February Heritage Signature Auction....whatcha lookin' at?

[bodhee]

Whoever picked up my HT12 9.0 got a hell of a deal.. I can tell you I paid a lot more for that book just a year ago and had offers at 10k just three months ago..

 

Not to rub salt in the wound, but you were offered nearly 20% more than the 8.5 sold for, so why didn't you go for it then? If you paid no seller's premium it would have had to crack $12K at Heritage for you to make the same money, and if you had to pay any kind of seller's premium at all then it would have had to brought 15K or more.

 

I purchased it as a raw 9.2 from Metro that CGC graded at 9.0..

 

As for the offer, I was holding firm at the time because I didn't want to sell it.. Plus I would still have had to pay a commission, just not 20%.. There were also books in the Heritage auction that went well over what I'm certain the sellers envisioned.. So I'm sure they're not complaining about the 20% buyers premium..

 

Thankfully overall, I've made more better decisions than bad.. Still, I am more curious as to what others thought about why it would have went for the price it did..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[lou_fine]

Whoever picked up my HT12 9.0 got a hell of a deal.. I can tell you I paid a lot more for that book just a year ago and had offers at 10k just three months ago..

 

I won't be able to sit for a week over that assault..

 

Surprised me that there was very little action on that book as I can tell you its a gorgeous book.. Any thoughts as to why it might have went so low?. an 8.5 that was not near as nice sold for 8500 not too long ago.

 

Bodhee;

 

All I can say is that it's pretty hard to make money on a GA book when you pay top dollar for it and then try to sell it only a year later. Paying top dollar for a GA book usually means that you would have to wait quite a few years before you can expect to make some money on it.

 

In addition, if there is any truth at all to the fact that your book may have originally only been a 8.0 before being "maximized" to 9.0, I am sure this would have had a dampening effect on the final price. I wouldn't put much weight in the hype from Borock and the pro-pressing gang that the final grade is all that matters and prices are not negatively affected when books have been artificially manipulated through pressing. After all, there's an obvious reason why they don't disclose the work, and it's definitely not because nobody really cares.

 

The discrepancy in grade by only one notch between Metro and CGC is not a big deal from a grading point of view. After all, you often see this same discerpancy when CGC grades the same book more than once, because grading is really an art and sometimes it just depends on how they feel at the time. Unfortunately for you, when grading is off by one notch, it still makes an enormous difference from a pricing point of view.

 

You should also note the final price was low for today's market, but not exceedingly low since it was still over double condition guide price.

[nearmint]

I wouldn't put much weight in the hype from Borock and the pro-pressing gang that the final grade is all that matters and prices are not negatively affected when books have been artificially manipulated through pressing.

 

I would. Bedrock, Brent from QualityComix, and myself have been proactively disclosing, and the books are selling just fine.

[stagedoorjohnny]

I wouldn't put much weight in the hype from Borock and the pro-pressing gang that the final grade is all that matters and prices are not negatively affected when books have been artificially manipulated through pressing.

 

I would. Bedrock, Brent from QualityComix, and myself have been proactively disclosing, and the books are selling just fine.

 

Maybe for some books it does and some books it doesn't?

[nearmint]

I think it's the buyers, not the books. It just seems that there are plenty of buyers not bothered by pressing. It might be a smaller pool, but not by much.

 

The market is crazy right now. Some books are going for record prices, while others turn out to be bargains. I don't that's because of pressing.

[buttock]

Also, I believe the book that was pressed is now an 8.5, not the 9.0. I don't know why the 9.0 didn't go for more. I thought that was a bargain.

 

 

[stagedoorjohnny]

The book is pictured in the CGC Gallery in an 8.0 holder as well as a 9.0 holder. Looks like the same book to me.

[bodhee]

Whoever picked up my HT12 9.0 got a hell of a deal.. I can tell you I paid a lot more for that book just a year ago and had offers at 10k just three months ago..

 

I won't be able to sit for a week over that assault..

 

Surprised me that there was very little action on that book as I can tell you its a gorgeous book.. Any thoughts as to why it might have went so low?. an 8.5 that was not near as nice sold for 8500 not too long ago.

 

Bodhee;

 

All I can say is that it's pretty hard to make money on a GA book when you pay top dollar for it and then try to sell it only a year later. Paying top dollar for a GA book usually means that you would have to wait quite a few years before you can expect to make some money on it.

 

In addition, if there is any truth at all to the fact that your book may have originally only been a 8.0 before being "maximized" to 9.0, I am sure this would have had a dampening effect on the final price. I wouldn't put much weight in the hype from Borock and the pro-pressing gang that the final grade is all that matters and prices are not negatively affected when books have been artificially manipulated through pressing. After all, there's an obvious reason why they don't disclose the work, and it's definitely not because nobody really cares.

 

The discrepancy in grade by only one notch between Metro and CGC is not a big deal from a grading point of view. After all, you often see this same discerpancy when CGC grades the same book more than once, because grading is really an art and sometimes it just depends on how they feel at the time. Unfortunately for you, when grading is off by one notch, it still makes an enormous difference from a pricing point of view.

 

You should also note the final price was low for today's market, but not exceedingly low since it was still over double condition guide price.

 

Thanks for the detailed reply and insight.. I really wasn't looking to turn a profit just break even.. I searched the HA archives and found the only 8.0 from a 2002 auction.. If this is the book you are referring to, there would have to be a lot more than a press to turn it into a 9.0.. it would have to have gone from cream - OW pages to white pages.. Can this be done without restoration?

 

Now if that book was altered to the book that I just sold, I can certainly see your point about hesitation..

[nearmint]

The book is pictured in the CGC Gallery in an 8.0 holder as well as a 9.0 holder. Looks like the same book to me.

 

It's absolutely the same book. Maybe Metro didn't agree with the 8.0 grade, cracked it, and sold it as a 9.2.

[lou_fine]

I searched the HA archives and found the only 8.0 from a 2002 auction.. If this is the book you are referring to, there would have to be a lot more than a press to turn it into a 9.0.. it would have to have gone from cream - OW pages to white pages.. Can this be done without restoration?

 

Now if that book was altered to the book that I just sold, I can certainly see your point about hesitation..

 

Bodhee;

 

I am not sure if your 9.0 copy is the same as the previously graded 8.0 copy of the book, but some of the other posters here are quite sure it is. With respect to page color, CGC appears to be rather inconsistent here and there has defintely been some softening over the years. Going from CR-OW to off-white would not surprise me at all, but all the way to white pages is a bit of a surprise. ?

 

I agree with Jeff that some collectors such as himself and dealers such as Brent are not bothered at all by "upgraded" books and are willing to pay the price for them if it fits into what they want at that time. On the other hand, I personally feel this could have a dampening effect on the final price based upon the number of potential bidders for the book:

 

1) Bidders like Jeff and Brent will still want the book since it is in a higher blue label;

2) Bidders who don't like work to be done on their books will have much less interest;

3) Bidders who are looking for books to upgrade and sell at a profit will not bid; and

4) Bidders who are afraid this might have a negative impact on future resale will lower their bids.

 

Although there is still interest in the book, the numbers of potential buyers for the book might be somewhat smaller based upon the above factors. Even if they are interested in the book, it might only be at a discounted price to market since this might be seen as a negative similar to notes on a label, date stamp, writing on the cover, bad QP, or what have you. It sounds like you might have had some hesitation if you was aware that the book was originally only a 8.0 copy?

 

Bottom-line: It would be a definite boost to the book relative to the original 8.0 grade, but probably not so much if you are comparing it to an truly original untouched 9.0 copy of the same book

[batman_fan]

I searched the HA archives and found the only 8.0 from a 2002 auction.. If this is the book you are referring to, there would have to be a lot more than a press to turn it into a 9.0.. it would have to have gone from cream - OW pages to white pages.. Can this be done without restoration?

 

Now if that book was altered to the book that I just sold, I can certainly see your point about hesitation..

 

Bodhee;

 

I am not sure if your 9.0 copy is the same as the previously graded 8.0 copy of the book, but some of the other posters here are quite sure it is. With respect to page color, CGC appears to be rather inconsistent here and there has defintely been some softening over the years. Going from CR-OW to off-white would not surprise me at all, but all the way to white pages is a bit of a surprise. ?

 

I agree with Jeff that some collectors such as himself and dealers such as Brent are not bothered at all by "upgraded" books and are willing to pay the price for them if it fits into what they want at that time. On the other hand, I personally feel this could have a dampening effect on the final price based upon the number of potential bidders for the book:

 

1) Bidders like Jeff and Brent will still want the book since it is in a higher blue label;

2) Bidders who don't like work to be done on their books will have much less interest;

3) Bidders who are looking for books to upgrade and sell at a profit will not bid; and

4) Bidders who are afraid this might have a negative impact on future resale will lower their bids.

 

Although there is still interest in the book, the numbers of potential buyers for the book might be somewhat smaller based upon the above factors. Even if they are interested in the book, it might only be at a discounted price to market since this might be seen as a negative similar to notes on a label, date stamp, writing on the cover, bad QP, or what have you. It sounds like you might have had some hesitation if you was aware that the book was originally only a 8.0 copy?

 

Bottom-line: It would be a definite boost to the book relative to the original 8.0 grade, but probably not so much if you are comparing it to an truly original untouched 9.0 copy of the same book

 

Great post. I think you captured how something like upgrading a book can reduce the potential return because of how some potential buyers perceive the book.

[nearmint]

Going from CR-OW to off-white would not surprise me at all, but all the way to white pages is a bit of a surprise. \?\?\?\?

 

There's no discrepancy in page quality. Both the 8.0 and 9.0 in the CGC gallery have white pages.

[Silver Surfer]

Bodhee I too was shocked when I saw the final price of the HT#12. Sure it may have been pressed to a 9.0 but this is a very tough book in high grade and the 8.5 that PGC Mint sold last year looked kind of a reach at that grade [although it did sell for something like $4,250]. One of my top 10 favorite Timely covers.

[Silver Surfer]

I was oubid by $1.20 on the Sub-Mariner Comics #32 CGC 2.5. Someone got a very good deal for just under $900. Vern was that you?

[G.A.tor]

I noticed both the SM 4 and the SM 10 on clink have been "reduced" back to previous (or close to) asking prices... the #4 is back to $15K with NO bids, and the #10 is now at $30K (was $25K ) with same old $15K previous bid...

[Silver Surfer]

I'm sure Josh put the kibosh on the asking price and rightfully so.

[Gone Phishin']

 

I thought that book went at a steal of a price. I was still winning a bunch of stuff when it went (which of course I eventually lost), or I might have bumped it up at least a couple grand. I also have a 7.0 which I really like, and one of my collecting goals for 2009 is to end up with less doubles than I did in 2008!

 

Feel free to PM me if any Nedors you have doubles of