Huge 5 figure ASM's sales on C-Link right now

[VintageComics]

There are several collectors out there with deep pockets and filling runs OR buying up top examples of any book that comes to market.

 

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

 

 

Still haven't answered my question--show me some examples where a single issue and title sold for insane prices twice in a row! Then, I'll believe there's more than one new mega-whale in the waters.

 

I haven't sat down and analyzed any of it, but it's been tough to compare apples to apples because of the volume of books available.

 

The Rocky Mountain run was a frenzy, but maybe a similarly graded non pedigree run of books would not fetch as much money even though the grades are the same.

 

Eye also appeal seems to be the biggest motivation to bid big money and beats out technical grade at times.

 

a 9.4 copy with decent eye appeal sells for X

a 9.4 copy with perfect eye appeal sells for 2X at a later day.

 

R.

 

[tth2]

There are several collectors out there with deep pockets and filling runs OR buying up top examples of any book that comes to market.

 

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

 

 

Still haven't answered my question--show me some examples where a single issue and title sold for insane prices twice in a row! Then, I'll believe there's more than one new mega-whale in the waters.

9.4 AF 15 breaking $200K two auctions in a row?

[DrWatson]

Does anyone know who the seller is?

Is there a chance Tom or Ghostown bought to compare for upgrade?

Will we see these on the auction block before the end of the year?

Do you think the price shown was the price paid?

GhostTown isn't that stupid.

[fantastic_four]

GhostTown isn't that stupid.

 

How can you know it was a stupid buy without knowing the pool of money the buyer is drawing from? If the guy has a net worth of let's say $20 million or more, or if it were perhaps those meth dealers looking to launder money, then the buy isn't exactly stupid, it's more an inconsequential or an actual smart transfer of money.

[DrWatson]

GhostTown isn't that stupid.

How can you know it was a stupid buy without knowing the pool of money the buyer is drawing from? If the guy has a net worth of let's say $20 million or more, or if it were perhaps those meth dealers looking to launder money, then the buy isn't exactly stupid, it's more an inconsequential or an actual smart transfer of money.

Stupid is probably a strong word. Personally, I don't see investing, and yes, it is investing when one ventures into this amount of money, tens of thousands of dollars in something that is a perceived rarity. All it takes is for two or three more copies of each book to show up and sink the price.

 

I know, one can argue that if they haven't shown up by now then they won't, but given the current climate, I can't believe there aren't more high grade copies out there... somewhere. Furthermore, how large is the collector pool of people willing to pay these prices? I can't believe we aren't dealing with a very limited number of people.

 

BTW... I don't think the meth dealers were purchasing high grade Silver. I think they were buying by the long box.

[jimjum12]

There are people to whom tens of thousands is pocket change. Ted Binion, Vegas gaming tycoon used to keep 50 K on him at ALL times for spending money...that is , until he was murdered by his girlfriend. He had a world class coin collection...because he loved them. Back when Nick Nolte was drinking heavy he would get a first class airline ticket just so he could have a drink after the ABC stores closed. Some people are just on another plateau from the rest of us. The reason we can't justify these purchases as investments is that they quite probably aren't. GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus) (thumbs u

[Hedge Collector]

Does anyone know who the seller is?

Is there a chance Tom or Ghostown bought to compare for upgrade?

Will we see these on the auction block before the end of the year?

Do you think the price shown was the price paid?

 

I'm still going with the hypothesis that there's a very new whale out there with some of the deepest pockets the hobby has ever seen going for complete 9.6/9.8 runs, that both Doug and Josh know exactly who it is, and they're both contacting everyone they know to fill this guy's runs. And in this case, Josh got in contact with a single collector willing to dump some issues the guy needed. Just look at all the "we haven't seen them in years, if ever" copies surfacing the last few months. Doug's auction a few weeks ago had the best FF run that I think has ever been offered publicly since CGC started. I predict we'll continue to see books we haven't seen in years surface and sell for whatever price a second-high bidder is willing to carry them to until this guy's runs are filled and there aren't upgrades left for him to get.

 

Reminds me of Doug's own words in a past newsletter (2007):

 

All it takes is a few or even one new collector to re-fuel interest in a genre, title or issue. A perfect example of this has occurred in 2007. In the beginning of the year, a passionate Spidey lover, who wanted only ultra high grade Amazing Spider-Mans from the 60’s, began buying as many 9.4 or better ASM’s as he could find, many from pedigreed collections. He purchased a significant number of Spideys off of my web site, as well as a few other ones, and in doing so, set new sales records and created a buzz that is still reverberating in our industry. Outrageous multiples of guide were paid to secure these early Silver Age treasures...

 

...I have noticed the after effects of all of these record purchases as sales of Amazing Spider-Man issues have been incredibly brisk throughout 2007. Sure, Amazing Spider-Man has always been a consistent top seller, but the multiples we have been seeing in 2007 has been ridiculous, a direct result of the almost crazed spending of our new customer. This same scenario occurred in the latter part of the year when a new Fantastic Four lover entered the market. His entrance mirrored the release of the second FF motion picture (“Rise of the Silver Surfer”) and he only wanted the highest or second highest CGC rated copies. Sales of ultra high grade early Fantastic Fours have not, historically, been as brisk as other mainstream titles (high guide values are to blame) but that all changed when this frenzied collector/investor hit my site.

 

[comicalgems]

Does anyone know who the seller is?

Is there a chance Tom or Ghostown bought to compare for upgrade?

Will we see these on the auction block before the end of the year?

Do you think the price shown was the price paid?

 

I'm still going with the hypothesis that there's a very new whale out there with some of the deepest pockets the hobby has ever seen going for complete 9.6/9.8 runs, that both Doug and Josh know exactly who it is, and they're both contacting everyone they know to fill this guy's runs. And in this case, Josh got in contact with a single collector willing to dump some issues the guy needed. Just look at all the "we haven't seen them in years, if ever" copies surfacing the last few months. Doug's auction a few weeks ago had the best FF run that I think has ever been offered publicly since CGC started. I predict we'll continue to see books we haven't seen in years surface and sell for whatever price a second-high bidder is willing to carry them to until this guy's runs are filled and there aren't upgrades left for him to get.

 

Reminds me of Doug's own words in a past newsletter (2007):

 

All it takes is a few or even one new collector to re-fuel interest in a genre, title or issue. A perfect example of this has occurred in 2007. In the beginning of the year, a passionate Spidey lover, who wanted only ultra high grade Amazing Spider-Mans from the 60’s, began buying as many 9.4 or better ASM’s as he could find, many from pedigreed collections. He purchased a significant number of Spideys off of my web site, as well as a few other ones, and in doing so, set new sales records and created a buzz that is still reverberating in our industry. Outrageous multiples of guide were paid to secure these early Silver Age treasures...

 

...I have noticed the after effects of all of these record purchases as sales of Amazing Spider-Man issues have been incredibly brisk throughout 2007. Sure, Amazing Spider-Man has always been a consistent top seller, but the multiples we have been seeing in 2007 has been ridiculous, a direct result of the almost crazed spending of our new customer. This same scenario occurred in the latter part of the year when a new Fantastic Four lover entered the market. His entrance mirrored the release of the second FF motion picture (“Rise of the Silver Surfer”) and he only wanted the highest or second highest CGC rated copies. Sales of ultra high grade early Fantastic Fours have not, historically, been as brisk as other mainstream titles (high guide values are to blame) but that all changed when this frenzied collector/investor hit my site.

 

So what you're saying is get out there and snag up as many highest grade Avenger, Iron Man, Cap and Thor books as possible because in like five years you're going to be banking.

[VintageComics]

I think what I get out of that article is that the media can and does bring in new players...some with larger pocket books and some with smaller pocket books....but they are new or refreshed. That to me is cool news!

[500Club]

Does anyone know who the seller is?

Is there a chance Tom or Ghostown bought to compare for upgrade?

Will we see these on the auction block before the end of the year?

Do you think the price shown was the price paid?

 

I'm still going with the hypothesis that there's a very new whale out there with some of the deepest pockets the hobby has ever seen going for complete 9.6/9.8 runs, that both Doug and Josh know exactly who it is, and they're both contacting everyone they know to fill this guy's runs. And in this case, Josh got in contact with a single collector willing to dump some issues the guy needed. Just look at all the "we haven't seen them in years, if ever" copies surfacing the last few months. Doug's auction a few weeks ago had the best FF run that I think has ever been offered publicly since CGC started. I predict we'll continue to see books we haven't seen in years surface and sell for whatever price a second-high bidder is willing to carry them to until this guy's runs are filled and there aren't upgrades left for him to get.

 

I agree with you. There has been a paradigm shift in terms of what top end prices are. Did established buyers/collectors suddenly take bids/prices several degrees of magnitude up? I can't see it.

 

I think there is/are some new players in the game.

 

Also, these books wouldn't be upgrades for TB or Ghost Town, and Ghost Town has stated on here that he obtained his books prior to the huge run up in prices. I don't want to put words in his mouth, but that suggests he's likely not going to buy a 200K package of ASMs.

[jimjum12]

I've never thought that movie hype creates new collectors.....but I guarantee you that many a dormant collector has been re awakened by the movies. Most collectors who spend big money on vintage books due so out of a sense of nostalgia. A person may see a movie and decide to try a modern book...and maybe even like it, but the collector who decides to put together a run of ASM 1-50 after seeing the movie will almost always be a collector who had drifted away and decided to come back GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus) (thumbs u

[Bronty]

I find it interesting that the article suggests the spidey guy is a pure collector and the ff guy a collector/investor

[500Club]

I've never thought that movie hype creates new collectors.....but I guarantee you that many a dormant collector has been re awakened by the movies. Most collectors who spend big money on vintage books due so out of a sense of nostalgia. A person may see a movie and decide to try a modern book...and maybe even like it, but the collector who decides to put together a run of ASM 1-50 after seeing the movie will almost always be a collector who had drifted away and decided to come back GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus) (thumbs u

 

Maybe Here4now can chime in on this. He rejoined the hobby a few years back.

 

There are certainly many former collectors who are now in their prime earning years, and it would take only a handful to move the top end.

[VintageComics]

I've never thought that movie hype creates new collectors.....but I guarantee you that many a dormant collector has been re awakened by the movies. Most collectors who spend big money on vintage books due so out of a sense of nostalgia. A person may see a movie and decide to try a modern book...and maybe even like it, but the collector who decides to put together a run of ASM 1-50 after seeing the movie will almost always be a collector who had drifted away and decided to come back GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus) (thumbs u

 

You're right.

 

(thumbs u

 

 

[fantastic_four]

I've never thought that movie hype creates new collectors.....but I guarantee you that many a dormant collector has been re awakened by the movies. Most collectors who spend big money on vintage books due so out of a sense of nostalgia.

 

I agree. That's why, having no idea who the potential new "whale" is other than drdonaldblake dropping these rumors that it's a Hollywood celebrity, I like to think it's Samuel L. Jackson. Jackson has said several times he used to collect comics when he was younger and that as of 2006 he said his "most expensive" books were a full run of Wolf and Lone Cub. When did that title come out--1980s?

 

Of course I have no idea if that's who it is, but it's more fun to think it's him than some pure investor. Since the prices paid make very little sense and are often unrepeatable, I doubt it's someone who's looking at them only as money.

[Hedge Collector]

I've never thought that movie hype creates new collectors.....but I guarantee you that many a dormant collector has been re awakened by the movies. Most collectors who spend big money on vintage books due so out of a sense of nostalgia.

 

I agree. That's why, having no idea who the potential new "whale" is other than drdonaldblake dropping these rumors that it's a Hollywood celebrity, I like to think it's Samuel L. Jackson. Jackson has said several times he used to collect comics when he was younger and that as of 2006 he said his "most expensive" books were a full run of Wolf and Lone Cub. When did that title come out--1980s?

 

Of course I have no idea if that's who it is, but it's more fun to think it's him than some pure investor. Since the prices paid make very little sense and are often unrepeatable, I doubt it's someone who's looking at them only as money.

 

I would agree. Investors are for the most part price-sensitive.

 

These current record prices paid don't seem very price-sensitive at all!!!

 

It is more "I want the best!" Rather than "I want to invest!"

[fantastic_four]

I would agree. Investors are for the most part price-sensitive.

 

These current record prices paid don't seem very price-sensitive at all!!!

 

It is more "I want the best!" Rather than "I want to invest!"

 

Hard to forget that rumor someone leaked in the other thread where Josh had to double-check that somebody didn't mistype an auction bid of $300K on a book worth about $15-20K and have the guy reply that he just couldn't be there for a last-minute snipe and wanted to make sure he got the book. I'll be envisioning that kind of insurmountable bid on EVERY new Marvel 9.6/9.8 over the next year or so that hasn't hit market in a while. :eek: :eek:

[Foolkiller]

I was trying to envision if I had multiple millions if I would spend this way to own "the best" and I'm not sure I would. I like the aesthetics of owning the book raw -- and would feel more comfortable with high, but not ultra high, grade $35k type books. Of course, if I really had the multiple millions, maybe I'd feel differently.

[Silver Surfer]

If I had millions to burn on comics I probably would have select high grade copies, not full runs, mabye mini runs (well depends how much cash we are talking about). Would stick to keys and favorite covers.

[jimjum12]

I was trying to envision if I had multiple millions if I would spend this way to own "the best" and I'm not sure I would. I like the aesthetics of owning the book raw -- and would feel more comfortable with high, but not ultra high, grade $35k type books. Of course, if I really had the multiple millions, maybe I'd feel differently.

 

This individual may already have VF "reader " copies and wants the best copy slabbed to go with them. In a way...it's the desire to have only the finest that motivates people to become wealthy in the first place. It may just be part of the mindset. I mean, people drink Dom when a bottle of Ripple will just as easily do the trick. GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus) (thumbs u