A question to our overseas members?

[shadroch]

Seeing how American comics are more scarce overseas,do local shops and dealers sell at Overstreet prices or at much higher price?

[Ian_Levine]

Seeing how American comics are more scarce overseas

 

 

Er......... no they're not.

And believe it or not, people outside the US use e-bay too.

[shadroch]

Ian,

Please.

There are more comic shops in NYC than all of the UK

I didn't say they were scarce,simply more scarce.

People who use e-Bay are handicapped by many sellers not wanting to ship non-domestic and huge shipping costs. This would tend to allow dealers to charge more. Its really a simple question.

BTW- Are you saying that a new book that sells for $1.00 in USA doesn't have a surcharge on it in the UK?

They do in Mexico,Bermuda,Japan, Hong Kong and every other place I've visited lately?

The Chuckster is always talking of shipping containers of mid-grade Silver Age overseas,so someone must be buying and reselling them.

[osborn_fr]

I only know one dealer in France who knows how to grade comics, and he sells his comics in the overstreet price guide range. I buy him books sometimes when i quickly need a particular comic, but i often use Ebay US.

 

But when i add the shipping cost and sometimes the duties fees (about 33% of the total value of your package, including the shipping cost), i think that it could be more interesting for me to buy comics with this french dealer ...

 

[JMcD]

Id say they're about the same price as america.

What gets on my nerves is in the whole of my city there is 1 comic store and it only sells new issues, also when buying off ebay you have to pay an extra $10.00

for 1 comic .

[aardvark88]

Varies from comicshop to comicshop. Some charge Ostreet/Wizard nm across the board even for vg just so they can have a 1/2 price sale every 2 months to turnover comics. Others charge Ostreet/Wizard + exchange rate; some without exchange rate if comic is cold.

[chromium]

Seeing how American comics are more scarce overseas,do local shops and dealers sell at Overstreet prices or at much higher price?

 

I know two dealers in the whole country, none sell stuff older than 1990 and none have ever heard of Overstreet...

I have said this a few times before, but I'm more and move convinced that I'm the only Silver and Bronze-age collector in the whole country...

 

We have a few comic shops that sell new US comics, the one closest to me sold 1604 #5 to me today for $5.80, cover is $3.50....I did get a free bag though

 

It's cheaper for me to buy new comics in the US and have them shipped (priority mail) to me in Belgium....strange but true.

 

I met one French dealer once that had about 15 Silver Age books, including a (pence copy) ASM #100 in FINE, he wanted $200.00 for it...

 

Because our market is so saturated with domestic comics (everyone reads comics over here) there just is no room/love/interest for the US stuff

[delekkerste]

I have said this a few times before, but I'm more and move convinced that I'm the only Silver and Bronze-age collector in the whole country...

 

Because our market is so saturated with domestic comics (everyone reads comics over here) there just is no room/love/interest for the US stuff

 

I'm shocked, shocked, shocked to hear this!! Chromium, how can this be remotely possible??? American comics are the best! All the world loves our American culture! Why, just look at all the books being sold to overseas eBayers - the volumes are so huge that...well, OK, it's a drop in the bucket, but still, it's yet another excuse to hype up prices! I can't understand why any self-respecting Belgian or other foreigner wouldn't want to pay absolutely exorbitant amounts of money for high grade comic books that aren't even written in their native language!!

 

Gene

[chrisco37]

Whoa Gene! That post was very Hammer-esque! The tone was perfect!

 

Chris

[fantastic_four]

Whoa Gene! That post was very Hammer-esque! The tone was perfect!

 

hehe, I was thinking the same thing, EXACTLY the same tone of intellectual condescension.

[delekkerste]

Whoa Gene! That post was very Hammer-esque! The tone was perfect!

 

hehe, I was thinking the same thing, EXACTLY the same tone of intellectual condescension.

 

Now now James, don't go getting all insecure about your own intellectual capability like certain other Board members we know...

 

Gene

[fantastic_four]

Now now James, don't go getting all insecure about your own intellectual capability like certain other Board members we know...

 

I'm quite secure, Gordo...but the mild conceit grates on the nerves

[supapimp]

oh boy, in two threads.

[JMcD]

What does intellectuel condescension mean?

[aardvark88]

Means my brain is bigger than your brain but I still can't spell correctly using the Queen's English. Time to watch International Idol. Go Canada!

[awe4one]

Seeing how American comics are more scarce overseas,do local shops and dealers sell at Overstreet prices or at much higher price?

 

More....

 

There are two markets actually. The local German dealers, and there's three stores that I've found that have older American comics, usually don't have any back issues prior to 1990. These are priced slightly above Overstreet in US dollars but are offered for sale in Euros. Case in point....

 

A dealer has ASM #350. Overstreet will price it around $5. The dealer will have it for 7.50 Euros. An American ends up paying around $10 for the comic as the dollar has fallen considerably against the Euro. There was one time, over a year and a half ago, where the same comic would have cost you $7 but since the decline, it's now more expensive.

 

If they have Bronze or Silver, very very rare, then you pay a premium. One dealer had a ASM #77 in VG (at best) and wanted 50 Euro for it.

 

The other market is the US community. There are occasionally small comic/card bazaars on US bases. This is where the real fleecing occurs. Guys walk around with their Overstreet or Wizard "bibles" and seem to price their comics on a whim. No comics have prices on them. All prices are quoted. Usually all Silver and Bronze comics VG and below are priced 100% of NM guide and anything graded better is 150% or more. Bring up eBay or how expensive their comics are and you usually get ignored or get an explanation of how hard it was for them (or you) to get copies. Preying on the uninformed is what it is......

 

I was able to set up at one of the shows about a year ago and did quite well. I priced all my comics under Overstreet/Wizard and even had a 50 cent and dollar box. The other dealers (two in particular) raided my boxes immediately and were very annoyed when I wouldn't give them a discount. Unsurprisingly, I was not invited back after being told that there was going to be a space issue at future shows and some of the dealers there had priority over me. I put in a complaint with the local Morale Welfare and Recreation Office but never heard back from them.

 

Sorry about the rant but you did ask.....

 

Jim

[tth2]

Interesting thread, and cool to see so many fellow collectors overseas.

 

Reporting from the Hong Kong market, I can say that I'm not aware of any other back-issue collectors here, and therefore, not surprisingly, there are no dealers here. There are only 2 stores that I've found that sell US comic books. On the other hand, I don't buy new books anymore, so it could be that I'm just not looking.

 

I've been to a few comic shops in Australia, and the prices listed were staggering, even when the US$ was really strong against the Aussie.

 

I make all of my purchases through eBay, Heritage or dealers. Shipping costs are high, so incurring those costs only makes sense with big ticket purchases. I will say that I have been pleased with how many sellers on eBay have been willing to hold small-ticket books for me, sometimes with no advance payment, until enough have accumulated that it makes sense to ship. Thank god Hong Kong is a duty free port, and I don't have to pay any customs or duties on books coming in.

 

I've found that most sellers on eBay are okay with shipping overseas, even if their listing says domestic shipments only. Usually, they just want to be contacted beforehand, and once you tell them you can pay in US$ and will pay extra for international shipping, they're fine. I've only run into 2 sellers who absolutely refused to ship overseas. I didn't want the books enough to pursue further, but if there was really a book I wanted to buy from one of these xenophobes, I would just tell them to ship it to friends or family in the US, who could then send on to me.

 

So we've heard from Europe and HK, how about Japan or Oz?

 

[osborn_fr]

So we've heard from Europe and HK, how about Japan or Oz?

 

There's a french, member of this forum, who lives in Japan. his name is blip (i think). Maybe he'll read this thread and post something regarding the japan market ?

 

 

[EwanUK]

Since I commute to London quite regularly I have the option of numerous comic shops - so new and recent issue are readily available. They are pricey though. However, I would say, CGC and high grade back issues are somewhat more difficult to locate but armed with ebay and paypal the world is my oyster!!

 

I'm visiting New York next April for the first time, so I'll be looking forward to the joys of comic shops stateside, strong pound and all.

 

Any suggestions for the best shops to visit?

[Kermit]

Nice topic

 

I know well the french/paris market and also the Portuguese market too (my country).

 

Portugal:

 

It's very hard being a fan overthere. In the city where i lived/grew up there is only one comicstore. Even if this store is more of a gathering friends place (the owner is a friend of mine) they only have ostly modern comics and the "book dollar price" is extremelly high:

 

1$ = 1.40E

 

Now you add to that that the Euro is a much more stronger currency than the dollar 1E = 0.77US$

 

Usually i bought overthere the essential monthly titles, waiting the majority of the titles from another city - Lisbon (the capital) where i had a contact that sold the comics at 1$ = 1.30E, including shipping costs.

 

The great thing is that the speculation almost doesn't exists overthere, and due to the delay/receiving comics only 1 time per month, you can grab hot/sold out comics as much as you can for investisement ex: Ultimate Spider-man nº1, 30 days of night 1st prints, etc...and you can always do some interesting deals with people that only car to read a good story, not seeing them as an investisment.

 

AND WE ONLY RECEIVED THE NEW COMICS ONE TIME PER MONTH, AND A LOT OF THEM WITH 1 TO 2 WEEKS OF DELAY...DIAMOND RULES DOESN'T IT?!

 

France:

 

Here in Paris thanks to the presence of around 6 to 8 comicstores more or less big/complete the "book dollar price" is a lot lower than in Portugal 1$ = 1.15E.

 

The silver/bronze comics, specially those more important/looked for are of course sell at the OS guide lines...it's great to see how much you're coll. is being sold, .

I think here the market is stronger and the chances of selling at speculator prices are way much higher than in the US, because there's a lot of demand and low offer.

 

Even if my coll. isn't anything special compared to a lot of other colls. from some members around the boards, if i sold them here i would get a nice price...probably better than on ebay.

 

Ebay:

 

It depends on which comics you buy/how many.

 

I usually use ebay for some pricey comics, buying at least from a seller 4 to 6 comics, so it can compensate with the shipping costs. Usually i tend to pay around 12$ for airmail up to 8 comics. The more you buy, the heavier the poackage gets, but it's more profit you have due to the different levels of shipping vs weight.

 

but i've been having some great deals on the silver/bronze, buying them at 1/3 to 1/4 at the price they're being sold here on the shops

 

ex:Uncanny X-men nº43-45, 52 VF/NM i bought this small lot at 55$, on the shop i would have payed 50$ to 70$

Some months ago i bought an Uncanny X- nº26 for only 14$ (lucky)!!! it's in great shape around VF/VF+, he's here on the store at 70$ and their copy is way below the one i have, ...

 

Regards, Pedro.