To tell or not to tell..

[awe4one]

Though your example is extreme, I'd tell them and have done so in the past. Have many instances of people with Silver Age US comics coming up to me at German comic shows wanting a Euro per comic when it was worth 30 times that. Or pulling a MS #5 or ASM #122 out of the 50 cent box and giving it to the barely out of his teens LCS clerk who didn't know any better...

 

I have a problem with taking advantage of others ignorance. Maybe it's a personality quirk. But I'd rather be honest with someone. Taking advantage of someone would take the thrill of the buy away and replace it with guilt.

 

Treat others as you'd like to be treated applies. May be a naive way of thinking but it's worked for me so far...

 

Jim

[Shootydog]

Shocking poll results so far.

 

not a single thing unethical about it. Morally ambiguous...perhaps.

 

I might even lowball offer for all the comics he has. Make that 25 cents more like 22.5.

[lizards2]

Though your example is extreme, I'd tell them and have done so in the past. Have many instances of people with Silver Age US comics coming up to me at German comic shows wanting a Euro per comic when it was worth 30 times that. Or pulling a MS #5 or ASM #122 out of the 50 cent box and giving it to the barely out of his teens LCS clerk who didn't know any better...

 

I have a problem with taking advantage of others ignorance. Maybe it's a personality quirk. But I'd rather be honest with someone. Taking advantage of someone would take the thrill of the buy away and replace it with guilt.

 

Treat others as you'd like to be treated applies. May be a naive way of thinking but it's worked for me so far...

 

Jim

 

I did get a MS #5 out of the quarter box once. The LCS owner used to seed the quarter boxes with stuff like that to get people to look through them, and hopefully pick up other stuff. Numbers 6 and 7 too.

[Billy the Kidd]

Shocking poll results so far.

 

not a single thing unethical about it. Morally ambiguous...perhaps.

 

I might even lowball offer for all the comics he has. Make that 25 cents more like 22.5.

 

Now that's more like it.

[Pirate]

if you're dumb enough to list them at that price, too bad. Now if you're asking for an offer on a collection, that's different.

[kidcolt]

If they are happy to receive .25 cents for the books then I am more then willing to help make them happy.

[dwip99]

I was a little surprised by the amount of no votes as well.

 

But it depends on where you are coming from. If your not collecting and trying to make money then obviously you are going to tell the person and try and protect them from themselves. If you are out trying to buy and sale for a profit (and not just comics but anything) then obviously you can't pass up an opportunity.

 

 

 

[MagnetoWasRight]

I wouldn't say a word. I never do anything without a bunch of research. My wife messes with me all the time cause I can't buy anything without looking into and and finding the best product, price, and location to get it. As far as I am concerned, if you didn't research what you had and were selling, its your loss. I might, however, hook the guy/gal up with a bonus because I am a nice guy...but I wouldn't feel obligated to do it. AF #15 for 25 cents...my real problem would be trying not to pass out....

[Mushie]

IMHO, my knowledge of the market, all the time I've spent gaining my expertise in the field has value. I have put in the man-hours to know the hobby inside out. That is my choice, and for my benefit.

 

So, no. I wouldn't tell. If they want to be experts in the comic field, they should put the work into it that I have.

 

I totally agree here. Reminds me of when I watch Antiques Roadshow and some guy comes on with this thing and says he bought it for $5 at an antiques shop in Kentucky. The expert then goes into a detailed story about how it used to be the royal toilet paper holder of King Charles II and the thing would sell at auction for $75,000. He then concludes with "I wish I shopped where you did." (Think HE'D tell the seller what was wrong?)

 

I always look at my wife and say, "I wouldn't have paid $50 for that thing." BUT, I would have if I had the knowledge of what it actually was and what it could realistically fetch at auction. However, I have chosen to fill my mind with sports stats and comics storylines instead of Revolutionary Era Royal TP holders. Someone else HAS decided to do it, and it is to their benefit. Bottom line is, if you want to sell something, put the work into knowing what it is you're trying to sell and its fair selling price.

[Ringfinger]

Finder Keepers is what I say!!

[He11blazer]

I know there have been plenty of stories about bargain finds, but are there any tales on this board of the sort of fantasy super bargains we're talking about here?

 

Did anyone ever really find a $1,000+ comic/s being sold as 10c junk? Apart from the Mile High collection I mean

 

[DiceX]

You mean buying a comic lot on ebay for $10, pulling one book and selling the lot MINUS that book on eBay for $25?

 

Sending that one book to CGC to get a 9.8, then selling the book for $1300?

 

Yes.

 

 

[the blob]

i'd buy them and figure out a way to later give them a piece of the action. i still wouldn't tell them what they got rid of because they'll accuse you of taking advantage of them.

[nmtg9]

back in about 89 when punisher was really hot,i found ASM#129 hidden away at my LCS for £3. was maybe worth a £100 at the time. owner was gutted at the yime but had to sell it. what made it worse for him was that i 'put it away' and paid in installments of 50p. ha ha

[thirdgreenham]

Shocking poll results so far.

 

not a single thing unethical about it. Morally ambiguous...perhaps.

 

I might even lowball offer for all the comics he has. Make that 25 cents more like 22.5.

 

I can't tell if this is a joke or not, but I'm hoping it is.

 

If someone is selling something wayyyyyyyyyyyy below what it should be priced at, then pay the asking price. Don't be a Pontoon and talk them down lower. No offense to Pontoon, of course.

 

The above case actually happened to someone I know. They were at a toy show and this older woman was set up and she had a box of comics, asking $1.00 each. The guy went through the box and started pulling some books that were worth buying. He came across a Showcase #4 and pulled that one out as well. I can't remember if he asked for a better price or if the lady automatically gave him a better price for buying a few books. For me, I would never ask for a better price and if I were offered a deal, I'd insist that I pay the full price. Unless the seller started to get suspicious, then I would take the deal and run to my car.

 

Andy

[He11blazer]

You mean buying a comic lot on ebay for $10, pulling one book and selling the lot MINUS that book on eBay for $25?

 

Sending that one book to CGC to get a 9.8, then selling the book for $1300?

 

Yes.

 

 

IM#128 perhaps? Harby#1? Very nice anyway

 

What I really mean though is finding major books. Picking up raw 9.8 candidates of minor key moderns for a buck or two is a neat but relatively common trick around here

[thirdgreenham]

I forgot to comment on this case.

 

I would pay the asking price and get the seller's details. I would give them some kind of bonus or percentage later, but the most important thing would be for me to leave with those comics. Worry about anything else later. Don't ruin a chance of a lifetime, basically.

 

Andy

[Mac Man]

Like many others, I would be making an anonymous gift with a nice percentage from the profit of those books I didn't keep.

[Mac Man]

I know there have been plenty of stories about bargain finds, but are there any tales on this board of the sort of fantasy super bargains we're talking about here?

 

Did anyone ever really find a $1,000+ comic/s being sold as 10c junk? Apart from the Mile High collection I mean

 

I've found a handful books being sold for between $20-$40 each and sold them for anywhere between 5-10x what I paid (which of course helped cover the purchase of some of my grails ). Hasn't happened in a long while though...

[supapimp]

i voted for the crack option.