Whats the name of the Silver Age game Quantity or Quality?

[ericc123]

I was browsing through the Heritage auction book and various websites such as comiclink today when I found a bunch of comics I would like to own. This led me to the internal strugle of do I buy one book that is a key or do I buy like 4 VF/NM issues that I would like for runs. That really is the question in the silver age market today isn't it. Do I want to own a 9.4 Amazing Spider-Man #14 like Shuley or do I want Tales of Suspense 50-59 all in CGC 9.0-9.2 range. It's the age old quantity vs quality question and I was just wondering what all of you guys do in your own collecting.

 

Have a good weekend,

Ericc123

[murph0]

I love ASM and there's no reason I would ever sell them..so I have a system like this..ASM 1-19 9.0 ASM 20-29 9.2 ASM 30-38 9.2/9.4 39-40 9.2 41-49 9.4 50 9.2 51-102 9.4 103-150 9.4/9.6 151-200 9.6/9.8 201-441 9.8

Why? Mostly just b/c I'd like to have a really really nice collection of my favorite comic book character of all time.

 

Brian

[COI]

I was just writing about this in another post. My personal philosophy is to always prioritize quality over quantity. I realize this can be a difficult practice, and requires a lot of restraint, but it can be very rewarding in the long run. For one thing you're less likely to experience buyer's remorse simply because of the quality of the book.

 

If you're one of these guys(like myself) who eventually want to own the best, this is the only way to go about it without spinning your wheels. You'll eventually come to a point where you look at your collection and realize that you own one of the nicest batch of books out there. Unless you have unlimited funds this is the only way to go about putting together a world class collection. This method of collecting is also the way to go if you are an investment-minded individual. None of us(self-proclaimed experts or not) can be certain of the future, but this route of buying quality books is your best bet of any future apreciation, especially in the long haul.

 

But that's just my thinking. You have to figure out what's more important to you.

[Joanna]

When I was collecting it was always quantity over quality. The cheaper the books, the more I could buy which meant the more stories I could read. I couldn't have cared less about having 'the best' -- the really big money guys will always have better, so why bother? Better to have lots and lots of good books to read. And the best part about buying lower grade books was that you could read them without constantly worrying about whatever damage you were causing.

 

Personally, I think this quantity/quality question is something only an individual can answer. Bottom line is simply why you buy comics. Do you buy them to read? Do you buy them to invest? Do you buy them to have a better copy than your neighbor? Do you like just one run of books or all kinds of them? I bought entire runs of lots of different characters on a shoestring budget, from SA to modern. Even got a few dozen golden age, as well.

 

It also makes a huge difference in relation to the age you prefer. I liked silver age, and wanted to read as many SA books as I could get my hands on. I bought bronze and modern, too (in great abundance) but the quality question was far more prevelant with SA. I went nuts every year at the San Diego Con rummaging through 50c boxes, dollar boxes, etc. of silver age DCs. I'd buy stacks and stacks of them for what 1 quality key would've cost. And that meant I had a lot of reading instead of one book I'd be afraid to take out of the mylar (or in today's world, could only see through CGC plastic).

 

And right now, I'm selling a lot of those books for prices far above what I paid. I'm not raking in thousands on a single book, of course, but if you buy 100 books at a buck and sell them all at 10 bucks apiece, well, you do the math. Don't let anyone fool you into thinking only those high 9's have value. There are readers out there who value their books every bit as much.

 

-- Joanna

[Zonker]

What Joanna said!

 

Reader/collectors and Investor/collectors are going to have trouble seeing eye-to-eye on this one. But if I try to imagine myself as an investor/collector, I would say that the silver age has so many great long runs (Kirby FF, Ditko Spidey, Romita Spidey, Kane GL, Infantino Flash, Shooter/Swan Legion, etc. etc.), you really ought to consider the quantity side and complete some runs. You can always then upgrade any of the lower condition books by selling them to reader/collectors.

 

Contrast that with the Bronze Age: I'm one of the biggest 1970's Batman fans out there, but no way do I even want to keep a complete run of Detective 395-520. Instead, I cherry-pick the Adams issues, the Robbins artwork issues, the Goodwin-edited issues, the Englehart/Rogers/Austin run, and the Giordano-edited issues. Maybe 30% of the total when you add it all up.

 

Cheers,

Z.

[greggy]

Personally, I have always gone for the quantity because I like to complete runs instead of owning one big "kick " book. However, I generally have a minimal grade that I would accept depending on the scarcity or the price of a particular issue. This policy has worked well in my quest to complete my DC Bronze Age runs. However, as I have rekindled a long lost interest in buying Bronze Age Marvels, I am taking the position that if I buy one that it is slabbed, it has to be a minimum 9.4, preferably with while pages. Not an outrageous condition but one that esthetically nice looking.

[ubiquiti]

Exactly.

It's quantity to a certain threshold. For me, it is VF for Bronze and late Silver (early SIlver F is okay)...Below VF, unless I just really want to read the story, I try not to waste my time with as I really don't see any point in it....Unless it is dirt cheap.

[Joanna]

.Below VF, unless I just really want to read the story, I try not to waste my time with as I really don't see any point in it....Unless it is dirt cheap.

 

Well, that IS the point! Cheap isn't a waste of time if you want to read it! Low grade = lesser price = more books for the bucks. Or, a low grade key means you might have to pay some money, but you'll get to own/read a bigtime book for hundreds or thousands less than those buying high grade. I didn't mind spending a bit more on a low grade SA book if it was something I wouldn't get to read otherwise (I've always prefered the real comics to tpb or hc or reprints or archives because I like the whole experience -- the ads, the fillers, the letter col, etc. I always read my comics cover to cover).

 

Not that I don't understand your point, of course. It's a very individual decision. I drew the line at books with missing pages. I had no interest in buying a book where I couldn't read all the stories. Not that I didn't end up with some due to non-disclosure from seller and me in a buying frenzy. But for the most part, that was one of my requirements. I bought a lot of books that were degrees of thrashed, but I wasn't paying premium prices for those.

 

I also bought a couple of keys, and a bunch of golden age -- books that did cost some bucks. And for those series I was seriously interested in (Wonder Woman, JLA, Lois Lane) I spent money more freely. It's all about the individual's view of value.

 

-- Joanna

[Guest]

I'd have to say quantity for sure, that way you can have more books to look at instead of just one really high grade book.

[g-man]

do yourself a favor, don't try to be like shuley.

[aardvark88]

10 yrs ago when I was still actively buying back issues, I would buy silver Marvels based on quality (large supply) & silver DCs based on qty (Very hard to find above true vf). Since then, I've switched to orig comic art & usually choose quality, unless I must buy a bundle of pgs to get the 1 I REALLY want at a reasonable price. Can trade or broker off the mediocre pgs to local collector or bidders on eBay.

[PovertyRow]

It's the age old quantity vs quality question and I was just wondering what all of you guys do in your own collecting.

 

For me, trying to put together a Fine collection of pre-code horror (saying that for the 90th time) I find that Fine is a godsend. The books are really nice looking, especially considering their age. The prices are a LOT more reasonable than VF and above.So, while I COULD go back to my previous standard of VG or better for the 3 long boxes of pre-code horror I collected some years ago, I LIKE this idea of Fine. I walk away with fewer books but also know, that in a month, my budget will be back up and can acquire 5-10 more. Now 5-10 a month ain;t bad since that means 60-120 a year. And that amkes me happy. I love the pursuit of the books (as long as it is not insanely frustrating) and sometimes, having acquired a book, I find the reading is less thrilling than the hunt. But all that does is put me in mind to seek ANOTHER of the same title with better stories. But because Fine is what I am looking for, I know I have a decent chance of finding it and can also sell the previous one at no loss.

 

Hope that makes sense.

[jimjum12]

i have to honestly say that i like BOTH quantity and quality.i know i am verry fond of my low grade fantastic four collection.you could back a truck over a couple of them and not hurt 'em.they do have nice pages,tho.i even have a couple of low grade pedigree samples from the "blue ridge mountain outhouse"collection.aahhh,

that distinctive aroma! i do love your posts, joanna,and was wondering if there are any of your comics that you are going to keep?i hope so,because you obviously

are a true fan.GOD BLESS...

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)