Anyone desperately awaiting the next Heritage Signature Auction?

[pennynike1]

The November Sig Auction was really not that long ago, but man, it feels like forever ago. There were some great books in their last Sig Auction, but the pickings have been pretty slim in their Sunday auctions.

 

GA pickings have been pretty slim on ebay of late, so I wish they would start aggressively pursuing books for another landmark auction. Something tells me that their Vintage auction is not going to be all that spectacular.

 

 

[TheWatcher]

Actually, I'm more looking forward to CLink's Jan/Feb auction.

[pennynike1]

I have been looking forward to that auction Clink auction for months now, because the books I am after in that auction were posted very early. However, the end of January seems like a long ways off, and when it ends, then what?

[G.A.tor]

I was going to make a little post about how uninspiring the upcoming heritage auction is...even with the announcement of church Adv, still does very little for me (maybe 1 or 2 books I will pursue)...

there are a bunch in the clink auction, so that has become my preference...

and, the comic connect auction has some great offerings, too!

rick

[adamstrange]

The addition of the Church Adventures not withstanding, this is the weakest preview of a Signature Auction in several years. There's still time for more books to come in but I was surprised when I looked at the preview last night.

[1koko]

I'm not that surprised really - who is going to sell their comics on Heritage when the bid-offer spread retained by Heritage is approx 27.5% (asuming 10% seller and 17.5% buyer)?

 

Prices realised on Heritage compared to elsewhere are insufficient to make up this spread.

[G.A.tor]

I'm not that surprised really - who is going to sell their comics on Heritage when the bid-offer spread retained by Heritage is approx 27.5% (asuming 10% seller and 17.5% buyer)?

 

Prices realised on Heritage compared to elsewhere are insufficient to make up this spread.

good points...even if you have super quality material, and can negotiate 100% of strike, there is still the 19.5% BP that is tough to swallow from a sellers standpoint, when places like CLink only charges 10% and seems to reach the same pool of bidders

gator

[thecollectron]

I'm not that surprised really - who is going to sell their comics on Heritage when the bid-offer spread retained by Heritage is approx 27.5% (asuming 10% seller and 17.5% buyer)?

 

Prices realised on Heritage compared to elsewhere are insufficient to make up this spread.

good points...even if you have super quality material, and can negotiate 100% of strike, there is still the 19.5% BP that is tough to swallow from a sellers standpoint, when places like CLink only charges 10% and seems to reach the same pool of bidders

gator

 

That 19.5% BP is one of several things I dislike about Heritage. I always consider the maximum amount that I'll pay and then divide it by 1.195 to adjust for that. I don't win very often.

[tb]

I would not be surprised if Heritage were to leave the comics market over the next year or two. Personally, I'd hate to see that happen, but considering sales figures, their apparent lack of growth in revenue and market share, and the company's expansion into larger and more profitable areas of collecting, I could see them take the same step that Sotheby's, Christie's, and Greg Manning have taken in the past.

[pennynike1]

If they left, it would trully be a sad day in comics IMO. Some of my most prized comics have come from Heritatage, and their last Signature auction was superb. , However, I agree, the fees they charge sellers is extreme. They cut the price they are charging sellers by half, and I think people would be much more inclined to sell in their auctions. I know I would.

 

I love the fact that Heritage keeps an archive, and they offer large scans of the front and back covers of most expensive books. Being able to view large scans is a big plus when purchasing books over $1K.

[G.A.tor]

If they left, it would trully be a sad day in comics IMO. Some of my most prized comics have come from Heritatage, and their last Signature auction was superb. , However, I agree, the fees they charge sellers is extreme. They cut the price they are charging sellers by half, and I think people would be much more inclined to sell in their auctions. I know I would.

 

I love the fact that Heritage keeps an archive, and they offer large scans of the front and back covers of most expensive books. Being able to view large scans is a big plus when purchasing books over $1K.

I agree the archive is their best feature...but, if heritage bowed out of the comic market, that will not stop the books from coming to market, they will simply come via a difference venue (comic link, comic connect, etc)....

I doubt we would miss it very much, given the current state of auctions, and if they are not able to attract the key material, it must be going somewhere (like comic link) where the sellers are getting better realized payouts for their books

rick

[1koko]

Presume that you chose ComicLink over Heritage for your Bat run for those exact reasons?

[G.A.tor]

Presume that you chose ComicLink over Heritage for your Bat run for those exact reasons?

exactly...I researched several comparable issues that heritage had sold in the recent past, and in every case, comic link realized a higher price, and, only cost me 10%...after all was said and done, Clink realized prices for my bat run was 17% higher than my cost, so I netted 7%...assuming heritage could have gotten equal prices, I would have lost 2.5%...

a no brainer to me

rick

[pennynike1]

I love Clink, don't get me wrong. I have sold quite a few books there of late, whereas I have never actually sent a book to Heritage to sell. Heritage's fees just hit the seller too hard, and selling there basically ensures a net loss on selling the book when you do the math.

 

However, if a seller does place their book up on Heritage, being able to view a large scan of the slab is so great. It is a great feature as you pointed out. Even if a book is given a high grade, if the look of the book does not match the assigned grade, it allows me to adjust the price I am willing to pay accordingly (if I want it at all). If Josh were to place larger scans up on auction, that would really catapult Clink in my eyes.

[skybolt]

If Josh were to place larger scans up on auction, that would really catapult Clink in my eyes.

 

Not to mention the back covers!

[*paull*]

Clink doesn't even offer scans for all books. Is this 1995?

[jkrk]

Clink doesn't even offer scans for all books. Is this 1995?

 

Why should they offer better scans? They are well regarded and get top prices?

 

We are basically left with market players who call for the notes and others that pay the price based on the CGC label. Thtat's my view on how the market works.

 

I am unimpressed with both Heritage and CL's next auction. My interest is light in both auctions. I see a few "blockbuster" books I have no interest in but the quality on the rank and file for what I call "first tier" titles is rather weak/

 

Jay

[nearmint]

If Josh were to place larger scans up on auction, that would really catapult Clink in my eyes.

 

Not to mention the back covers!

 

CL might be getting higher bids because they don't post back cover scans. Defects out of sight are out of mind.

[rodan57]

If Josh were to place larger scans up on auction, that would really catapult Clink in my eyes.

 

Not to mention the back covers!

 

CL might be getting higher bids because they don't post back cover scans. Defects out of sight are out of mind.

 

Might be some truth to this --as a marketing position. But I can't help but think that bigger front and back cover scans would only serve to increase sales and cement their product presentation as industry standard.

 

My 12¢

Dennis

[G.A.tor]

If Josh were to place larger scans up on auction, that would really catapult Clink in my eyes.

 

Not to mention the back covers!

 

CL might be getting higher bids because they don't post back cover scans. Defects out of sight are out of mind.

 

Might be some truth to this --as a marketing position. But I can't help but think that bigger front and back cover scans would only serve to increase sales and cement their product presentation as industry standard.

 

My 12¢

Dennis

I asked josh about this, this past summer...I believe it was more a manpower issue and server space, than them "not" wanting to offer....that said, they have increased their staff, and server space is cheap, so maybe 2008 will usher in a new format?