auction house what do you consider to be the price achieved for the book? The $100 or the total he laid out?

 

I simply don't agree with your contention that you can only look at price without factoring in all the other things that affect the total paid.

[Aces]

A comic collector is looking for a book. He is willing to pay up to $10 for it.

 

He finds the book on eBay. Shipping will run him $4 and so he puts in a max bid of $6. The auction ends at $6. If I am understanding your argument you would suggest that the selling price of the book is $6 correct? Same guy finds the same book at a convention priced at $10 and buys it. If I understand your position, you see the comic in the first instance selling for $6 and the second book selling for $10 correct? Because I see it completely different. I see a guy paying $10 in both cases for the book.

 

If a collector is willing to pay $100 plus a buyers premium for a comic at an auction house what do you consider to be the price achieved for the book? The $100 or the total he laid out?

 

I simply don't agree with your contention that you can only look at price without factoring in all the other things that affect the total paid.

 

I'm not sure what this is about but "what he said".

I always factor in shipping when buying comics in the mail unless it's a major purchuse ($200+) and the shipping is less than 5% of the total. Then all I care about is the book.

 

[Flaming_Telepath]

A comic collector is looking for a book. He is willing to pay up to $10 for it.

 

He finds the book on eBay. Shipping will run him $4 and so he puts in a max bid of $6. The auction ends at $6. If I am understanding your argument you would suggest that the selling price of the book is $6 correct? Same guy finds the same book at a convention priced at $10 and buys it. If I understand your position, you see the comic in the first instance selling for $6 and the second book selling for $10 correct? Because I see it completely different. I see a guy paying $10 in both cases for the book.

 

If a collector is willing to pay $100 plus a buyers premium for a comic at an auction house what do you consider to be the price achieved for the book? The $100 or the total he laid out?

 

I simply don't agree with your contention that you can only look at price without factoring in all the other things that affect the total paid.

 

And are all quoted shipping rates the same?

 

And which venues charge a buyers's premium? And which don't?

 

And who else runs a Credit Card scam scheme like CLink?

 

And which bidders are combining shipping? And which aren't, and are simply paying for the one book?

 

Minefield, yes?

 

So, just take the sales price that shows on the screen and forget the rest. (thumbs u

[alecholland]

In many respects, the Guide has outgrown its usefulness. However, I wouldn't dismiss the prices listed so readily, especially on raw and the mid-grade stuff. Truth is, for retail bricks-and-mortar outlets, the $30 for a Fine ASM #90 is, if the book is accurately graded and well-presented in the store, a decent indicator of what can be achieved. Similarly, dealer web-sites with the large inventory and shopping basket affairs will also probably pick up similar sales.

 

Even at shows, if the book sells on the first day, rather than on 'make me an offer, any offer' Sunday, $30 or close to is achievable.

 

There simply isn't an alternative for raw prices, nor for common mid-grade Bronze and Silver. Prices on eBay are absolutely irrelevant and cannot be used to undermine Guide values. Yeah, a Fine copy of ASM #90 sold for $16 last week, but we all know that all bidders took it be a VG copy and set their bids appropriately. And you know what? It probably was a VG copy and so Overstreet doesn't look so far from the truth.

 

And as for the sales realised here on the boards being representative of the general market...they're not...they're not even close. What we have here is probably the most concentrated pool of knowledge and awareness anywhere in the comic community at any time. We have a constant stream of quality books from all eras and genres. On many occasions, we simply have too many books being offered for the size of the audience (have a look through some of the VCC results).

 

All of this exerts downward pressure on prices realised. To make a sale here, you have to have something special, or something cheap. Not so in the general market. Go look at prices at Metro, Mile High, Harley Yee, etc. etc.

 

They're not overpriced...they're simply selling to a different market. (thumbs u

 

Nick,

 

Thanks for your input. I was hoping a long time & knowledgable board member like yourself would comment. I think I'm getting so used to paying half guide or less here on the boards and the occasional Ebay book, it just made me wonder last night if the prices in OS were really relavent for the collector anymore.

 

One of the local shops I go to prices all their books at exactly what OS says is the value. I've gone in many times since I began collecting again over the last 4 years, and she always still has the same books on the wall. Everytime a new OS comes out, she re-prices everything on her wall accordingly.

 

I went in 2 days ago and still, not a single book has moved. I also know that her business is not doing well because when I went in she was on the phone with a bill collector. We had a short conversation about how the comic book business has changed and that she can't make any money at it anymore. I keep thinking that if she were willing to take even 10% off, she might be able to move a few books, but she's a bit stubborn when it comes to pricing. She's given me a couple dollars off of a stack of books before, but it doesn't even amount to 5% off. I think this may also be part of what prompted my question.

 

I definitely agree with the Ebay thing. Although very rare anymore because of the boards, when I do bid on a book on Ebay, I bid based on a percentage of guide 2 full grades lower than how the book is described. The only exceptions are board members auctions and a seller that I have been buying from for about two years now that I know understands grading.

 

Thanks again for your insights and the other board members that responded as well. Any other thoughts, keep 'em coming.

[bhhooks22]

Of course ,..with all things being equal ,..if you really get down to it , then even buying at a Con. you would need to adjust for your entrance fee of $20-50 and gas , etc.... Bh

[Flaming_Telepath]

Of course ,..with all things being equal ,..if you really get down to it , then even buying at a Con. you would need to adjust for your entrance fee of $20-50 and gas , etc.... Bh

 

(thumbs u

 

And from the seller's POV, should they be factoring in table costs/hotel rooms/haulage/etc. before they arrive at their true 'sale' price?

 

You see, it simply can't be done this way. The closest you will ever get to a comparison is the sticker price...nothing added, nothing taken away.

[Aces]

Nick,

 

Thanks for your input. I was hoping a long time & knowledgable board member like yourself would comment. I think I'm getting so used to paying half guide or less here on the boards and the occasional Ebay book, it just made me wonder last night if the prices in OS were really relavent for the collector anymore.

 

Yes they are.

Just cut-em in half. (thumbs u

 

edit:

You don't know what "half book" is unless you got the book!

[Flaming_Telepath]

Nick,

 

Thanks for your input. I was hoping a long time & knowledgable board member like yourself would comment. I think I'm getting so used to paying half guide or less here on the boards and the occasional Ebay book, it just made me wonder last night if the prices in OS were really relavent for the collector anymore.

 

Yes they are.

Just cut-em in half. (thumbs u

 

edit:

You don't know what "half book" is unless you got the book!