My take on the Heritage auctions

[jkrk]

Looks like I'll pass on the books for the auction for the second auction in a row. I can't find anything I'm interested in for a price I'm willing to pay. Maybe I'm simply out of touch with the comic market. That wouldn't be a major problem. I wouldn't mind selling whatever inventory I have if the market moves up a bit. In the meantime I sincerely hope others can obtain something they wish for. Good luck all.

[FlComicFan]

I havent won anything in a while either I did well when they had the huge auction in Chicago last year but nothing substantial since then. Maybe since pickings are slim there is more pressure on what they have up? Also the seller reserves are often too much since they are trying to cover the cut Heritage gets The fee to both the bidder and the seller adds up too! At least the catalogs are pretty to look at

[sfilosa]

I will bid on a few books, but I believe ComicLink is taking away part of Heritage's "Thunder".

 

If all you are trying to do is guarantee TOP DOLLAR for your books, why not list on ComicLink.

 

At least there's no time frame for the books to be sold, and no need to pay ANY commission unless the book is sold.

 

Still, I will buy from both.

 

 

[kryptonitecomics]

I have won about 3 books from Heritage auctions in the last few month's, but I stick with lower dollar items that are graded and have done very well. I keep and eye out for books on Comic Link as well, but it's tought to find good deals on there as if a book pops up for a solid price, it is grabbed up very quickly.

[Bonds25]

I'm now only high bidder on 1 more comic, and I'm certain I'll be outbid on it. I don't know who is buying all this stuff, but they're definitely in a different league than I am!

[CentaurMan]

I'm high bidder on 4 books (Whiz 3,4,5, Funny Picture Stories 2), but in all 4 cases the bidding has worked itself thisclose to my maximum. I'm hoping that the relative unpopularity of the super early Fawcetts and the obscurity of the pre-Centaur will leave my bids unscathed after the floor auction, but in the past that hasn't been the case.

 

I predict I end up with one book (FPS).

[murph0]

I was tracking a bunch of the Gold stuff, but the prices are already pretty high. The S.A. and B.A. is IMO a wasteland, other than the ASMs. I'm probably going after 1-2 of those ASM 9.4's, other than that I can't find a thing worth putting a bid on.

I'd almost go so far to say that this "Signature" auction is no better than their website-only auctions.

 

Brian

[CentaurMan]

I'd almost go so far to say that this "Signature" auction is no better than their website-only auctions.

 

No way, it's much better than their bi-monthly on-line sales. The problem is that it's a Dolly Parton auction: top heavy. There's an Action 1, Marvel 1, Detective 27, Adventure 40, All-American 16, and Whiz 1. That's @#$%ing impressive. Not to mention the run of Church National Comics. There are clearly superstar Signature-worthy books in this auction.

 

However, the mid-tier stuff, the stuff I'd be more likely to bid on, is fairly weak. But it's a tough time of year (people would probably have been consigning for this auction around Thanksgiving and Christmas), so I'm not willing to declare it to be a trend yet.

[jkrk]

I know very little about Comiclink and their sales: I haven't kept up to date. Is the site benefitting buyers/sellers or both? Can sellers bid on their books to show support fort heir books? Do the books stay on the site for 6 months or until a buyer and seller meet? Any other evaluations would be appreciated. Thanks

[Filter81]

i agree with jkrk, this Heritage auction is particularly weak, particularly for Marvel/DC books. And the books they have are already priced very high.

 

By the way, does anyone know who the heck Aransbettercomics is?! I won two books via Heritage's website last night, so now all that remains is to win on eBay. He is currently bidding via eBay on both of the books I'm looking at, and a quick bid history shows he has placed aproximately 8,500 bids on eBay in recent history, including from what I can see bids on just about every lot Heritage has for sale tonight. is there really someone out there with $8,000,000 to spend on comics this week? Or is this guy just clowning around? His feedback looks pretty good. Anyone ever heard of him? Is he some sort of massive BSD?

 

 

[aardvark88]

ComicLink does not charge a buyer's commission (15% Heritage juice + state sales tax). ComicLink skims 10% off the top on completed Cgc sales that the consignor sets the price on. Significant offers/bids on consigned lots will be emailed to the consignor & may show up on their site as "sale pending".

[sfilosa]

Think of ComicLink as a multi-dealer site, where at least you have the option to bid on a book.

 

If you go to the site, it will explain everything.

 

I've picked up a few books at below market value prices (but not huge discounts).

 

Plus the selection is huge. Pretty much in the last 3 months you could have purchase from the site AF #15 and ASM 1-20 all in CGC 9.2 or better (just an example). Obviously, the prices can be high, but at least there's a selection.

 

 

[stagedoorjohnny]

Day one was outbid on the only book I will go after. This Sig auction is over for me. Zero winners which is fine. Interesting though, I tracked 32 books up for auction the first day and 9 of them did not meet reserve.

[CentaurMan]

Wow, the Mile High copies of National Comics did quite poorly. 9 of the first 11 issues didn't hit their reserve. So whose fault is that? The consignor's, for having unrealistic expectations? Or Heritage, for implicitly approving of those reserves by making that run of issues the centerpiece of their auction? Or is it just additional evidence that CGC has reduced the premium that pedigrees get in the marketplace, by showing in their census that non-pedigree issues can look just as good, or better?

[lou_fine]

Wow, the Mile High copies of National Comics did quite poorly. 9 of the first 11 issues didn't hit their reserve. So whose fault is that? The consignor's, for having unrealistic expectations? Or Heritage, for implicitly approving of those reserves by making that run of issues the centerpiece of their auction? Or is it just additional evidence that CGC has reduced the premium that pedigrees get in the marketplace, by showing in their census that non-pedigree issues can look just as good, or better?

 

You have to remember that the National Comics is not necessarily a great run of books. As books get more and more expensive, collectors tend to focus more on key issues and classic covers. The only truly great book in this whole run is issue #7 with the classic underwater cover by Fine. You'll note that this particular issue had no problems selling for more than $20K even though it guides at less than $2.5K which must be around 8X guide. This ia nothing new since this particular issue has ALWAYS sold for substantially more than guide and does not appear in the market very often.

 

Didn't really see much of the auction on eBay since I was quite busy today. I was online during the Superman run and noticed once again that claasic covers such as Superman #14 and #23 continues to sell for double guide even at the VF grade. None of the other issues in the Superman run appear to have done very well. Since you are into Centaurs, I also noticed that the Funny Pictures Stories V2 #10 sold for a really nice price considering that it was a mid grade book. This book features the first appearance of the Arrow and is EXTREMELY tough to find in the marketplace.

 

My point is that as books get more expensive, the focus goes to the keys and classic covers. I hope the Silver Age collectors are paying attention as they are paying BIG DOLLARS for some early non-classic SA books. Don't know how their value will hold up in the long run.

[CentaurMan]

Yeah, I put in what I thought was a quite powerful bid ($1550) on the FPS v2#10 but I couldn't pull it off. I already have a low grade copy, so it doesn't kill me to have lost this one. I was bummed to lose out on the FPS #2 Lost Valley copy though. I felt that $1100 was as high as I could go, but I regret that already. Oh well.

 

I did win Whiz 3 and 4, and now have a complete run from #2 to #15. I think those books are generally undervalued and fairly scarce, and I enjoy picking them up (and upgrading my existing copies) when I can. I'm waiting on an unrestored Whiz #1, and will open the checkbook for it, but it's an extremely rare comic to find without "improvements".

 

I hope the Silver Age collectors are paying attention as they are paying BIG DOLLARS for some early non-classic SA books. Don't know how their value will hold up in the long run.

 

I couldn't agree more.

[FlComicFan]

 

 

My point is that as books get more expensive, the focus goes to the keys and classic covers. I hope the Silver Age collectors are paying attention as they are paying BIG DOLLARS for some early non-classic SA books. Don't know how their value will hold up in the long run. [/quote

I agree 100% there will be a time when the price guide will have to break out books that stick out in terms of demand within runs a lot more than now. Certain books like National 7 never come up because who would sell them at the currect price guide value. Either #7 is was undervalued by guide or the issues surrounding it are way over valued. I didnt win anything but then again what else is new. Do much better trolling on ebay for the occasional great book that pops up . By the timje you add Heritage's "tax"its really tough to get a good deal

[rjpb]

Nice score on the Whiz 3 & 4 CentaurMan. I think you're right about them being undervalued. Nice mid-grade copies of the 3rd & 4th appearance of a major GA hero for less than $1000 apiece!

[FlComicFan]

if Shazam ever gets a movie or decent comic series you will make out like bandit I collect Master and early Captain Marvel Jr but might pick up some early Whiz and Wow as well

[Aman619]

why would anybody make a movie about Captain Marvel??

 

I know some of you like those comics. But Im puzzled why you would be worried for SA collectors buying non-keys, but not Whiz 3 and 4??? They're "practically" the same thing, except any SiIlver Age hero has more of a fan base today than the Big Cheese. The SA heroes days may be numbered as you say...bit Shazam's is long gone already...

 

Im not saying theyre bad to collect...just that theyre no safer than what you compared them to.