Where are they getting their numbers from?

[CheezyWhiz]

I wanted to open up a topic for debate.. I've been comparing values in three 2008 price guides. The values are all over the map. This is the age of the internet.. these guys should all be pulling price info from the same places, no?

 

I know Overstreet is the most respected price guide, but I've found that they have overvalued many books I'm after lately. Spectacular Spider-Man #1 is selling for $12-50 on ebay and GPA shows CGC graded books selling for far less than Overstreet's value. I get the sense that they are reluctant and slow to reduce values for books. Not surprising that Overstreet is the guide of choice for dealers, then.

 

If they are all inaccurate, then which guide do you use? I've found the Comic Buyer's Guide: Comic Book Checklist & Price Guide to be the most accurate in terms of what you can expect from an ebay sale, but not for key and very high grade books.

 

Some random sample books..

 

FF Annual #1

CBG Comic Book Checklist & Price Guide: $900

Overstreet: $1600

Comics Values (Malloy): $1700

ComicsPriceGuide.com: $1050

 

Spectacular Spider-Man (original series):

CBG Comic Book Checklist & Price Guide: $25

Overstreet: $75

Comics Values (Malloy): $75

ComicsPriceGuide.com: $50

EBAY: $12 - $50

 

Cerebus #1:

CBG Comic Book Checklist & Price Guide: $700

Overstreet: $900

Comics Values (Malloy): $500

ComicsPriceGuide.com: $800

 

[wicked game-migration]

Back in the day Overstreet determined prices based on documented sales from contributing sources.

[Flaming_Telepath]

I get the sense that they are reluctant and slow to reduce values for books. Not surprising that Overstreet is the guide of choice for dealers, then.

 

In one. (thumbs u

[thehumantorch]

Hey Cheezy, welcome to the board. It is we known that Overstreet has been reluctant to drop the prices of mid grade and lower books for years. They don't want to start a stampede of dropping prices. If you watch prices of books that sell here you will notice that books that aren't high grade seldom sell for over 50% of guide. Many Ebay sellers overgrade in the hopes of getting closer to guide.

 

When I started collecting Overstreet only had the prices for 3 grades, Good, Fine and Mint listed, and Good was worth 50% of Mint. As the guide increased the ratio of prices between Good and Mint or NearMint they effectively devalued the price of anything not Near Mint or better. Despite the changes prices in the guide are still too high on virtually every Silver of newer book.

 

The addition of CGC has help to spread the prices even further. We keep hearing of multiples of guide for best known copies etc. It makes sense if you look at other collectibles. Stamps, coins and probably most collectibles charge a hefty premium for high grade items and value common low grade items at near nothing.

[the blob]

spectacular #1 is one of those books that OSPG has bumped up every couple of years regardless of demand. there are zillions of them out there. every marvel collector needs 1 or 4 or so.

 

now, what would a raw NM PPSM #1 get from a zillaf or jscomics? (yes, i know, the OPG price is for NM-..which is irrelevant -- in 3 years they may go back to listing NM as the top price again)

 

what does a 9.4 in a slab get?

 

and factored into that price is $10+/- in shipping, don't forget. so, if someone is paying $50, they're really "paying" $60.

 

OPSG is supposed to be "retail". Obviously ebay works its way into it, but it's a number for supposedly reputable dealers, mostly B&M, but some convention/mail order/internet people too I guess. it is going to be higher than the averages you see on ebay.

 

CBG's $25 for a NM #1 is ridiculously low. How quickly would a strictly graded NM copy sell here? How quickly would it get bid up if zillaf, et al. put it up for auction? How many hours would it last in my LCS? No doubt they're to be had on ebay, but I don't think Joe Bloe emptying out a closet with overly suspect grading and no comics sales history should be factored into the pricing equation like that.

[the blob]

"They don't want to start a stampede of dropping prices. If you watch prices of books that sell here you will notice that books that aren't high grade seldom sell for over 50% of guide."

 

OPG is not intended to be a guide for what prices junior dealers looking to buy wholesale should be expecting/trying to pay. I have literally made 500-2000% profit on some of my marketplace purchases here and that was without any haggling. Granted, I have sold here and made a nice profit vs. what I paid in the retail or convention setting too, there are plenty of inefficiencies in the market. And I have bought here and on ebay and in retail and at a show and basically paid as much or more than what the item was worth in any of these settings.

 

Obviously it depends on the material. One of my LCSes has no problems selling out virtually all of its mid and low grade SA like Spiderman, X-Men, Avengers and FF at 20% off an accurately graded book (whihc, unofrtunately, in reality is like an ebay "50% off" sale). It rarely hangs around for more than a couple of weeks. Granted, a lot of other stuff sits there -- the usual second and third string titles.

[mschmidt]

Cerebus #1:

CBG Comic Book Checklist & Price Guide: $700

Overstreet: $900

Comics Values (Malloy): $500

ComicsPriceGuide.com: $800

 

If a near-mint authentic Cerebus #1 ever came up for sale, I could pretty much guarantee you that none of the prices above would be close to the final selling price. I have yet to find any guide that works well for the indie books - Bone, SIP, Cerebus, Miracleman, etc

[awe4one]

spectacular #1 is one of those books that OSPG has bumped up every couple of years regardless of demand. there are zillions of them out there. every marvel collector needs 1 or 4 or so.

 

now, what would a raw NM PPSM #1 get from a zillaf or jscomics? (yes, i know, the OPG price is for NM-..which is irrelevant -- in 3 years they may go back to listing NM as the top price again)

 

what does a 9.4 in a slab get?

 

and factored into that price is $10+/- in shipping, don't forget. so, if someone is paying $50, they're really "paying" $60.

 

OPSG is supposed to be "retail". Obviously ebay works its way into it, but it's a number for supposedly reputable dealers, mostly B&M, but some convention/mail order/internet people too I guess. it is going to be higher than the averages you see on ebay.

 

CBG's $25 for a NM #1 is ridiculously low. How quickly would a strictly graded NM copy sell here? How quickly would it get bid up if zillaf, et al. put it up for auction? How many hours would it last in my LCS? No doubt they're to be had on ebay, but I don't think Joe Bloe emptying out a closet with overly suspect grading and no comics sales history should be factored into the pricing equation like that.

 

I don't think you're using the greatest example to make your point. I personally think the CBG price for PPSM #1 isn't that far off. Look at the marketplace for example. The issue has been is a tough sell for guide...if they sell at all. There have been copies offered that can't sell for $30 not to mention $50. There are tons of high grade copies out there and I think the supply has outstripped demand.

 

Jim

[CheezyWhiz]

If a near-mint authentic Cerebus #1 ever came up for sale, I could pretty much guarantee you that none of the prices above would be close to the final selling price. I have yet to find any guide that works well for the indie books - Bone, SIP, Cerebus, Miracleman, etc

 

Absolutely. I've been hunting for a high-grade copy of Cerebus #1 for a while now. In this case the guides are all undervaluing this book. Anybody selling one??