How much money have you spent on CGC's slabbing service?

[MMMarvel-migration]

Please enlighten me so I can avoid the crowds on Ebay and at Heritage comics.

 

Once you take some time and build up a network of contacts you'll see what's really out there. Then, after you've expended all that energy and have your web humming along, see how guarded and ticked off you get if someone asks you to share!

 

Should be easy to share if there are tons of HG copies out there like you believe. Why would people be guarded if there are mass quantities everywhere?

Your logic doesn't add up.

 

And your logic only holds up in an economic model where all parties involved are rational, compassionate, and working with so-called "perfect" information. Unfortunately, almost everyone out there is selfish, impatient, and of the same opinion as yourself that all they see through their little prism is really what's out there.

 

In other words, logic would dictate that there would be no reason to share such information, regardless of the quantity of high grade material present.

 

Alan

 

I am sorry, but that whole diatribe makes no sense to me. The prism I am looking through is based on what I see in comic stores, ebay, heritage, and how people in these forums go crazy when any HG stuff comes up for bid (and supposedly a bunch of those people going crazy have tons of HG comics). I can only go by what I see. I can't look through a crystal ball to see how many comic hoarders may or may NOT be out there hoarding HG copies because there is no proof. I have seen no evidence that would make me believe that. I can't just rely on what you and JC say and treat it like the Gospel.

[joe_collector]

You ask me why I think they are rare and I give you direct answers

 

But where's your proof Spec Boy?

 

Anyone can pull "direct answers" out of their butt, but where's the proof?

[MMMarvel-migration]

How long have you had that book, MMMarvel?

 

Which one?

[MMMarvel-migration]

You ask me why I think they are rare and I give you direct answers

 

But where's your proof Spec Boy?

 

Anyone can pull "direct answers" out of their butt, but where's the proof?

 

Listen closely wannabe comic guru. I already gave you my proof. All you have given is your delusional fantasies of grandeur. So either cough up something to back up your idiotic statements based on nothing but your feelings or go take another shot of whatever your drinking so you can continue dreaming. Your NO-statements are boring me.

 

[joe_collector]

I already gave you my proof.

 

Yeah, proof that you're a delusional speculator.

 

I'm talking about proof that comics are rare.

[PedigreeMan]

The prism I am looking through is based on what I see in comic stores, ebay, heritage, and how people in these forums go crazy when any HG stuff comes up for bid (and supposedly a bunch of those people going crazy have tons of HG comics).

 

Will you at least admit that all of the above comprise only a small fraction of collectors and dealers and an even smaller fraction of the books that are out there? That's a pretty small area to focus on.

 

 

I can only go by what I see.

 

So you don't trust the word of anyone? That's sad....

 

 

I can't look through a crystal ball to see how many comic hoarders may or may NOT be out there hoarding HG copies because there is no proof.

 

Again, I'm not looking through a crystal ball. A big name dealer like Metropolis clearly has a fantastic network of individuals from which they purchase high grade books. And they're what I would consider part of the "lower rung" of collecting because everyone knows about them and thus oftentimes go to them first. But if you're looking for hard proof, I can assure you that I have a small web of private and semi-private individuals with whom I have a relationship with and from which I have received high grade books. Unfortunately, you don't believe anything you can't see, so my testimony is moot for you. For someone else, though?

 

 

I have seen no evidence that would make me believe that. I can't just rely on what you and JC say and treat it like the Gospel.

 

Again, go out and establish a network of "higher level" contacts and you'll see what's really out there. Beyond that, I really don't have any other suggestions.

 

Alan

[OldSchoolTerry]

How long have you had that book, MMMarvel?

 

Which one?

 

I was wondering when you got "that book" (the Hulk 181). I was just curious how long you've owned it, and when you sent it in to be slabbed, or if you bought it slabbed already.

[MMMarvel-migration]

I already gave you my proof.

 

Yeah, proof that you're a delusional speculator.

 

I'm talking about proof that comics are rare.

 

[MMMarvel-migration]

The prism I am looking through is based on what I see in comic stores, ebay, heritage, and how people in these forums go crazy when any HG stuff comes up for bid (and supposedly a bunch of those people going crazy have tons of HG comics).

 

Will you at least admit that all of the above comprise only a small fraction of collectors and dealers and an even smaller fraction of the books that are out there? That's a pretty small area to focus on.

 

I live in the NYC area which is comic collecting central. No I won't admit all the above comprise a small fraction of collectors, because they don't. Ebay alone is probably the biggest market know in the industry. Almost every major dealer you can think of probably does business on Ebay.

 

 

I can only go by what I see.

 

So you don't trust the word of anyone? That's sad....

 

Yes, that would be sad. However, since I never said that it doesn't apply to me. I trust people whose claims can be verified. There is no substance that can be verified in what you or JC say.

 

 

I can't look through a crystal ball to see how many comic hoarders may or may NOT be out there hoarding HG copies because there is no proof.

 

Again, I'm not looking through a crystal ball. A big name dealer like Metropolis clearly has a fantastic network of individuals from which they purchase high grade books. And they're what I would consider part of the "lower rung" of collecting because everyone knows about them and thus oftentimes go to them first. But if you're looking for hard proof, I can assure you that I have a small web of private and semi-private individuals with whom I have a relationship with and from which I have received high grade books. Unfortunately, you don't believe anything you can't see, so my testimony is moot for you. For someone else, though?

 

That fact that your beliefs that there are mass quantities of HG comics out there is based on secret networks of private collectors is pretty telling. If HG comics were plentiful a person wouldn't have to be a member of some secret comic society to get all the HG comics they wanted. To me that is more proof that HG GA SA and BA comics are rare. BTW neither you or JC commented that Shady only had 12 9.4 comics out of a collection of 2,500. Why did you ignore that info? How does that revelation fit into your theory of mass quantities of HG comics by private collectors?

 

I have seen no evidence that would make me believe that. I can't just rely on what you and JC say and treat it like the Gospel.

 

Again, go out and establish a network of "higher level" contacts and you'll see what's really out there. Beyond that, I really don't have any other suggestions.

 

Alan

 

There we go again, "networks of high level contacts." Sounds to me like you are saying a person has to be a member of some sort of comic mafia to get HG comics which you claim are plentiful.

[lighthouse]

I actually had to spend a while thinking about this one... but I am in the $5K-10K category...

 

I am frankly surprised that only one person (as of right now) has answered higher than that.

 

As for my future plans, I expect to spend somewhere between $15K-$20K on slabbing in 2004, but if I stumble across any really nice collections it could be a lot more. There were three different collections I purchased in 1999-2001 (and promptly sold raw) that if I were to pick them up now I would be happily spending $5K+ on slabbing fees. If I get collections like that today, CGC gets a lot more of my money... When I think of the hundreds of 12c DC's in 9.2-9.6 that I sold raw in 2001 I just cringe...

[joe_collector]

I think Spec Boy needs to believe that the CGC Census will not grow by leaps and bounds in the next 5-10 years, so let the poor sap sleep well and dream all the fantasies he wants.

 

Anyone who's been collecting 20+ years knows how this "dream" will end.

[joe_collector]

When I think of the hundreds of 12c DC's in 9.2-9.6 that I sold raw in 2001 I just cringe...

 

 

According to MMMMoron, that's impossible and you must not exist.

[greggy]

When I think of the hundreds of 12c DC's in 9.2-9.6 that I sold raw in 2001 I just cringe...

 

 

According to MMMMoron, that's impossible and you must not exist.

[lighthouse]

When I think of the hundreds of 12c DC's in 9.2-9.6 that I sold raw in 2001 I just cringe...

 

 

According to MMMMoron, that's impossible and you must not exist.

 

Aw [!@#%^&^]...

 

Oh wait... does that mean I don't have to fill all these orders for Overstreets? Sweet!

[greggy]

When I think of the hundreds of 12c DC's in 9.2-9.6 that I sold raw in 2001 I just cringe...

 

 

According to MMMMoron, that's impossible and you must not exist.

 

Aw [!@#%^&^]...

 

Oh wait... does that mean I don't have to fill all these orders for Overstreets? Sweet!

So...how many copies did you order and what was the percentage increase from last year?

[MMMarvel-migration]

I think Spec Boy needs to believe that the CGC Census will not grow by leaps and bounds in the next 5-10 years, so let the poor sap sleep well and dream all the fantasies he wants.

 

Anyone who's been collecting 20+ years knows how this "dream" will end.

 

[MMMarvel-migration]

When I think of the hundreds of 12c DC's in 9.2-9.6 that I sold raw in 2001 I just cringe...

 

 

According to MMMMoron, that's impossible and you must not exist.

 

Hey Jockstrap_Collector why haven't you commented on Shady's 12 9.4 SA out of a collection of 2,500?

[joe_collector]

why haven't you commented on Shady's 12 9.4 SA out of a collection of 2,500?

 

Why should I? As you stated many, many, many, many, many times, the word of a collector, without proof, is totally useless.

 

It's highly amusing that you have about 99% of the board against your hypothesis of "all GA, SA and BA comics are rare in HG", yet one guy comes out with a statement like that, and you're all over it.

 

Why don't you give the same weight to others who have commented? Oh yeah, because it makes you look like a newbie speculator .

[MMMarvel-migration]

I actually had to spend a while thinking about this one... but I am in the $5K-10K category...

 

I am frankly surprised that only one person (as of right now) has answered higher than that.

 

As for my future plans, I expect to spend somewhere between $15K-$20K on slabbing in 2004, but if I stumble across any really nice collections it could be a lot more. There were three different collections I purchased in 1999-2001 (and promptly sold raw) that if I were to pick them up now I would be happily spending $5K+ on slabbing fees. If I get collections like that today, CGC gets a lot more of my money... When I think of the hundreds of 12c DC's in 9.2-9.6 that I sold raw in 2001 I just cringe...

 

Thanks for the info. I have a few question since you seem to be one of the bigger dealers on these boards. On most comic collections you purchase what is the percentage of HG comics (i.e. GA 9.2+, SA 9.4+, BA 9.6+, and 1980s keys 9.8+)? Of the collections you purchase how many of the HG keys are mainstream comics like Superman, Batman, Detective, Green Lantern etc... and how many are obscure titles? Do you get non-key 9.0 and lower comics CGC'd? Finally, if there are tons of HG raw comics out there why don't they show up in comic shops? Is your comic store full to the brim with HG stuff? If so, I would like to drop by. Thanks again.

[PedigreeMan]

I live in the NYC area which is comic collecting central.

 

Oh ... my ... God. The prism narrows even further. Are you one of those guys who thinks NYC has a monopoly on museums, restaurants, and sports teams, also? Well, I got news for ya ... you're wrong on all fronts!

 

 

Ebay alone is probably the biggest market know in the industry.

 

BZZZ! It's the biggest flea market in the back issue department.

 

 

Almost every major dealer you can think of probably does business on Ebay.

 

True. But they also do more private deals in a week than they do on eBay in a year.

 

 

I trust people whose claims can be verified. There is no substance that can be verified in what you or JC say.

 

What can I do that would verify my claims? Post a list of my contacts? That would be a waste of all of my hard work and goodwill I expended in building my network. Sorry, but I'm selfish.

 

 

If HG comics were plentiful a person wouldn't have to be a member of some secret comic society to get all the HG comics they wanted.

 

You really haven't been collecting very long, have you? The comic book market isn't like the stock market where the traded commodities have no intrinsic value other than a monetary one. People hold on to their comic books for more reasons than you can imagine. As such, "prying" them onto the open market is considerably more difficult than with a stock or similar article of trade. Us collectors are a "cowardly and superstitious lot," and won't deal with just anyone. Hence, the need to garner trust, win friends, and yes, influence them into giving them up. There's no "secret society" involved with it; just simple human interaction.

 

 

BTW neither you or JC commented that Shady only had 12 9.4 comics out of a collection of 2,500. Why did you ignore that info? How does that revelation fit into your theory of mass quantities of HG comics by private collectors?

 

I don't know Shadroc from Adam. Thus, I cannot comment on what makes up his collection. However, he did state that he was not a high grade freak yet still had some high grade books. In actuality, his statement works against your hypothesis -- if high grade books were so rare he shouldn't have any in his collection due to his not looking for them!

 

Also, since you've seemed to enjoy belaboring the above, how about you answer Lighthouse's statement about selling so many raw high grade 12 centers in 2001? Or don't you believe him, either?

 

 

There we go again, "networks of high level contacts." Sounds to me like you are saying a person has to be a member of some sort of comic mafia to get HG comics which you claim are plentiful.

 

You know, it really sounds like you want an easy marketplace solution for high grade books. You're not going to get it; it's not the nature of the hobby. That does not mean there are not plenty of them out there to be had. They just take work to ferret out. You may find it sad, unethical, or just plain mean, but that's the way of the world. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

 

Alan