4 to horde from the Copper Age

[joe_collector]

Low print Spider Man and X-Men's from the late 90 are always moving well on ebay, presumably because people are going for full runs and those issues are hard to find.

 

Presumably is right - once Wizard posted a few articles on the subject, it's become an environment of speculators buying up the books in hope of future demand that may or may not materialize.

[FlyingDonut]

Why would it be any different than a collector needing to complete a GI Joe or TF run?? They still need the very scarce last issues to complete the "set" or run.

 

You've never collected sportscards, right?

 

Sportscard SETS are all printed the same year, and that is the way the majority of collectors go after them. A set of 336 1969-70 hockey cards was NOT printed over a period of 336 months like comics, but all at once, and kids would collect them all at once.

 

And that's the main reason they are collected by set, as people remember the cards of their youth, and try to get back that set, moving up and/or down the years as more sets are accumulated.

 

If you want to compare that to comics, it would be like attempting to collect every comic book put out in 1969, from every company. You would definitely find some scarce ones in that set, as many of the esoteric titles and off-brands would be tough to find.

 

But it's totally different than an entire series of GI Joe comics, which were printed over a period of a decade or more.

 

That's not true, at least for baseball cards. Up until the mid-70s at least, baseball cards were printed in series with the last series, the "high numbers" coming out late in the baseball season when they were not collected. The "high numbers", always have higher value than the earlier series. The GI Joe 155 example would be akin to the 1970 Nolan Ryan card, which was in the last series, and is worth significantly more than it would be had it been in an earlier series. Its the same with football, I don't know about hockey.

[joe_collector]

That's not true, at least for baseball cards. Up until the mid-70s at least, baseball cards were printed in series with the last series, the "high numbers" coming out late in the baseball season when they were not collected.

 

I know, it's the same for hockey cards, but it's still the SAME YEAR.

 

I don't see how such a simple point eludes so many people.

 

GI Joe #1 was printed in June 1982 - GI Joe 155 in December 1994. Kids buying in the early-80's would have zero connection to the later 1990's books, while a kid buying sportscards in 1970 would have a connection to both series 1 and 2.

 

Due to the totally different formats, it's virtually impossible to compare cards and comics. A rare 1970's sportscard set is totally different from a comic book series that ran from 1982-1994.

[joe_collector]

And just for the record, I have no beef with anyone wanting to collect these - more power to ya, and less money where I'm buying - I'm just against comparing a rare baseball series from the same year to a comic book run that could potentially last decades.

 

Apples and oranges.

[FlyingDonut]

That's not true, at least for baseball cards. Up until the mid-70s at least, baseball cards were printed in series with the last series, the "high numbers" coming out late in the baseball season when they were not collected.

 

I know, it's the same for hockey cards, but it's still the SAME YEAR.

 

I don't see how such a simple point eludes so many people.

 

GI Joe #1 was printed in June 1982 - GI Joe 155 in December 1994. Kids buying in the early-80's would have zero connection to the later 1990's books, while a kid buying sportscards in 1970 would have a connection to both series 1 and 2.

 

Due to the totally different formats, it's virtually impossible to compare cards and comics. A rare 1970's sportscard set is totally different from a comic book series that ran from 1982-1994.

 

Ah I understand your point now. (thumbs u

[carcrawfordfan]

Why would it be any different than a collector needing to complete a GI Joe or TF run?? They still need the very scarce last issues to complete the "set" or run.

 

You've never collected sportscards, right?

 

Sportscard SETS are all printed the same year, and that is the way the majority of collectors go after them. A set of 336 1969-70 hockey cards was NOT printed over a period of 336 months like comics, but all at once, and kids would collect them all at once.

 

And that's the main reason they are collected by set, as people remember the cards of their youth, and try to get back that set, moving up and/or down the years as more sets are accumulated.

 

If you want to compare that to comics, it would be like attempting to collect every comic book put out in 1969, from every company. You would definitely find some scarce ones in that set, as many of the esoteric titles and off-brands would be tough to find.

 

But it's totally different than an entire series of GI Joe comics, which were printed over a period of a decade or more.

 

i have collected sportscards for over 20 years. I know exactly how it works. I know people make GI Joe/TF runs all the time. I just disagree with you.

[followtheleader]

Last issue scarcity was originally based on completing runs (and not locating copies to complete them). With less and less people completing runs, last issue scarcity moved into it own realm. I agree with JC, I can't see the long term collectibility. But it does seem like Star Wars, Transformers, & GI Joe last issues have been pulling bucks for awhile now (which goes back to Donut's 25 theory).

 

Pat

[joe_collector]

LBut it does seem like Star Wars, Transformers, & GI Joe last issues have been pulling bucks for awhile now

 

But the problem with all these "theories" is they don't hold any water. All this last issue value run-up was *after* Wizard and other publications started hyping these as "rare and ultra-collectible" and driving speculators into the market.

 

If the demand was already there from completists, why weren't prices already high? If these were HTF and being fought over by collectors looking for a full run, then basic market forces would have driven prices as high, right?

 

So if this isn't a self-fulfilling prophecy, and prices are purely driven by "full run collector demand", why did it take the Wizard & Co. hype machine to push "last issues" to current price levels?

 

Think about it.

[alwaysbronze]

i wouldnt mind a conan 275

[lookwhoitis]

Baseball cards suck a s s

 

I concur...

[seanfingh]

i wouldnt mind a conan 275

 

I'd like to have a Jonah Hex 92.

[SharpComics.com]

i wouldnt mind a conan 275

 

I'd like to have a Jonah Hex 92.

 

What grades and how many do you guys want?

[greggy]

i wouldnt mind a conan 275

 

I'd like to have a Jonah Hex 92.

 

What grades and how many do you guys want?

9.8 x 25

[carcrawfordfan]

LBut it does seem like Star Wars, Transformers, & GI Joe last issues have been pulling bucks for awhile now

 

But the problem with all these "theories" is they don't hold any water. All this last issue value run-up was *after* Wizard and other publications started hyping these as "rare and ultra-collectible" and driving speculators into the market.

 

If the demand was already there from completists, why weren't prices already high? If these were HTF and being fought over by collectors looking for a full run, then basic market forces would have driven prices as high, right?

 

So if this isn't a self-fulfilling prophecy, and prices are purely driven by "full run collector demand", why did it take the Wizard & Co. hype machine to push "last issues" to current price levels?

 

Think about it.

 

I don't know about Star Wars, but I know the last 50ish issues of GI JOE and 20 or so TF issues have always sold very well. It didn't make one difference what they booked at in OS, Wizard or anything else. They have always been known to be scarce and most runbuilders/completists have been in the "know" for quite some time. Maybe Wizard reacted to a market that they saw forming right in front of them. I realize that some speculators and the like have added to the hotness of the issues, but this isn't some new phenomenon. This has been here for quite some time. IMO the heat is real and this trend will be around as long as people are building these 2 runs.

[awe4one]

I don't know about Star Wars, but I know the last 50ish issues of GI JOE and 20 or so TF issues have always sold very well. It didn't make one difference what they booked at in OS, Wizard or anything else. They have always been known to be scarce and most runbuilders/completists have been in the "know" for quite some time. Maybe Wizard reacted to a market that they saw forming right in front of them. I realize that some speculators and the like have added to the hotness of the issues, but this isn't some new phenomenon. This has been here for quite some time. IMO the heat is real and this trend will be around as long as people are building these 2 runs.

 

Those in the "know" would pay more for these final issues due to more difficulty finding them...but not premium prices. They knew the series was dollar fodder and paid for these issues accordingly. It wasn't until people, to include but not limited to Wizard, started "hyping" these final issues as scarce did you see a spike as the speculators jumped in...

 

Big difference between actual demand by collectors and those holding for the flip...

 

Jim

[FlyingDonut]

I disagree on GI Joe 151-155. Those books have commanded a premium for at least 10 years, along with the GI Joe Special 1, which for many years wasn't even listed in Overstreet.

[SharpComics.com]

i wouldnt mind a conan 275

 

I'd like to have a Jonah Hex 92.

 

What grades and how many do you guys want?

9.8 x 25

 

smart arse ......that will be 1 miiiiiiillllliooonn dollars!!!!

[joe_collector]

Those in the "know" would pay more for these final issues due to more difficulty finding them...but not premium prices. They knew the series was dollar fodder and paid for these issues accordingly. It wasn't until people, to include but not limited to Wizard, started "hyping" these final issues as scarce did you see a spike as the speculators jumped in...

 

That's exactly right, but be prepared to be hammered by the Wizard Speculators who are holding these books for the flip.

[awe4one]

I disagree on GI Joe 151-155. Those books have commanded a premium for at least 10 years, along with the GI Joe Special 1, which for many years wasn't even listed in Overstreet.

 

Yeah, that's about right. The mid-1990s was about the time that Wizard first came out hyping "scarce" last issues which first highlighted Star Wars #107 as one of their "Hidden Treasures" due to then "hot" artist Whilce Portacio's inking in the issue...

 

Jim

[carcrawfordfan]

I disagree on GI Joe 151-155. Those books have commanded a premium for at least 10 years, along with the GI Joe Special 1, which for many years wasn't even listed in Overstreet.

 

Yeah, that's about right. The mid-1990s was about the time that Wizard first came out hyping "scarce" last issues which first highlighted Star Wars #107 as one of their "Hidden Treasures" due to then "hot" artist Whilce Portacio's inking in the issue...

 

Jim

 

You are aware these books were published in the mid-90s???