$5000 - Advise on what to buy...?

[CAMERANIAC]

Nice Superman #2 for sale on the forum. You'd have some money left over!

[TheShadowKnows]

That is a awfully sweet book..

[the blob]

5,000 primo dollar box books! (well, maybe 6,000 with some haggling)

[joe_collector]

My thoughts here are to buy a slabbed book to add to my collection but also keeping in mind the "investment factor"

 

[Monstro]

[valiantman]

My thoughts here are to buy a slabbed book to add to my collection but also keeping in mind the "investment factor"

 

 

Is there some reason that it's a bad idea?

 

Have mid-grade Amazing Fantasy #15 values fallen in the last 5, 10, or 25 years?

[joe_collector]

My thoughts here are to buy a slabbed book to add to my collection but also keeping in mind the "investment factor"

 

 

Is there some reason that it's a bad idea?

 

You of all people should know the dangers of putting "investment" and "comic book" in the same sentence.

[valiantman]

My thoughts here are to buy a slabbed book to add to my collection but also keeping in mind the "investment factor"

 

 

Is there some reason that it's a bad idea?

 

You of all people should know the dangers of putting "investment" and "comic book" in the same sentence.

 

Yes, but it's a blanket statement to say there's no such thing.

 

The upper ends of the market will always be "investments".

No one pays $1,000 to read a comic book and toss it in the trash.

... or $5,000, or $500,000.

[G.A.tor]

My thoughts here are to buy a slabbed book to add to my collection but also keeping in mind the "investment factor"

 

 

Is there some reason that it's a bad idea?

 

You of all people should know the dangers of putting "investment" and "comic book" in the same sentence.

 

Yes, but it's a blanket statement to say there's no such thing.

 

The upper ends of the market will always be "investments".

No one pays $1,000 to read a comic book and toss it in the trash.

... or $5,000, or $500,000.

tis true...there are many folks that make a living off "investing" in the commodity we call comic books.... I certainly don't spend $50,000 on a comic that I am not, to some degree, certain I can resell if need be (note, I didn't say profitably, as not all "investments' result in profits)....

but, I don't think anyone is naive enough to think that anyone with a collection worth more than a bag of sand, is not concerned to some degree, with its liquidity, right

[joe_collector]

I don't think anyone is naive enough to think that anyone with a collection worth more than a bag of sand, is not concerned to some degree, with its liquidity, right

 

I hope there is more than just me, as I have absolutely no idea how much my collection is worth, and have no interest in its liquidity.

 

I realize the CGC boards have a higher % of money-hungry buggers on it, but I can't believe that there are no other true collectors out there, who still view comics as a hobby and not a commodity.

 

Anyone?

[nik]

Why is it so wrong for it to be both?

[joe_collector]

Why is it so wrong for it to be both?

 

I guess I'm just old-fashioned.

[nik]

Just going by your previous statement

 

I hope there is more than just me, as I have absolutely no idea how much my collection is worth, and have no interest in its liquidity.

 

If you have no interest in its liquidity then the value of your collection is irrelevent

[joe_collector]

Just going by your previous statement

 

I hope there is more than just me, as I have absolutely no idea how much my collection is worth, and have no interest in its liquidity.

 

If you have no interest in its liquidity then the value of your collection is irrelevent

 

Not really, as the value is how much it's worth, while liquidity refers to how easy or difficult it is to sell. Mutually exclusive terms, as a low-cost book may have high liquidity, and vice versa. Plus, valuation can be used for insurance purposes, general interest, anal retentive record-keeping, etc. and not just selling.

 

What I'm saying is that a) I don't care how much they're worth and b) I don't intend to sell them.

 

I could still do a) or b) without needing the other.

[CKB]

Why is it so wrong for it to be both?

 

I guess I'm just old-fashioned.

 

Unless the buyer is wealthy, a $5K expenditure better darn well be an investrment. Whether it's a consumable (vacation, car, TV) which is an investment in yourself, or a tangible piece of property that is expected to appreciate - a fiscally responsible person better be getting something for their money. Feeling warm and cuddly inside is nice - but it's cheaper to go so Starbucks.

 

When you spend $15 on a decent copy of Cap 101, you probably shouldn't be thinking of that as an investment.

 

[joe_collector]

Oh boy, the "investment in yourself" club is now called to order.

 

So you feel that spending $2K on a 1-week vacation is different than spending $2K on a few CGC books?

 

One is an "investment in yourself" and the other is 100% a "financial investment"?

 

How did you come to that decision?

[valiantman]

You of all people should know the dangers of putting "investment" and "comic book" in the same sentence.

 

I'll assume this is a reference to me being "valiantman"

and the fact that Valiant Comics were considered "investments"

in 1993, only to see those values plummet when the market crash came.

 

As a result, it's true that "comic book investments" are dangerous propositions,

but the particular danger is in an unproven commodity, which would

include every single comic book being printed at the moment.

 

Once a comic book is 5 years old... or 25, or 75... you've lost quite a bit of the "unproven"

portion of the description... what was once "hot" is probably "not" by that time.

 

Once any comic book which is 5+ years old is consistently selling for $50,

it's likely that there is a particular underlying market that is "proving" that value.

 

By the time it has reached 25 years old, a comic is essentially "history",

by definition it is actually an antique, or very close to becoming one,

and will be bought and sold according to whatever "proven commodity"

status that it has achieved, either as a collectible, as art, as pop culture, etc.

 

To imply that all "comic book investments" are a bad idea is ridiculous.

 

At a certain age, at a certain value, a comic becomes an investment by default.

For some it might be an "investment" to put $20 into a 10 year old book.

For others, it's not an "investment" until they put $20,000 into a 45 year old book.

 

Mileage will vary, but it's crazy to think that any $5,000

put into the comic book market will ultimately be wasted.

 

Most $5,000 comics from 10 years ago are worth more today...

while $5,000 in cash stuffed in a mattress would be worth about $3,500 today,

and $5,000 in some stocks (Enron, WorldCom, etc.) would be worth nothing.

 

Where do you put $5,000 to watch it grow?

What if you'd like the pleasure of ownership in the meantime?

How much pleasure does a mutual fund or savings account quarterly statement bring?

Compare that to a mid-grade Amazing Fantasy #15 and not only is it an investment for the future,

it's pleasure and pride in ownership every day until it is eventually sold.

 

Investment AND enjoyment

 

...make a better combo than...

 

Investment OR enjoyment

[joe_collector]

and $5,000 in some stocks (Enron, WorldCom, etc.) would be worth nothing.

 

I can see I am speaking to a financial wizard.

 

I must be some kind of wild genius, since all my stocks were sold for significantly more than when I bought them. Plus, if you want to compare apples to apples, then Enron = Valiant and SA = Blue Chip.

 

Here in Canuckland, whenever there is a market downturn, I buy tons of bank stocks, then these sure-fire investments jump back up, I sell and diversify. I made a lot just doing that simple trick, and it's far easier than buying piles of funny books for profit.

[valiantman]

and $5,000 in some stocks (Enron, WorldCom, etc.) would be worth nothing.

 

I can see I am speaking to a financial wizard.

 

I must be some kind of wild genius, since all my stocks were sold for significantly more than when I bought them. Plus, if you want to compare apples to apples, then Enron = Valiant and SA = Blue Chip.

 

Here in Canuckland, whenever there is a market downturn, I buy tons of bank stocks, then these sure-fire investments jump back up, I sell and diversify. I made a lot just doing that simple trick, and it's far easier than buying piles of funny books for profit.

 

The point is... you aren't guaranteed anything in ANY investment.

 

Why not buy what you like and enjoy the ownership itself?

 

Comic book ownership is more enjoyable to me than a stack of prospectus documents.

 

I can't help but notice that you compared Silver Age comics to Blue Chip stocks?

So, then you are advocating investing in comic books... (thumbs u

 

Nice one, Hippocrates.

[nik]

Comic book ownership is more enjoyable to me than a stack of prospectus documents

 

Well said. Why is it people cant enjoy buying what they like without the investment tag attached?

 

People who spend alot of coin most likely have alot of coin to spend and

heaven forbid they like owning quality books.

 

If my collection was worthless tomorrow, guess what, I will be just fine with it I am still going to enjoy what I own as it really makes me happy and not look for a tall bridge to jump off in a state of depression.