Star Wars #1 variant sells for $12k

[bronzilla]

 

I guess I just don't get it? These were simply "test" books sent out to see how the market would react (no pun intended Rob) to the upcoming higher price...uhhhhhhhhhhh, and???

 

There is zero about the book itself that makes it different, or rare? The ONLY reason it's "rare" is because they were test books, printed in low numbers BECAUSE they were TEST books. Essentially, they were INTENDED to be "rare" by numbers, by NOT rare by any significant creative, or artistic, merit. Look, it's only MY opinion, but i find it VERY bizarre, and strange. SOMEONE must have whispered into Bob's ear about this "variant" and "seduced" him to put it into the guide.

 

 

Anyway, just my thoughts...

For me its all about scarcity, I own both the top 2 Bronze 35 cent variants and a few others as well. All lower mid grade. I also collect a lot of junk that others would have little interest in dont laugh but CHOO CHOO CHARLEY, was a minor grail of mine in high grade. Fast Willie jackson...I am all over it in high grade, Double cover comics...the list goes on and on, any thing rare or different I LIKE!!! So for me a lot of it is owning something, That few others can say they have.

As for manufactured modern variants....little or no interest.

[The Question?]

 

I guess I just don't get it? These were simply "test" books sent out to see how the market would react (no pun intended Rob) to the upcoming higher price...uhhhhhhhhhhh, and???

 

There is zero about the book itself that makes it different, or rare? The ONLY reason it's "rare" is because they were test books, printed in low numbers BECAUSE they were TEST books. Essentially, they were INTENDED to be "rare" by numbers, by NOT rare by any significant creative, or artistic, merit. Look, it's only MY opinion, but i find it VERY bizarre, and strange. SOMEONE must have whispered into Bob's ear about this "variant" and "seduced" him to put it into the guide.

 

 

Anyway, just my thoughts...

 

What exactly does the word "variant" mean to you? I can't infer one from your comments above

 

 

 

 

Something that differs in physical form.

[joe_collector]

That price ($12,000.00) is assanine for this book. These price "variants" are retarded, a manufactured "variant" IMO

 

This comment is retarded.

 

I absolutely HATE "manufactured variants", but these price variants are tres cool because they actually had a real-world marketing purpose and were not produced as a comic-store scam to fool newbies into paying more for a "limited" edition.

 

Marvel produced these because they were worried about customer resistance to 30 and 35-cent price increases, and along with obvious rarity, this "innocent purpose" is one of the main reasons prices have spiked.

 

To call these "manufactured variants" is to show you have absolutely no clue as to their original purpose.

[The Question?]

That price ($12,000.00) is assanine for this book. These price "variants" are retarded, a manufactured "variant" IMO

 

This comment is retarded.

 

I absolutely HATE "manufactured variants", but these price variants are tres cool because they actually had a real-world marketing purpose and were not produced as a comic-store scam to fool newbies into paying more for a "limited" edition.

 

Marvel produced these because they were worried about customer resistance to 30 and 35-cent price increases, and along with obvious rarity, this "innocent purpose" is one of the main reasons prices have spiked.

 

To call these "manufactured variants" is to show you have absolutely no clue as to their original purpose.

 

 

 

 

 

No, i'll continue my position/opinion of "manufactred" and "retarded" you're just the kind of sucker that bought it, is all but that's o.k.

[joe_collector]

SOMEONE must have whispered into Bob's ear about this "variant" and "seduced" him to put it into the guide.

 

Again, your total lack of comic knowledge shines through.

 

The reason the 35-cent Star Wars 1 got so much attention is because it was a hot seller since Day 1, and in the early to mid-80's, I think it officially took over as the most valuable BA/1970's comic.

 

OS is supposed to report on the market, and the the 35-cent SW variant was being bought and sold.

 

But, on the other hand, it took Bob decades to add in all the OTHER 35-cent variants, and there were rumors that certain OS advisers wanted to keep a lid on it so that they could scoop these up cheap.

[joe_collector]

No, i'll continue my position/opinion of "manufactred" and "retarded"

 

As I said, a total lack of comic knowledge and history.

 

When did you start collecting, 1990? 2000? Yesterday?

 

And I'm not saying you have to LIKE them, I'm just stating that your "manufactured variant" is categorically incorrect terminology for these books. No question.

[The Question?]

SOMEONE must have whispered into Bob's ear about this "variant" and "seduced" him to put it into the guide.

 

Again, your total lack of comic knowledge shines through.

 

The reason the 35-cent Star Wars 1 got so much attention is because it was a hot seller since Day 1, and in the early to mid-80's, I think it officially took over as the most valuable BA/1970's comic.

 

OS is supposed to report on the market, and the the 35-cent SW variant was being bought and sold.

 

But, on the other hand, it took Bob decades to add in all the OTHER 35-cent variants, and there were rumors that certain OS advisers wanted to keep a lid on it so that they could scoop these up cheap.

 

 

 

 

You obviously have ZERO understanding of the ACTUAL definition of the word "Variant"

 

 

So let's examine; according to you, I have no knowledge of comics? o.k.

 

and as far as I can see/read, you have no knowlegde of vocabulary...hmmmmmmmmmmm

[joe_collector]

You obviously have ZERO understanding of the ACTUAL definition of the word "Variant"

 

Sorry, you called it a "MANUFACTURED VARIANT", which does have a specific comic book definition.

[SuperBird]

fo the life of me I do not understand how a book like this sells for so much. I know "to each his own" and all that, but the price seems just insane to me. For 12K you could get a Batman 1, Action Comics 2, Detective 31... the list just goes on. Is this book even that rare? How many copie are in the census?

[THE_BEYONDER]

1386 is too much let alone 12 grand

 

 

 

 

I'm still waiting to read if Donut sold it raw???

 

 

because it's in a NEW label??? so he could not of sold it in 2000 slabbed

 

unless the "crack and resubmit" game was in play

 

Try reading his post again. Pretty clear be had it slabbed prior to selling.

[THE_BEYONDER]

That was my book - I bought on eBay for $220 from the original owner in 1998 and got it slabbed. I sold it on eBay for $1386 in 2000.

 

Did it slab 9.4 ?

[Ogami]

 

I guess I just don't get it? These were simply "test" books sent out to see how the market would react (no pun intended Rob) to the upcoming higher price...uhhhhhhhhhhh, and???

 

There is zero about the book itself that makes it different, or rare? The ONLY reason it's "rare" is because they were test books, printed in low numbers BECAUSE they were TEST books. Essentially, they were INTENDED to be "rare" by numbers, by NOT rare by any significant creative, or artistic, merit. Look, it's only MY opinion, but i find it VERY bizarre, and strange. SOMEONE must have whispered into Bob's ear about this "variant" and "seduced" him to put it into the guide.

 

 

Anyway, just my thoughts...

 

What exactly does the word "variant" mean to you? I can't infer one from your comments above

 

 

 

 

Something that differs in physical form.

 

true comic book variants have taken their cues from book collector's descriptions of variants. Try figuring out a first printing on many key books before the 1960's. The only differences in many times, will be the order of the publishing data, but no discernable printing being plain- and resulting in swings of thousands of dollars in one direction or the other.

 

I bet your thinking more in terms of toy variants than book variants.

 

 

 

 

 

edit for clarification- I'm not comparing printings with variants-it was the first thing that popped in my head. Book variants follow the same conventions as the SW 1 being discussed as well.

[VintageComics]

OK, I've kept the Question on ignore since our last falling out but I can see what's going on here from JC's posts.

 

How the frig can a comic differ in physical form? Sizes are pretty much standard.

 

Are you talking about content, because that is somthing completely different?

If you are talking content then these comics are different as the asking price is different.

 

Obviously at least one person has such a dear attachment to this comic that they thought it was a very valuable book. I remember being shocked in the early 80's at how the price spiked on this book.

 

This is as far away from a manufactured variant as you can get. It is a sleeper variant that manufacturers did not realize would become a collectible.

 

R.

 

 

[gifflefunk]

Well, all variants are "manufactured" as they are an intentional change to a print run... what these are most definitely not are "manufactured collectibles" unlike a lot of drek that was cranked out in the late 80s and through the 90s.

 

And I can easily explain the reason behind why this book goes for so much... it has major cross-over appeal outside of just comic collectors. Star Wars memorabilia collectors also seek these out and because of this wider demographic the demand is higher than if the book was just being sought out by comic collectors. Most of the copies I've sold in the past have ended up in the hands of Star Wars collectors and not pure comic collectors.

 

You think we are condition freaks? Some of these guys make us look like normal people when it comes to the condition of their cards, boxes, posters, etc. So it doesn't surprise me at all that someone out there wants the best known example of that book at nearly "any cost". Their money, their mania.

 

[joe_collector]

And I can easily explain the reason behind why this book goes for so much... it has major cross-over appeal outside of just comic collectors.

 

I would normally agree, but many of the 35-cent comics have jumped in value and demand, and Iron Fist #14 recently took over for Star Wars #1 as the most valuable BA book.

 

So there is a lot of increased interest from the comic book ranks, while the SW fanbase is dwindling.

[Ogami]

So there is a lot of increased interest from the comic book ranks, while the SW fanbase is dwindling.

 

this is one of those examples of both posters being right.

[gifflefunk]

I agree that the fanbase is dwindling due to the Lucas suckfest of recent years, but there are still major SW collectors that want the best example of each and every item out there. So long as you have more than one person wanting something you can expect insane jumps in value.

 

I doubt that I'll see an Iron Fist #14 ever sell for $12k (now that the X-men franchise is also on the suckfest train).

[FlyingDonut]

30 and 35 cent variant cover prices are exactly opposite of "manufactured" variants. They were, in fact, designed to be NOT noticed by the buyer, to see resistance to price increases. The only difference on the books are on the cover price, not on the interior.

 

Here's the letter that came with the book when I bought it.

 

 

 

[FlyingDonut]

That was my book - I bought on eBay for $220 from the original owner in 1998 and got it slabbed. I sold it on eBay for $1386 in 2000.

 

Did it slab 9.4 ?

 

9.2 for me, I'm going to have to look much closer at the scans. I am less sure that book was mine than I was when I looked at it this morning. I do know the person who bought the book from me had it reslabbed as a 9.4, but it might not be that one after all.

[rob_react]

fo the life of me I do not understand how a book like this sells for so much. I know "to each his own" and all that, but the price seems just insane to me. For 12K you could get a Batman 1, Action Comics 2, Detective 31... the list just goes on. Is this book even that rare? How many copie are in the census?

 

Total? 76