The state of the Golden Age market 1 1

[minutekev@50]

I'm not a Golden Age collector. I'd like to be but the books are just a bit out of my price range. Plus, seeing that I was born in the 70s, I really have no real emotional attachment as I do with the Bronze age (and the Silver as well).

What I'd like to know is what is the state of the Golden Age market? I recall reading several market reports in Overstreet stating that non-key issues of Golden Age books were becoming more and more difficult to sell at guide price (except Timely).

So is it unrealistic for a Golden age seller to realize guide prices for VG-F-VF books?

Also, will this trend continue? There will always be something desirable about the first appearence of a key character, but as the years pass will we see a distinct decline in prices paid for Golden age comics? I guess what I'm asking is will the Golden Age crash?

[sfilosa]

After Heritage's Signature auction this weekend, go through all the Golden-Age books for sale and compare the actual sale prices to guide value (Heritage does a nice job of giving guide price in the description).

 

That should tell you want Publishers, Titles and Grades sell for Above, at or below guide.

 

 

I will do this.

 

Realize that many books will not sell because the reserve is high, so that doesn't imply a crash. It implies that the seller is not desperate to sell, and is not about to give away a book that is probably relaltively hard to come by.

 

[stagedoorjohnny]

I would not be surprised if many books went unsold at this upcoming auction. Some of the bumps are borderline insane. But like you said, it just means the seller is not that interested in parting with the book and has little to do with the state of the market or lack of healthy bids. I'm sure Heritage hits up their friends and colleagues to fill up the pages of their catalog with nice books, even though they are not truly interested in selling. They have to in order to keep that "premier" status of the Signature auction going. It is always a great catalog to browse filled with trophy books. And that needs to continue for them to succeed.

[sfilosa]

Considering that I probably look at their catalog (and website) ten times in the past ten days, I agree, great catalog.

 

 

[garthgantu]

I recall reading several market reports in Overstreet stating that non-key issues of Golden Age books were becoming more and more difficult to sell at guide price (except Timely).

So is it unrealistic for a Golden age seller to realize guide prices for VG-F-VF books?

Also, will this trend continue? There will always be something desirable about the first appearence of a key character, but as the years pass will we see a distinct decline in prices paid for Golden age comics? I guess what I'm asking is will the Golden Age crash?

 

I'm not exactly an expert, but I do actively pursue and purchase GA books. Your question(s) are pretty open-ended... but here's an attempt to answer:

- realizing guide prices on GA stuff in VF or below is a very mixed bag. Certainly the superhero titles tend to come closer to guide prices for the most part. Then there's a sort of 'sub-category' of titles that are of interest to broader audiences. Roy Rogers, I Love Lucy, Red Ryder, Little Beaver, Lone Ranger, Bob Hope, Jerry Lewis, Annette Funicello, and many other people/characters, primarily from film and TV, tend to command prices closer to guide even when in lower grades. Many of the non-comic book collectors purchasing such items don't really care much about condition, they just want the memorabilia.

Overall, I'd say that getting 70% of guide for a VG book from the GA, if it's just an average, non-hero title, is about right. As you get into mid-grade, the % tends to come down, as the demand decreases. There simply seems to be less demand - and correspondingly lower %s of guide paid - for mid-grade than there is for low- and high-grade.

 

Your overall question about the current and future state of the GA market is one that I ponder from time to time, with varying results. I too worry that in another 20 years, the market for many GA titles may drop off significantly, with the further decline in awareness of those titles/characters. On the other hand, I'm an optimist, and I tend to think that comic books will always be viewed as an important category of Americana, and that in fact over time we may see the market broaden, as GA books increasingly are viewed as 'antiques' or even art by a broader portion of the consumer base. Let's face it, when you're talking about Mickey Mouse collectibles from the '30s and '40s, as just one example, comic books are one of the more accessible categories of items, because millions were printed.

 

I do think that in some ways Silver Age and Bronze Age books are 'safer' from an investment standpoint, simply because they're more pertinent to more people alive today, and that will hold true for the foreseeable future, I'd guess. But then you have the issues of condition and supply to offset the popularity factor...

[shiverbones]

obscure crime & horror do well at above guide in any grade, but common criome & horror are usually half guide in any grade. Timely i consistantly sell above guide, nedor does a bit under, lev gleason pretty well under, i have never sold any MLJ or the other misc. companies in any great numbers, so i can't comment on them. Overall i do best with oddball whackiness in the $30-$70 range.

[nearmint]

My main focus in Golden Age is Supes, Action, and Nedor Schomburg war covers. I can honestly say that it's rare with my focus to find books priced under guide. In fact, CGC 6.0 and higher Action war covers and Nedor war covers almost always bring over guide prices. If it's an especially good cover, or a Hitler cover, you could be talking mulitiples of guide. In the case of Nedor, a graded copy is very often the ONLY graded copy, so you have to grab it when it comes along, and that often means paying over guide prices.

I also have some concern about the market in twenty years or so. I think mainstream titles will be a safe investment. I'm not sure about the Nedor books, but they're so beautiful that I just can't help myself.

 

 

[aardvark88]

Seems like unrestored semi-keys like Detect 29 & Action 7 are selling very strong at double condition Ostreet. Tec 29 cgc g/vg blue label is already at $8,338 after the bump. Another 2 days to go at Heritage auction.

[sfilosa]

I'm getting killed. A lot of the books that I thought were near their top are still going up (of course I've push a few up myself).

 

I've already looked again and again and bid on some lesser books that I wanted. Not even sure I really want them, but at the right price, it's OK.

 

Doesn't look like I'm going the spend the $5K that I originally planned on.

 

I have to admit, I am attracted to the Detective #140. That would be very sweet.

[Rocketeer]

If you don't mind me asking what's a bump?

[sfilosa]

If you don't mind me asking what's a bump?

 

 

The BUMP is:

When Heritage automatically moves the current price to one increment below the reserve. Therefore, if you see a book with a Bid of $500 and the next bid is $525, it doesn't automatically mean that someone ACTUALLY BID $500. It could mean that the RESERVE is $525.

 

On eBay, it won't raise your bid any higher than what is needed to beat the next bidder UNLESS, you bid high enough to meet the reserve. In that case it will say you have met the reserve and show your bid at that amount.

[Mephisto]

 

I have to admit, I am attracted to the Detective #140. That would be very sweet.

 

 

You mean the 9.4?

[sfilosa]

 

I have to admit, I am attracted to the Detective #140. That would be very sweet.

 

 

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You mean the 9.4?

 

 

Yep.

 

New car, first Riddler, new car, first Riddler........

 

Very tough choice.

 

Actually, I was hoping that the amount was just a BUMP, but it looks like people are bidding on it. Probably already too high for me.

[Mephisto]

 

I have to admit, I am attracted to the Detective #140. That would be very sweet.

 

 

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You mean the 9.4?

 

 

Yep.

 

New car, first Riddler, new car, first Riddler........

 

Very tough choice.

 

Actually, I was hoping that the amount was just a BUMP, but it looks like people are bidding on it. Probably already too high for me.

 

I'f be happy with a 6.0 of the book. I saw Chuck has the DS CGC 8.0 copy...

Sfilosa Do you have Tec 142?

Edited November 20, 2003 by Mephisto44

[Timely]

A true NM Detective #140 would be sweet, but come on, that copy looks VF! Maybe structurally NM, but to the eye it looks iffy.

 

Timely

[sfilosa]

A true NM Detective #140 would be sweet, but come on, that copy looks VF! Maybe structurally NM, but to the eye it looks iffy.

 

I don't disagree. But let's face it, CGC grades on structure, not eye appeal.

 

I really wish that the aging of a book (i.e. yellowing to tanning of the front and back cover) was taken into consideration. That's why, in general, pedigree books are nicer than the structural grade given them. They usually (not always) have clean, white back covers and great colors and gloss.

 

And the book is already out of the price range I want to spend. There's another book that I really want, so I hope it doesn't go up much.

 

Good luck to everyone.

 

 

 

[Shield]

New car, first Riddler, new car, first Riddler........

 

Very tough choice.

 

Actually, I was hoping that the amount was just a BUMP, but it looks like people are bidding on it. Probably already too high for me.

 

This really shouldn't be a tough decision. That book is a butt ugly NM; I wonder how long that other smaller book sat on the cover? You'll get way more enjoyment out of a car! I had an expensive book that I sold and used the money for a down payment on a Lexus GS 300. The car is much more fun, and doesn't just sit in a closet all day....

[sfilosa]

This really shouldn't be a tough decision. That book is a butt ugly NM; I wonder how long that other smaller book sat on the cover? You'll get way more enjoyment out of a car! I had an expensive book that I sold and used the money for a down payment on a Lexus GS 300. The car is much more fun, and doesn't just sit in a closet all day....

 

 

Makes sense except:

 

When it comes time to retire and buy a condo on the beach, the car will only be a memory, but hopefully the book will be worth as much or more than I paid for it.

 

[1962]

I agree it should not be a tough decision at all. Saying that book is a butt ugly NM is putting it mildly.While the book appears structurally great, it looks dull and faded not to mention the discolaration at the top of the book. Taking a chance on that book is going to be like playing Hot Potato IMO.

[Shield]

This really shouldn't be a tough decision. That book is a butt ugly NM; I wonder how long that other smaller book sat on the cover? You'll get way more enjoyment out of a car! I had an expensive book that I sold and used the money for a down payment on a Lexus GS 300. The car is much more fun, and doesn't just sit in a closet all day....

 

 

Makes sense except:

 

When it comes time to retire and buy a condo on the beach, the car will only be a memory, but hopefully the book will be worth as much or more than I paid for it.

 

2 years ago I'd have totally agreed with you; however there's no guarantee you'll live long enough to retire. After watching a perfectly healthy woman get cancer and die from it at an early age (My Mom, 55) I've learned to live a bit more for the "now" than the "later"...just my .02.