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Run-up in CGC prices has hit its peak?

Started by Hedge Collector,

35 posts in this topic

Hedge Collector

Hedge Collector

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The only thing I really appreciate from CGC is the ability to provide a guarantee that a book is not restored. I've been screwed too many times on books that were restored and I didn't know it. However, I do think that CGC is inflating the prices of books beyond what they're actually worth. $24,000 for a Fantastic Four that isn't even number 1? Ridiculous.

 

I'm sorry How is CGC inflating the prices? (shrug) The general public is inflating the prices,all CGC is is a grading service that provides a resto. check. (shrug) I too believe the auction you are mentioning (F.F.#112) was all little crazy but CGC did'nt set that price :makepoint:

 

I don't think he meant CGC the company is inflating the prices, but rather that the CGC "phenomenon" if you would call it that is inflating the prices.

 

It does get ridiculous, though not necessarily wrong. I mean paying $10k for a 9.4 book, and $30k for a 9.6 book seems a little out there when you take a step back. $20k would provide years of mortgage payments these days for families losing their homes. But instead the $20k buys you a book that is just barely better to the naked eye, but more importantly (*gasp*) sports a fat "9.6" instead of a "9.4"

 

Yes, apples to oranges. But some perspective is sometimes nice.

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sterlingcomics

sterlingcomics

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Posted
This is why I have gone back almost entirely to readers. I have 3 short boxes of unbagged comics from the 60's to the early 90's that I love to peruse. I have 1 half box of higher grade bronze that I like to see all nice & new-looking (8.0-9.4), and a half box of GA I love. I sold all my high grade slabs except for a few covers I really love, and am having fun enjoying what I have. :cloud9: I am having a lot of fun bottom feeding, and reading.

 

As the wait for the few books on my want list gets longer and longer...I too have joined the bottom feeder club, while maintaining my Mile High membership of course lol

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Green

Green

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Posted
The only thing I really appreciate from CGC is the ability to provide a guarantee that a book is not restored. I've been screwed too many times on books that were restored and I didn't know it. However, I do think that CGC is inflating the prices of books beyond what they're actually worth. $24,000 for a Fantastic Four that isn't even number 1? Ridiculous.
They guarantee nothing other than they looked. There is no such thing as an unrestored label.
Did something happen to you that you got a Blue Label and it turned out to be restored?
:hi:

 

I just meant that they are human and will never catch everything. People are working very very hard to get resto past them and it has been proven that they do miss resto. Also i consider pressing to be resto and they dont so .... These(and im sure there are more) are the reasons that at the top of a blue label it says 'universal' not 'unrestored'. Im not even sure what kind of description the word universal is regarding a comic book. (shrug)

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adamstrange

adamstrange

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CGCLabel-1.jpg

 

"A restoration check has been performed on this book. Detected restoration is noted on this label in general or specific terms. ... A good faith effort is made to detect restoration, but CGC does not warrant this process or the results. If restoration is detected, most restored books will be assigned a marked and color-coded "restored" label. At the sole discretion of CGC, very minor color-touch or glue may be assigned a marked and color coded "Universal" label, however, a description of the detected restoration, in general or specific terms, will be disclosed. With this exception, the "Universal" marked and color-coded CGC certified books have been examined for restoration and none was found."

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david20009

david20009

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I too don't really understand the hype of 9.4-9.6-9.8, especially of books post 1975 as there are thousands in that condition, just not slabbed. I have over 8,000 different books, most of which were bought first hand by myself and have often thought I wonder if instead of most of them just being 80's, 90's and 00's spoon if they would be worth big bucks if they were slabbed as most of them are in fantastic condition and were only ever read once, if that.

 

 

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dekeuk

dekeuk

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I too don't really understand the hype of 9.4-9.6-9.8, especially of books post 1975 as there are thousands in that condition, just not slabbed. I have over 8,000 different books, most of which were bought first hand by myself and have often thought I wonder if instead of most of them just being 80's, 90's and 00's spoon if they would be worth big bucks if they were slabbed as most of them are in fantastic condition and were only ever read once, if that.

 

 

It depends if you bagged and boarded them from Day 1.

 

If you did, then yes, there are SOME 9.8 in there, but a lot less than you might think. Most were probably 9.4 when you first touched them on the news stand.

 

If you did not bag and board immediately, then there are very few that would still be 9.6 or higher.

 

I just submitted a group of late 1980's/early 1990's bagged and boarded Batman books to CGC recently. I only sent the very best ones, the ones where I could not see a singe mark on the spine of any kind.

 

Guess what? They were not all 9.8

 

15% failed the 9.6 pre-screen test

 

35% were 9.8 (the later ones from the early 1990's, not the 1980's books)

 

50% were 9.6

 

It's so much harder than people realize to get a 9.8 from CGC

 

 

 

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dikran

dikran

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Posted
I too don't really understand the hype of 9.4-9.6-9.8, especially of books post 1975 as there are thousands in that condition, just not slabbed. I have over 8,000 different books, most of which were bought first hand by myself and have often thought I wonder if instead of most of them just being 80's, 90's and 00's spoon if they would be worth big bucks if they were slabbed as most of them are in fantastic condition and were only ever read once, if that.

 

 

Comics are a little, maybe a lot, like the diamond industry. They aren't as rare as they seem to be since they are only released to be sold a little at a time to create the semblance of rarity. There may very well be a ton of 9.8 bronze-copper out there but since a small fraction get slabbed and put up for sale it creates the illusion of rarity. I've bought 9.8 Thors from the 70's for triple digits that I could have found in 2$ boxes at any convention just because it was the only one... But I hate going dumpster diving. I see it as letting others do the dirty work for me :)

 

''Sole highest graded on census'' has become a status symbol in our community and I don't see it going away. But I doubt it will translate to record prices for 3rd highest

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dekeuk

dekeuk

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I've bought 9.8 Thors from the 70's for triple digits that I could have found in 2$ boxes at any convention just because it was the only one... But I hate going dumpster diving. I see it as letting others do the dirty work for me :)

 

 

 

TIME IS MONEY

 

If you want a 9.8 collection and you make $1 million+ per year, how much of your valuable time do you want to devote to searching through tens of thousand of ebay auctions & hundreds of convention boxes, buying dozens of (hopefully) high grade copies, submitting them to CGC, waiting 3 months, only to get them back and find out they gave your books a 9.6

 

It's easier to just pay $100 to $200 for a late 1970's 9.8 and be done with it.

 

If you make $1000 an hour, what's a couple hundred bucks to you?

 

I'm sure that is the mentality of some of the wealthier collectors.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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oakman29

oakman29

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I've bought 9.8 Thors from the 70's for triple digits that I could have found in 2$ boxes at any convention just because it was the only one... But I hate going dumpster diving. I see it as letting others do the dirty work for me :)

 

 

 

TIME IS MONEY

 

If you want a 9.8 collection and you make $1 million+ per year, how much of your valuable time do you want to devote to searching through tens of thousand of ebay auctions & hundreds of convention boxes, buying dozens of (hopefully) high grade copies, submitting them to CGC, waiting 3 months, only to get them back and find out they gave your books a 9.6

 

It's easier to just pay $100 to $200 for a late 1970's 9.8 and be done with it.

 

If you make $1000 an hour, what's a couple hundred bucks to you?

 

I'm sure that is the mentality of some of the wealthier collectors.

 

 

I'm not wealthy by any means,but thats kind of how I look at it too. I think of it as I'm paying for someones time,time to look through all the long boxes,time it took to grade the book etc.I don't think I personally could send off an expensive book through the mail and hope it gets to Sarasota.I would be a nervous wreck. (thumbs u

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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capt_comics

capt_comics

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This is why I have gone back almost entirely to readers. I have 3 short boxes of unbagged comics from the 60's to the early 90's that I love to peruse. I have 1 half box of higher grade bronze that I like to see all nice & new-looking (8.0-9.4), and a half box of GA I love. I sold all my high grade slabs except for a few covers I really love, and am having fun enjoying what I have. :cloud9: I am having a lot of fun bottom feeding, and reading.

 

As the wait for the few books on my want list gets longer and longer...I too have joined the bottom feeder club, while maintaining my Mile High membership of course lol

 

Good to see you enjoying them another way (thumbs u

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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dekeuk

dekeuk

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I don't think its peaked. Maybe for some titles and issues but overall not a chance.

 

buy my slabs before prices go higher :baiting:

 

ok whatcha sellin?

 

This:

 

 

http://boards.collectors-society.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=3295218&fpart=1

 

 

and this:

 

http://boards.collectors-society.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=3290043&fpart=1

 

 

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