Vote - How much would ACTION #1 Dentist Copy sell for in an auction?

[capt_comics]

I voted 3-4 , but it could go higher

 

With the (almost) unlimited wealth in the world today, I easily could see a non comic collector buying this book. I think we tend to forget, for a lot of these guys mentioned in this thread and a lot of other billionaires in the world, $5M is pocket change.

 

And as it concerns the Wagner, yes the card has always been the holy grail in the sports card market, but come on guys, we're talking about the first appearance of an American ICON here. If the Wagner went for 2.8 I would bet on the same or more for this.

 

Think more people know more about Superman than Honus Wagner.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[showcase4]

wanna see somethig kinda cool, although a little

this is the most valuable US stamp -- there are only 2 known copies. Estimated value is $3 Million. It is called a "Z-Grill"

[tth2]

Just because a celebrity owns a comic book or three, that doesn't make them a "comic book collector".

Yes, but the MH Action 1 transcends comic book collecting and is a true icon of American pop cultures, which, if a celebrity owns a comic or three, would be a pretty good choice to be comic #4.

 

When was the last time you duked it out with Spielberg, Lucas, Cage or whoever else to win a book on Heritage?

How can you be so certain you haven`t? How many people in the hobby knew that it was Cage when he was busy amassing his collection? Probably not many, because he was going through intermediaries. Like you say, these guys (and other well-known rich guys) are generally no dummies, so the last thing they would want is to let the general public know that a rich celeb is splashing money in the hobby. You make it sound like we would all definitely know if it WAS Spielberg bidding on a piece, and I`m not so sure we would.

 

 

[tth2]

to TTH2...I have a question that I honestly don't know the answer to...

 

Why do people keep saying that comics are behind cards when speaking of hobby maturity?

Roy, go back and read my post. I said behind the "publicity" curve, not maturity curve.

[Schmakt]

that stamp is pretty cool...

 

 

 

If this comic went up for sale on the open market, what do you guys think the chances are that it would end up in non-American hands?

 

I could see some oil prince or some Hong Kong gazillionaire with nothing better to do decide that they'd want a piece like this just to have this "American Icon." That would, of course, require some press coverage of the "event" to give the buyer some more cred with the public at large... but I could see that happening...

 

 

 

Also... I bet it would go for a lot more if the story wasn't so... BLAH and the art wasn't so... bland

[VintageComics]

 Originally Posted By: r1970d

to TTH2...I have a question that I honestly don't know the answer to...<br /><br />Why do people keep saying that comics are behind cards when speaking of hobby maturity?

Roy, go back and read my post. I said behind the "publicity" curve, not maturity curve.

(thumbs uSo who is Horst Wagner....or whatever his name is? Why is that card so expensive?

[tth2]

I could see some oil *spoon* prince or some Hong Kong gazillionaire with nothing better to do decide that they'd want a piece like this just to have this "American Icon."

I definitely can`t see any HK gazillionaire buying the book.

[delekkerste]

You give these guys too much credit. As long as the top pieces keep ending up in the hands of established collectors, I'm not going to believe that these celebs are constantly the anonymous runner-ups. "Hollywood money" has always been a red herring, a canard for this hobby. I know there are a handful who dabble, including some who haven't been mentioned in any thread I know of, but they are not setting the pace of the market by any means. And, for a lot of the "usual suspects", I suspect that they are at points in their lives where acquiring that next big comic book is something that they would have stopped considering about 20 years ago.

 

All this talk about cultural icons and transcendence is better suited for a talk about the Dalai Lama and Buddhism. I continue to believe that you guys are greatly overestimating the crossover appeal and even billionaires' willingness to part with many millions of dollars for something like this where there has been no precedent, especially since it could turn noses as opposed to, say, (macho) sports memorabilia or (status symbol) fine art (which both have established histories of millions being spent on them).

 

It's like someone said earlier in this thread - I believe that many here would pay $5 million or more for the MH Action #1 if you were billionaires. But, you're not, and the ones we got out there probably wouldn't.

[delekkerste]

I could see some oil *spoon* prince or some Hong Kong gazillionaire with nothing better to do decide that they'd want a piece like this just to have this "American Icon."

 

That is just ridiculous nonsense.

[capt_comics]

You give these guys too much credit. As long as the top pieces keep ending up in the hands of established collectors, I'm not going to believe that these celebs are constantly the anonymous runner-ups. "Hollywood money" has always been a red herring, a canard for this hobby. I know there are a handful who dabble, including some who haven't been mentioned in any thread I know of, but they are not setting the pace of the market by any means. And, for a lot of the "usual suspects", I suspect that they are at points in their lives where acquiring that next big comic book is something that they would have stopped considering about 20 years ago.

 

All this talk about cultural icons and transcendence is better suited for a talk about the Dalai Lama and Buddhism. I continue to believe that you guys are greatly overestimating the crossover appeal and even billionaires' willingness to part with many millions of dollars for something like this where there has been no precedent, especially since it could turn noses as opposed to (macho) sports memorabilia or (status symbol) fine art.

 

It's like someone said earlier in this thread - I believe that many here would pay $5 million or more for the MH Action #1 if you were billionaires. But, you're not, and the ones we got out there probably wouldn't.

 

It only takes two

[delekkerste]

You could say that about anything. It's only because we're comic collectors that some of you guys feel like there have to be people who want to pay millions and millions for this stuff. Meanwhile, everybody has a pet hobby out there that they could see two billionaires duking it out over. :doh:

 

The BSDs in our hobby like being big fishes in a small pond. A lot of the big fishes in our hobby wouldn't even be minnows in other hobbies. Those who are big fishes in big ponds (i.e., the billionaires you speak of) are not motivated by the same things which motivate you or even the BSDs of this hobby. To them, Superman is an American icon. Action #1 is just a comic book. They do not think like you.

 

Anyway, hope springs eternal.

[VintageComics]

Gene, let me ask you this way...

 

What other pieces of American entertainment culture compare to the MH Action #1? We already know Supes is up there with Mickey Mouse, Babe Ruth and Coca Cola. There is no question about that.

 

The Honus Wagner card? Who the heII is Honus Wagner? I've never heard of the guy before someone mentioned his card. I also am not a big fan of baseball as and I am not alone in this view. So obviously Superman (being known globally) is more popular than HW.

 

So what other pieces are comparable? What other pieces of American (or world Entertainment culture) are considered holy grails and as important to culture as the MH Action #1?

 

 

R.

 

 

[delekkerste]

Like I said - Superman is the icon. The MH Action #1 is just a comic book. It's only because we are comic collectors that such religious holiness is ascribed to this particular book. If it were as coveted as you say, why hasn't DA been offered more than $2 million for it? Why hasn't Supes fan Jon Bon Jovi offered him $5 million? Why hasn't Eric Roberts offered $10 million or Jerry Seinfeld $15 million? How many people outside of the hobby even know what the MH Collection is? Why would they even want a piece of it?

 

Even if the book was "all that" and more, you guys seem to think that billionaires chuck out $5 million plus all the time for stuff that they don't have any interest in. And, realistically, you have to be worth 9 figures or more to lay out that kind of coin. We're talking Elton John and Paul McCartney levels of wealth, not Sebastian Bach. Do you guys know any centi-millionaires or billionaires? I do, in fact I just got off the phone with one 10 minutes ago, have worked with two and have had many ultra-rich people as clients including several billionaires. None of them I have met act anything like what you guys imagine. Forget it, Jake, it's Chinatown - if this book ever came up for sale, it's going to be a longtime collector who buys it in all probability.

 

By the way, remember the last time an "American icon" came up for sale and was supposed to fetch more than a million dollars? Geppi bought it out of pity for a fraction of that. If not for him, who knows how little it would have fetched:

 

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/retail/2003-07-18-gi-joe_x.htm

 

[jimjum12]

 Originally Posted By: tth2

 Originally Posted By: r1970d

to TTH2...I have a question that I honestly don't know the answer to...<br /><br />Why do people keep saying that comics are behind cards when speaking of hobby maturity?

Roy, go back and read my post. I said behind the "publicity" curve, not maturity curve.

 

 

So who is Horst Wagner....or whatever his name is? Why is that card so expensive?

 

Tread carefully Roy....I was recently scorched to the marrow for dissing Horus Wagner.GOD BLESS...-jimbo(a friend of jesus) (thumbs u

[Scrooge]

 Originally Posted By: Schmakt

I could see some oil *spoon* prince or some Hong Kong gazillionaire with nothing better to do decide that they'd want a piece like this just to have this "American Icon."

I definitely can`t see any HK gazillionaire buying the book.

Esp. after the most recent GDP numbers, -1.4% was it? Yes that's MINUS 1.4%

[dekeuk]

this is the most valuable US stamp -- there are only 2 known copies. Estimated value is $3 Million. It is called a "Z-Grill"

 

 

It's been USED

 

Imagine what a mint example might be worth.

 

 

[delekkerste]

Esp. after the most recent GDP numbers, -1.4% was it? Yes that's MINUS 1.4%

 

Don't you know that the comic world lives in a vacuum and isn't affected by insignificant trifles such as economic conditions?

 

Might be worth noting that European GDP was MINUS 0.2% in the second quarter as well. Stronger dollar + weaker European economy = what effect on prices?

[Monstro]

You could say that about anything. It's only because we're comic collectors that some of you guys feel like there have to be people who want to pay millions and millions for this stuff. Meanwhile, everybody has a pet hobby out there that they could see two billionaires duking it out over.

 

The BSDs in our hobby like being big fishes in a small pond. A lot of the big fishes in our hobby wouldn't even be minnows in other hobbies. Those who are big fishes in big ponds (i.e., the billionaires you speak of) are not motivated by the same things which motivate you or even the BSDs of this hobby. To them, Superman is an American icon. Action #1 is just a comic book. They do not think like you.

 

Anyway, hope springs eternal.

so what do you think it would go for????you clearly have a better understanding of big money people the we do

[Aman619]

everything said here is basically true, but all ignores the basic fact that the BOOK IS NOT FOR SALE AT THIS TIME. Even IF somebody offered Dave 10 million, he'd still hold out, (probably muffling his ears to not hear the number lest it be tempting!). So given that fact, it changes all estimates of its "worth" or potential "sale price". So I am conservative on its value today, but bullish big-time long-term.

 

I agree with Gene's sober assessment of "people with money". They wouldnt swoop in to acquire the best artifact of a genre they know little about and could care even less. Hollywood is another story. I agree that the many rumors of the vast Hollywood comic connections is on a par with the earlier Japanese money "invasion"... namely slim to none. But a 2 mil impulse collectible purchase makes more sense to his bean counters than 5 or 10 would.

 

But, given the cultural inroads our little funnybook characters continue to wreak at the boxoffice, and in malls etc, and given demographics that each day raise the percentage of American adults that "get" comicbooks and superheroes, the future looks good for the "best of the best" actual comicbook copies. This is also IMO the tie between baseball and comics: both are 20th century paper toys, but cards got a 50 year headstart. Comics are catching up culturally. But both are clearly still minor "outsider genres" of far from universal crossover appeal.

 

So If Im Dave, the books stays snug and secure in the dark cozy confines of whatever failsafe mechanism he has entrusted it so far. And all the talk swirling around wont change a thing...

 

So we are free to speculate on and on for years to come.

 

[The Black Hand ®]

What I want to know is how much the original art would go for.