Are we headed twoards a split market?

[currincomics]

Even now when a book is mentioned in comic circles you get,"Is it slabbed or raw". I know CGC was created to take the guess work out of a comics grade, and give the buyer peace of mind, but has it become it's own market even as I type? It seems to me that we are headed in that direction, wether that's good or bad I don't know. If the market keeps going as it is now then you will have buyers that are only interested in slabbed books or books that are worthy to be slabbed. I, for one, do not want all the HG books slabbed, because the day one can't sell a HG raw book for fair market value will be a sad and dark day indeed.

[Aces]

Only for high grades.

My early GVG Marvels will go for about the same slabbed or raw.

[OldSchoolTerry]

That's a good question, and I'm sure we'll have a lively debate on this one. I know for me personally, I have all raw books, and am not even thinking about slabbing any of them right now, in case I actually wanted to read them (some of them very carefully, of course). Also, why would I lay out that money right now to have them slabbed and just sit in my closet anyway? I'm looking forward to the responses on this, as we're on the CGC boards. So, most people on here are slabbers. But, I bet there are a lot of collectors who stay clear of slabbing their books and/or buying slabbed books entirely.

So will we wind up with collectors that only buy exclusively high-grade slabbed books for multiples of guide, and others who only buy raw at guide or less?....

[minutekev@50]

I paid $1.75 for the first 8 or so issues of Todd Mac's Spider-Man series. They're high grade. Could I get $14 for them? I think that's Fair Market Value...

[fantastic_four]

I, for one, do not want all the HG books slabbed, because the day one can't sell a HG raw book for fair market value will be a sad and dark day indeed.

 

"HG raw books" is too broad a category. If you mean HG raw books worth less than $200, I can see your point; for anything over that, certification is an insurance cost to protect against fraud.

[currincomics]

Then in essence you are saying that the split has already occurred?

[fantastic_four]

Then in essence you are saying that the split has already occurred?

 

I guess, but I don't look at the split as raw versus slabbed, I look at it as unknown versus known quantities. If you're spending big bucks on a book via mail order, it makes very little sense to risk hundreds or thousands of dollars on unverified material. If a dealer convinces me he can grade extremely well and detect restoration, then I'm perfectly willing to spend just as much on their raw comics. However, I would LOVE for you to give me a list of sellers who fall into that category!!! I expect I'll get zero names.

 

Look at the prices comic-keys fetches with his verbose descriptions, guarantees of no restoration, and friendly, informative e-mail communications. That should tell you two things--that certification isn't the only way to fetch great prices, and simultaneously because of who he is and what he sells, that certification is necessary for 99% of buyers to not get ripped off!

[chromium]

So will we wind up with collectors that only buy exclusively high-grade slabbed books for multiples of guide, and others who only buy raw at guide or less?....

 

Don't tell me I'm the only one that buys slabbed books and then cracks them to read ??

[JiveTurkeyMoFo]

Then in essence you are saying that the split has already occurred?

 

Yes, without question. Offer me a certain book in raw NM, and I will look to pay a certain percentage of Guide if its not someone I've dealt with extensively before (allowing for descrepencies in grading, possible restoration, etc.). Offer me the same book in CGC 9.4 or better, and I will happily pay multiples of Guide for it.

 

Two very different markets, yet we could be talking about the same exact book.

 

 

 

 

[THE_BEYONDER]

So will we wind up with collectors that only buy exclusively high-grade slabbed books for multiples of guide, and others who only buy raw at guide or less?....

 

Don't tell me I'm the only one that buys slabbed books and then cracks them to read ??

 

[sterlingcomics]

Not all comics are meant to be slabbed simply due to its condition and market value. And yet other comics aren't slabbed simply because the collector doesn't want to sell them (or-forbid-the collector doesn't like slabs). Yet other comics are slabbed for the restoration check. Some folks like me slab them simply because I need protection from my rabid dog and curious toddler! (ok, I like my books in slabs).

 

Tons of reasons to/not to slab. It's all on your perspective and there's really no reason that's right or wrong.

[Mr. Zipper]

I, for one, do not want all the HG books slabbed, because the day one can't sell a HG raw book for fair market value will be a sad and dark day indeed.

 

I hope they all get entombed and then perhaps the market will hit some point of equilibrium and we'll see the end of the "CGC Premium." If all books were entombed, it would be hard to justify paying insane multiples because something is CGC Graded when the dealer next door has the same book, in the same grade for less.... and so on and so on ..... competition between multiples of the same book would cause a much needed price correction. Of course, I'm not referring to truly rare HG material.... I'm referring to the bronze age and modern stuff that dealers buy by the pallet

 

The irony is that in the 9.X goldrush, so much HG bronze and modern will eventually flood the market that buyers will wake up and realize they are paying crazy prices for stuff that's about as rare as dirt.

 

BTW, I prefer alive / entombed vs raw / slabbed.

[MK Ultra]

I don't think I would ever have a comic slabbed. Part of the appeal for me is being able to look at the inside. I also have a sports card collection and haven't graded any of those, or bought graded ones. I can see the condition, but probably wouldn't be able to tell any/much restoration work though. I think to facilitate internet sales it's a necessary evil. I'm not one to buy expensive items, so that probably colors my opinion too. Good topic.

[chrisco37]

Don't tell me I'm the only one that buys slabbed books and then cracks them to read ??

 

You've slabbed a book before!!! I'll bet it's still entombed!!!

 

Chris

[Aman619]

good point. That is where we should be headed. If 80% of all books were slabbed, we'd see which are truly scarcer in grade, and prices would adjust accordingly. What we have had for the past few years is prices escalating on the ASSUMPTION of scarcity in grade.

 

SOme guesses and purchases no matter how silly the price will turn out to heve been savvy...others, well...sounded like a good deal at the time.

[chromium]

Don't tell me I'm the only one that buys slabbed books and then cracks them to read ??

 

You've slabbed a book before!!! I'll bet it's still entombed!!!

 

Chris

 

Yeah, but first of all I WON the coupon and second of all the only reason I keep it slabbed is because I can drive you nuts with it

But slabbed one and liberated over 50....not a bad record

[chrisco37]

I keep it slabbed is because I can drive you nuts with it

 

Maybe I'll just have to max out a card and get this one......

 

 

 

Chris

 

(Thanks for the scan, Bob!)

 

 

[Mr. Zipper]

BTW, I prefer alive / entombed vs raw / slabbed.

 

Ok... who is the hater that took a star for that?!?

[Ian_Levine]

I bet there are a lot of collectors who stay clear of slabbing their books and/or buying slabbed books entirely.

So will we wind up with collectors who only buy raw at guide or less?....

 

That's me to a tee.

You couldn't have described my collecting philosophy better.

[shiverbones]

well, personally i work both sides of the fence. My personal books are raw, i won't pay premiums except in rare instances. An exception would be say a black cat mystery #50 in 9.4. I have a raw one already to read, and it would be great to have a near perfect copy in that little fortress. but for the most part, nope. BUT i do sell cgc books & have books slabbed if it would work out better for me that way, thats just common sense. I think they are 2 different markets already.