Has The Bottom Dropped Out?

[MedicAR]

Just talking economics here, has the bottom dropped out of the CGC SS market? I'm not trying to play the part of Chicken Little, but watching some auctions on eBay ending pretty darned cheap, paired with a decline in sales here on the boards, I've begun to wonder if the CGC SS market has peaked and is now in decline or whether this is just another symptom or the national economy or if it's just the summer season and CGC SS fans are tapped out.

 

There have been some fantastic books both here on the 'Bay from a wide variety of sellers that just aren't moving or if they do move it's at rock bottom prices. I know that if I had the scratch, I'd have been buying more and seeing some of the sales threads, I assume this is the case with some of the other CGC SS junkies on here too!

 

So are we the driving force in CGC SS sales and our reduced spending is warping the market or what? I'm curious as to what others think......

[SignatureSelect]

I don't think the bottm has dropped out. I just think people aren't spending money right now. I had a Dave Mckean sketch on ebay and a limited print from Brain Stelfreeze up last week the Mckean didn't even get a bid and the Stelfreeze print with a remark only recived the opening bid which wasn't much more than I paid. Items from the artist in the past have sold for over 100 dollars each. For these to not sell just tell me people aren't buying anything. It isn't just CGC books or SS books.

[mackenzie999]

I've been watching a particular SS book be relisted twice for lack of sales; originally $300 with a $250 BIN, now $130 with a $179 BIN...admittedly overpriced initially, it's still a decent book that I will probably snag cheap if no on beats me to it.

[Skynwalker]

I think part of it is just a lot of stuff out there for sale. It's a real buyers market at the moment

[Dollarbill]

I've been watching a particular SS book be relisted twice for lack of sales; originally $300 with a $250 BIN, now $130 with a $179 BIN...admittedly overpriced initially, it's still a decent book that I will probably snag cheap if no on beats me to it.

 

:: I think we're watching the same book

[s-man]

Its the economy..no extra spending. Also from what ive seen on ebay there is a lot of SS drek going for a lot more then they are worth.

[MutantKeys]

I think SS is doing just fine

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Spawn-1-CGC-SS-9-6-Signed-by-Todd-McFarlane_W0QQitemZ160355073754QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item2555e83eda&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Spawn-2-CGC-SS-9-8-Signed-by-Todd-McFarlane_W0QQitemZ160355073945QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item2555e83f99&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14

[seanfingh]

First off, the economy is definitely a HUGE factor. But, as people get more and more savvy, there is less need to buy books from retail sellers. My experience has been that folks who get deeper into SS tend to do more of their own books, establish relationships with witnesses, etc. Combine that with people who are getting books done, not because they want them but specifically for the purposes of resale and you get a perfect storm of issue that reduce the desirability of purchasing SS slabs retail.

[mackenzie999]

First off, the economy is definitely a HUGE factor. But, as people get more and more savvy, there is less need to buy books from retail sellers. My experience has been that folks who get deeper into SS tend to do more of their own books, establish relationships with witnesses, etc. Combine that with people who are getting books done, not because they want them but specifically for the purposes of resale and you get a perfect storm of issue that reduce the desirability of purchasing SS slabs retail.

 

All good points. Autographs usually mean nothing to me unless I obtain them myself.

[str8rcn]

I have noticed the prices getting lower but I think It's simply supply and demand.

 

There are a lot more witnesses than there were even a year ago so there are simply more SS books floating around than there were.

 

Also things like Celebrity sigs, picking the right book for the signer,sig color and placement and other factors have made some books command a premium price where more basic books have suffered the losses.

 

 

[MedicAR]

I think SS is doing just fine

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Spawn-1-CGC-SS-9-6-Signed-by-Todd-McFarlane_W0QQitemZ160355073754QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item2555e83eda&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Spawn-2-CGC-SS-9-8-Signed-by-Todd-McFarlane_W0QQitemZ160355073945QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item2555e83f99&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14

 

Exceptions that prove the rule.

 

I had the Image United in mind with Toddy and six others not getting close to these prices.

[somewhereintexas]

I think SS is doing just fine

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Spawn-1-CGC-SS-9-6-Signed-by-Todd-McFarlane_W0QQitemZ160355073754QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item2555e83eda&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Spawn-2-CGC-SS-9-8-Signed-by-Todd-McFarlane_W0QQitemZ160355073945QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item2555e83f99&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14

 

Exceptions that prove the rule.

 

I had the Image United in mind with Toddy and six others not getting close to these prices.

 

I don't think the prices on those auctions were too outrageous. I think there were just as many if not more examples of Spawn books that Danny sold that went surprisingly low, at least to me.

 

On the other hand, here's a book that went for a ridiculous amount:

 

ASM #59 SS CGC 9.0

 

And here's an example of one that went for less than half of what I thought it would:

 

ASM #583 SS CGC 9.4 Signed by Stan Lee and Five Others

[Ares]

I think SS is doing just fine

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Spawn-1-CGC-SS-9-6-Signed-by-Todd-McFarlane_W0QQitemZ160355073754QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item2555e83eda&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Spawn-2-CGC-SS-9-8-Signed-by-Todd-McFarlane_W0QQitemZ160355073945QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item2555e83f99&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14

 

Exceptions that prove the rule.

 

I had the Image United in mind with Toddy and six others not getting close to these prices.

 

I don't think the prices on those auctions were too outrageous. I think there were just as many if not more examples of Spawn books that Danny sold that went surprisingly low, at least to me.

 

On the other hand, here's a book that went for a ridiculous amount:

 

ASM #59 SS CGC 9.0

 

And here's an example of one that went for less than half of what I thought it would:

 

ASM #583 SS CGC 9.4 Signed by Stan Lee and Five Others

 

I think part of It is the grade!

Despite sigs If the grade is low on a modern most people will wait on a high grade copy!

[shortstack comics]

First off, the economy is definitely a HUGE factor. But, as people get more and more savvy, there is less need to buy books from retail sellers. My experience has been that folks who get deeper into SS tend to do more of their own books, establish relationships with witnesses, etc. Combine that with people who are getting books done, not because they want them but specifically for the purposes of resale and you get a perfect storm of issue that reduce the desirability of purchasing SS slabs retail.

 

 

I have my "Go-To" witness and then a few back-ups for cons/shows that he can't make it to and I'm really only getting books done for myself. I recently had "the Great Purge" of my books because I needed to raise cash quick and I think folks that bought my SS books would say they probably weren't big books with big names, but they were books I enjoyed signed by artists/writers I enjoy. I'm going to have to figure out how to buy back that AMS with the JRJR sig from Str8rcn one day

 

So I see tons of books on eBay that are SS with REALLY low prices that I don't even look at because they aren't titles I collect or artists I enjoy :shrug:

 

I also think there is a real glut of supply in the marketplace right now and money is tight for everyone!

[somewhereintexas]

 

I think part of It is the grade!

Despite sigs If the grade is low on a modern most people will wait on a high grade copy!

 

Sure, the grade had something to do with it, but not that long ago I sold a couple of 9.6's with one less signature (Jimenez) for over $450. It's hard to explain why the drop of one notch below what was already less than 9.8 would result in a reduction in price of over $300.

[mschmidt]

I think SS is doing just fine

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Spawn-1-CGC-SS-9-6-Signed-by-Todd-McFarlane_W0QQitemZ160355073754QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item2555e83eda&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Spawn-2-CGC-SS-9-8-Signed-by-Todd-McFarlane_W0QQitemZ160355073945QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item2555e83f99&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14

 

Exceptions that prove the rule.

 

I had the Image United in mind with Toddy and six others not getting close to these prices.

 

I think the Image United book is a specific case, though - out of 31 slabbed copies in the census, 29 are SS copies and the vast majority of those are multi-signature books. It also has more 9.9's and 10.0's than 9.8's which is never a good sign.

[Ares]

 

I think part of It is the grade!

Despite sigs If the grade is low on a modern most people will wait on a high grade copy!

 

Sure, the grade had something to do with it, but not that long ago I sold a couple of 9.6's with one less signature (Jimenez) for over $450. It's hard to explain why the drop of one notch below what was already less than 9.8 would result in a reduction in price of over $300.

 

I think the 9.4 makes a dfference!

Thats a barrier to many. Some might see a 9.4 as mid grade and 9.6 as high grade

Modern pricing is insanity

 

I paid $100 for a 9.8 ASM 361..

When a 9.9 came on market it went for 500 to 600 on Heritage without BP!

 

[lscomics]

I think SS is doing just fine

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Spawn-1-CGC-SS-9-6-Signed-by-Todd-McFarlane_W0QQitemZ160355073754QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item2555e83eda&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Spawn-2-CGC-SS-9-8-Signed-by-Todd-McFarlane_W0QQitemZ160355073945QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item2555e83f99&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14

 

Exceptions that prove the rule.

 

I had the Image United in mind with Toddy and six others not getting close to these prices.

 

I don't think the prices on those auctions were too outrageous. I think there were just as many if not more examples of Spawn books that Danny sold that went surprisingly low, at least to me.

 

On the other hand, here's a book that went for a ridiculous amount:

 

ASM #59 SS CGC 9.0

 

And here's an example of one that went for less than half of what I thought it would:

 

ASM #583 SS CGC 9.4 Signed by Stan Lee and Five Others

 

I can't believe the price on the ASM 59, I picked up a 9.0 signed by Romita for $130. From what I've seen, Stan does more signings than Romita.

[thehumantorch]

I think SS is doing just fine

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Spawn-1-CGC-SS-9-6-Signed-by-Todd-McFarlane_W0QQitemZ160355073754QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item2555e83eda&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Spawn-2-CGC-SS-9-8-Signed-by-Todd-McFarlane_W0QQitemZ160355073945QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item2555e83f99&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14

 

Exceptions that prove the rule.

 

I had the Image United in mind with Toddy and six others not getting close to these prices.

 

I don't think the prices on those auctions were too outrageous. I think there were just as many if not more examples of Spawn books that Danny sold that went surprisingly low, at least to me.

 

On the other hand, here's a book that went for a ridiculous amount:

 

ASM #59 SS CGC 9.0

 

And here's an example of one that went for less than half of what I thought it would:

 

ASM #583 SS CGC 9.4 Signed by Stan Lee and Five Others

 

I can't believe the price on the ASM 59, I picked up a 9.0 signed by Romita for $130. From what I've seen, Stan does more signings than Romita.

 

I agree. GPA shows ASM 59 in 9.0 at about $100. Stan's sig. shouldn't increase the value by a multiple of 7.

[Bonds25]

I think the truly rare and unique books are still selling, but prices on common signatures have stalled. I also think people aren't willing to pay as much for signatures as they were. I know I won't buy a common SS book for $30, when the book itself is only worth $2 or $3.

 

I'm also buying less because of the increase in shipping costs. There were some sweet books on Ebay recently that I wanted, but they were from a Canadian seller and I can't justify paying $20 to have a book shipped.