X-Men 94, Hulk 181, AMS 129, all CGC 9.6....

[harveyfan323]

http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewSellersOtherItems&userid=ejaenter&include=0&since=-1&sort=3&rows=50

 

This guy sure seems to list some nice books. He's got some other beauties in there as well....I'm putting these on my watch list to see how they do. Ebay is a fun spectator sport at times.

[deathlok]

http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewSellersOtherItems&userid=ejaenter&include=0&since=-1&sort=3&rows=50

 

This guy sure seems to list some nice books. He's got some other beauties in there as well....I'm putting these on my watch list to see how they do. Ebay is a fun spectator sport at times.

 

X-men #94 9.6 thread

[murph0]

He's one of the only people I've found that can come up with the early Capt ToS appearances in high grade.

 

Brian

[jbud73]

I will agree that jason consistently comes up with high grade stuff, of course he moved brulato's cast offs does he not which explains part of it. I have always been wary of bidding on his stuff though, there are alot of factors to consider. As in are people bidding up to drive the market and thus capture more cash for their stuff, a topic which has been discussed on this board and is a valid consideration even if the outcome of this strategy is dubious.

 

As well you will notice that there are alot of Ebay police here, which is awesome as collectors and buyers are at a disadvantage on Ebay in certain respects, the most obvious, we cant see the books most of the time that we are bidding on. The Ebay watchers as I have begun to think of them are constantly analyzing auctions for shills, now I would think that it would be very difficult to detect this in ejantaer's auctions for the exact reasoning illustrated above. There may be individuals with Comic related purchase backgrounds shilling to increase to value of their books. So when a price is reached in excess they can say in their future auctions LOOK THIS ITEM SOLD FOR X AMOUNT OF $$$ A FEW WEEKS OR MONTH AGO

 

I'm not saying that Jason is consciously shilling his auctions, I'm just saying be wary as I believe that some of the books sold on his Ebay sight are artificially inflated and much in the same way as Overstreet is seen as undervalueing books, have the opposite effect of artificial inflation that not necesarily a true representation of the market.

 

Again comments are appreciated.............

[awe4one]

I can agree with this up to a point....

 

Yes.....the high visibility of his auctions would lend itself to be used as a gauge in future transactions among collectors and the threat of those collectors with similar copies bidding up his comics is definitely there (and wouldn't surprise me).

 

But....there's a point where this is unfeasible as these collectors will have to stop by being scared off due to the danger of actually winning the comic in question. Where this point is is debatable but it's a very expensive game they're playing if in fact what you say is occurring (and yes....I know you are speculating). That should mediate any extreme rise in price....unless an actual collector/buyer is paying the silly money.

 

So, in my opinion, small increases would seem reasonable under your idea but large price jumps would indicate that there are actual buyers out there at those prices.....

 

Jim

 

 

[drbanner]

So, in my opinion, small increases would seem reasonable under your idea but large price jumps would indicate that there are actual buyers out there at those prices.....

 

I think jbud is insinuating the the consignors to Jason, being ebay big-wheelers themselves, are basically shill-bidding on their own books to drive the prices up and who's to be any wiser since they buy those kinds of books all the time anyway?

[Darthdiesel]

Again comments are appreciated.............

 

Although I can see where you are coming from and it seems logical (as I see/saw the same bidding behavior on high grade Ultimate spider-Man and Superman/Batman 1 retailer incentives), I have to disagree entirely with your point, as it can be applied to any seller of high grade keys. For example, all the folks who bid on Westernpacomics auctions would fit into your "shiller" description at first glance. And if your purported motivation behind these bidders on Ewert's auctions was correct, then these same IDs would be consistently bidding across the board on any and all issues matching the Ewert book in similar grade at every appearance up on eBay.

 

I think Ewert's bidding histories reflect the market accurately because if these folks who you think are shilling to push prices up on their own books end up the top bidder, they still have to pay for it and that sale itself would still be considered a contribution to an accurate relfection of market demand for that particular issue in that condition, and not an inflated value.

[deathlok]

He's ASM #129 spine looks horrid, at least from the pic.

 

 

 

[awe4one]

I think jbud is insinuating the the consignors to Jason, being ebay big-wheelers themselves, are basically shill-bidding on their own books to drive the prices up and who's to be any wiser since they buy those kinds of books all the time anyway?

 

Yep....but if that is in fact occurring between a select (i.e. small) group of collectors then it's unsustainable.

 

And if this is true then a crash in prices is inevitable sooner rather than later. Seems counter-productive.....

 

And I don't want to turn this into the "comic crash" thread either.......it's an interesting theory.....

 

Jim

[awe4one]

He's ASM #129 spine looks horrid, at least from the pic.

 

 

 

I'm pretty sure I've seen this comic before raw on eBay........

 

Jim

[drbanner]

I don't think it takes that many deep-pocketed dealers/collectors to keep the prices up on high-grade keys. It might be a case of they think they're "getting deals" when they can snag that 9.4 Hulk 181 at $1.8k, and not that they're thinking they better prop up the market and make sure "Hulk 181 in 9.4 doesn't drop below $x".

 

Who knows?

[joe_collector]

I think jbud is insinuating the the consignors to Jason, being ebay big-wheelers themselves, are basically shill-bidding on their own books to drive the prices up and who's to be any wiser since they buy those kinds of books all the time anyway?

 

I really don't think that's what he's saying.

 

What I'm reading is a phenomenon we all know exists, whereby certain people place bids on multiple auctions, and of the same book and grade.

 

This is similar to what happens on here when forum members post books and we go put a few bids on to help out. This creates interest, increases the bid ranking, and of course, "X comic surely couldn't sell for less than $Y?"

 

That's all that's happening here, and it's a game. If the last Hulk 181 CGC 9.6 went for $3.5K and you own a copy you're looking to sell in a few months, then what's the harm in laying down a $2.5K bid? It's gotta end higher than that, and most times you're dealing with a reserve you know you won't crack.

 

That Ewert's auctions have reserves negates their usefulness in determining overall interest, as it's totally safe (if you know market rates) to bid like a maniac and never touch the reserve. This in turn makes the book look like a hotbed of activity, thereby drawing more bidders, some of which may be willing to go higher for such a "hot, in-demand book!".

 

To really see where the market is headed, you'll need a 99-cent, non-reserve auction with no safety net for self-interested, maintain-the-market-rate shill bidders, as that's the only way to create the potential/danger of them ever winning a book by mistake.

[jbud73]

Good points all around, I accept the crticisms to date as being valid at least at the same level as my initial insinuation. Some further ideas on this.

 

- The reserve limiting the free market as illustrated by JC is valid however I find it interesting that ewert's reserves are usually met quite early in the auctions. I'M NOT SATING THAT THIS MAKES THEM REASONABLE, JUST MAKING AN OBSERVATION. And what that means again is dubious.

 

- The top staple on the ASM 129 posted does look to be a little dicey does it not .

 

- A summation point which I do consider worth pondering. When buying a high grade Key book in the BA market, the smart collector must play a simulated game of comic book chicken. Ideally you would purchase your ASM #129 in CGC 9.6 at a venue OTHER that Ewert's Ebay auction or Heritage. WHY? Well if the speculator shill-driving the market upwards to increase their own book sales is moot, that is we agree to disagree or cannot validate the hypothesis. I think we all agree that these auctions are high profile and you are NOT going to snipe a book. Essential buying off Jason is buying at Saks 5th Avenue, you are paying as much for Where you buy as What you buy.

 

Where the chicken analogy comes in is can you find it elsewhere in time. That is can you find the copy at another less high profile venue in time before the escalation reaches the point where the law of diminishing return sets in, for example. Book A sells for $1000 at an Heritage/Ewert auction - Book A sells on average in that grade for $750. Can you find Book A elsewhere before the average price of Book A is #1000. Who said comic collecting was easy or for the socially inept hahahah. This point taken to the extreme is why GA collectors are some of the smartest in the hobby..........

 

My point in the previous post is about Momentum, as I believe that bidding and auctioning has an element of momentum associated with it. You may say that the price fetched is the price fetched regardless, I say that a portion of it has to do with the momentum of the process by which it was purchased..... momentum is difficult to gauge and the manipulation of monentum is harder still.

 

On a personal note, I always considered myself as astute collector, but I have to say that my 8mo. on these boards has increased my knowledge immensly and saved me alot of money, knowledge is indeed power. Kudos to all who contribute.

 

PS. The X-Men 94 looks poised to break $7000, is that or what !!!!!!!!!! The Book has generated MOMENTUM which at least supports portions of my arguement, how much depends on how much of that momentum is artificial, er now where did my EBAY momentum gauge go, damn I just had it