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Yet another Detective 31 question

Started by Allen James,

84 posts in this topic

Allen James

Allen James

Posted
Posted

I've been mulling this over for a few weeks, seeing Filter81's post of whether to replace a grail book or move on made me say what the heck and throw it out there.

 

These days my budget is slim, toothpick slim, I hardly ever buy to sell anymore and when I do it's for the same reasons as always, they are books that I enjoy. I still have the run of All Flash and some minor keys and like many on the boards I collect big logo Detectives and Batman.

 

Finally, my question, ( thanks for your reading patience!), if money was a roadblock would you try and move a book like Detective 31 in order to buy more of the later number issues?

 

I've never re -bought any key I've owned so I know it would be way, way down the road before I ever even tried to replace it.

 

So there is my delima, keep a few and piecemeal forever or let some go, buy less expensive ones for the run and never replace what I had. Kinda like deciding if you'd rather have a foot or a hand chopped off. Thanks for your input!

 

Allen J

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Bat-Man

Bat-Man

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Posted
I've been mulling this over for a few weeks, seeing Filter81's post of whether to replace a grail book or move on made me say what the heck and throw it out there.

 

These days my budget is slim, toothpick slim, I hardly ever buy to sell anymore and when I do it's for the same reasons as always, they are books that I enjoy. I still have the run of All Flash and some minor keys and like many on the boards I collect big logo Detectives and Batman.

 

Finally, my question, ( thanks for your reading patience!), if money was a roadblock would you try and move a book like Detective 31 in order to buy more of the later number issues?

 

I've never re -bought any key I've owned so I know it would be way, way down the road before I ever even tried to replace it.

 

So there is my delima, keep a few and piecemeal forever or let some go, buy less expensive ones for the run and never replace what I had. Kinda like deciding if you'd rather have a foot or a hand chopped off. Thanks for your input!

 

Allen J

 

 

To me personally (I'm a huge Batman fan too) - Detective #31 is my single favorite book of any I own. The cover is my favorite cover of all time - and the story in 31/32 is my fav from the Pre-Robin run.

 

Behind Tec 27, Tec 31 will always be my favorite second book.

 

If I where you I would suggest selling anything else than the Tec 31. My personal Tec 31 I will never sell - and if I did it would certainly be the last book of my collection I would sell.

 

:gossip:

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Mac Man

Mac Man

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If I had a Tec 31, I would never sell it for later issues. The only issues I would EVER sell it for would be to build $$$ for a Tec 27, a Batman 1, or an Action 1. Bottomline is that this is a book that will have a strong market going for it as long as there are people still interested in Batman comics books. 2c

 

And since I will never see ANY of these books, I will step away from the microphone at this time.

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Mac Man

Mac Man

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As a predominantly SA Marvel collector though, perhaps I can actually provide some informed feedback.

 

The monster keys will most likely continue to retain and grow in value--the extent of the growth shifts up and down depending on the trends, but they do. Marvel Comics 1 isn't the top dog any longer but good luck finding one in say, VG today for the same price that it sold for in the same grade 15 years ago. Same with FF 1. Sure, it was the hottest SA Marvel key early on in the game, but not it is easily surpassed by AF 15. However, best of luck finding a nice looking 2.0 unrestored for less than guide! Why? It's a grail and there's still a market out there for them--just not at the multiples of a few others right now.

 

Now... let's look at filler copies. I collect low grade books across the spectrum, but especially ASM. Now, if I liquidated my entire run, I guarantee you I will probably sell almost all of my books--especially if I do it as a lot. Why? ASM is a popular title with a strong market on the back issues. HOWEVER, I probably will not come close to guide on these books. Although ASM has a solid market, it does not realize full guide on lower grade books. Now, how does this relate to your OP?

 

Go after the grails first and KEEP THEM! They're just not going to get cheaper than they are RIGHT NOW with only a few exceptions here and there. You will, however, be able to find many of the filler issues later on with marginal increase in their value in most cases. I learned this the hard way as I went about completing my ASM run. The reality is that I probably could have picked up a copy of AF 15 for about $500+ less than what I paid for it had I gone after this book first and THEN went after the filler issues.

 

Lesson learned and it's certainly helped my collecting since that time!

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Allen James

Allen James

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That is all so true, I kick myself all the time for letting all those past keys go, especially for what I got for them but even so I've got that nagging notion that says it would be cooler to have a complete run of Detective 50-114 instead of a couple in the 30's. Decisions, decisions, but that's why I'm asking you guys!

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jkrk

jkrk

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Posted
That is all so true, I kick myself all the time for letting all those past keys go, especially for what I got for them but even so I've got that nagging notion that says it would be cooler to have a complete run of Detective 50-114 instead of a couple in the 30's. Decisions, decisions, but that's why I'm asking you guys!

 

There is more liquidity when selling lower priced books as many more can afford them.

 

The flip side is that you will have a far easier time obtaining a 50-114 run (in the future)

 

than obtaining another Tec 31.

 

If you could afford to do so I would hold onto the Tec 31.

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1koko

1koko

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I'll take a slightlty different perspective from the others.

 

I sold 2 Tec #31s in CGC universal 5.0 last year.

 

Tec #31 is a great book and one I wouldn't recommend selling for a bunch of lower level books.

 

However, If you were looking to buy a bigger book then sell it. I did.

 

I will buy another copy later and it will cost me more than I paid for my previous copies wihout doubt but the opportunity cost is lower.

 

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Bat-Man

Bat-Man

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I'll take a slightlty different perspective from the others.

 

I sold 2 Tec #31s in CGC universal 5.0 last year.

 

Tec #31 is a great book and one I wouldn't recommend selling for a bunch of lower level books.

 

However, If you were looking to buy a bigger book then sell it. I did.

 

I will buy another copy later and it will cost me more than I paid for my previous copies wihout doubt but the opportunity cost is lower.

 

I would agree with you on this. (Only book I would do it toward would be a Tec 27 though.) And your opportunity cost would be much lower if you got a bigger book now for cheaper than later (Tec 27?) and even if the 31 does cost more later you made a good choice that will aid you more in the long run. (thumbs u

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G.A.tor

G.A.tor

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I'll take a slightlty different perspective from the others.

 

I sold 2 Tec #31s in CGC universal 5.0 last year.

 

Tec #31 is a great book and one I wouldn't recommend selling for a bunch of lower level books.

 

However, If you were looking to buy a bigger book then sell it. I did.

 

I will buy another copy later and it will cost me more than I paid for my previous copies wihout doubt but the opportunity cost is lower.

I agree

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Kakapo

Kakapo

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I'd agree with most of the above replies. The grail books are going to be the hardest to replace and will in all likelihood cost you more to reacquire later. My budget has taken a hit over the past year, too, and I'm certainly glad that I have all the mini-keys that I already do. Just enjoy the fact that you have a Detective 31 and thousands of other collectors don't! :)

 

The only good reason to sell, other than a loss of interest in the title or character, would be to either finance an upgrade to a nicer copy, or to an even more desirable book...not that there are too many rungs above Tec 31. If you know you can't replace it, you need to be pretty certain that you really want to sell, and aren't going to mind seeing that gap in your run!

 

A wise man once told me, "It's rare to regret a purchase." When shifting my collecting focus from superheroes to the greatness that is Archie, I had little difficulty letting go of the later, cheaper issues, even though I could have kept a box of copper issues and sold my Giant-Size X-Men 1 instead. I held onto a few keys, both out of fear of the hassle of getting them again later and reasoning that I'd rather keep a short box of relatively impressive books than ten boxes of common books. Sounder investment; take up less space in the house. I realise that all the big logo Detectives are fairly difficult to find, but still, it would take a lot of books to add up to the same "wow" factor that you get from a Detective 31.

 

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Primetime

Primetime

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I'd keep the grail book. I only sell/trade a grail book if I am getting one in return of at least the same caliber...a few summers ago, I traded my Tec 33 straight across for a Marvel Mystery 9--grail for grail but I am a slightly bigger Timely fan than DC.

 

I'd keep a Tec 31 over a Tec 50-100 run anyday...Actually my GA collection reflects quality over quantity (thumbs u

 

Post a scan of your Tec 31 (assumed you have one) if you wish to share. :cool:

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Allen James

Allen James

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I really appreciate all the feedback, some of the same reasoning my wife gave me and I really hate she's right. Makes me sicker still to think of the 33 I let go just a few years ago, totally dumb move, seemed right at the time though. One of you guys might have it, unrestored 4.0, bone white pages with a clean cut sliver cut down the right edge of one of the pages.

 

All you guys are right, I'd never get another or another early Bat for what I've got into this one. It makes sense, just needed to hear other voices of reason.

 

And yes, for inquiries sake I do have one PGX graded 6.0 mod resto. My scanners spazzing but I will certainly post a pic in the Detective thread when I straighten it out.

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