Which will be the best long term investment: Tecs or Actions?

[G.A.tor]

I agree that the GA portion of the hobby has TONS to offer... but, anyone buying a nice GA comic today, that costs, say $500, has to consider the "investment" application of the book... and I don't mean that they bought it for an investment, etc, but that they have "invested" some $'s into purchasing it, in a market where one would hope that the book would not only bring joy and satisfaction to the purchaser, but that the book would maintain some value beyond just the "own it" part...

[ComicConnoisseur]

Ahhhhh---- the conchink of "investment"

 

Do you notice a 'continuing reality" in the threads- Threads focusing only on certain DC books..... Focus on only DC. Focus on the same # issue?

 

I mean this in a non-belligerent sense, but rather in a rhetorical sense: " Don't you get tired of talking about the same ten-fifteen books?"

 

Maybe we should just push "auto response" when variation of the same question is asked again and again about GA or DC.....

 

Of course, one should not throw money down the tubes, but the GA portion of the hobby has so much more to offer (other than dollars)...Jon

I tried to start something about Barks/EC`s in a thread and was surprised there was not much interest. All people seem to want to talk about is Action war covers or pre-Robin tecs.

but as Seinfeld would say there is nothing wrong with that.

[RareHighGrade]

From an investment standpoint I would recoomend tecs (27-40) and action 1-15 before I would ever say buy pre bat tecs for investment...unfortunately I would only buy pre bat tecs if you love them and want to collect them but my guess is that the will continue to decline in price (like more funs and adv etc)

 

Rick, this is an interesting statement coming from one who has never collected pre-hero DC's (no offense intended by this remark). I would love to know who, if anyone, is telling you that copies (and, in particular, high grade copies) of pre-hero Adventures/New Adventures and Tecs are "declining." Granted, like all books (other than Action 1 and Tec 27) from every publisher, prices have dipped in the last couple of auctions because of the combined effect of (1) the economy, and (2) the sudden flood of books. But they have not dipped on the pre-hero DCs any more than they have on virtually every other book, including super hero DC's, MLJs, Foxes, and even Timleys.

 

As someone who has been trying to complete high grade runs of pre-hero DCs for many, many years, I am still waiting for this "decline" of which you speak.

 

Peter

[jbcomicbox]

I agree that the GA portion of the hobby has TONS to offer... but, anyone buying a nice GA comic today, that costs, say $500, has to consider the "investment" application of the book... and I don't mean that they bought it for an investment, etc, but that they have "invested" some $'s into purchasing it, in a market where one would hope that the book would not only bring joy and satisfaction to the purchaser, but that the book would maintain some value beyond just the "own it" part...

 

I do not disagree.

 

But how many times can the same question be asked and the same answer be given.

 

I think I got it that the hobby marketplace thinks Superman and Batman are the top characters.

 

...and my comments do not come from "pulp envy" since I have most of the key books....It is similar to every conversation I have with a "non-believer" when showing a comic: "Ah, what is that worth?"

 

Hey!!!!!! Hold on there!!!!! I got a radical thought about which to purchase between Action and Batman 'tecs.. Heck I should have thought of this before.

 

How about getting the one you like the most!! Hmm...there is a germ of an idea here.....Nah, too radical....

 

jb

[jbcomicbox]

From an investment standpoint I would recoomend tecs (27-40) and action 1-15 before I would ever say buy pre bat tecs for investment...unfortunately I would only buy pre bat tecs if you love them and want to collect them but my guess is that the will continue to decline in price (like more funs and adv etc)

 

Rick, this is an interesting statement coming from one who has never collected pre-hero DC's (no offense intended by this remark). I would love to know who, if anyone, is telling you that copies (and, in particular, high grade copies) of pre-hero Adventures/New Adventures and Tecs are "declining." Granted, like all books (other than Action 1 and Tec 27) from every publisher, prices have dipped in the last couple of auctions because of the combined effect of (1) the economy, and (2) the sudden flood of books. But they have not dipped on the pre-hero DCs any more than they have on virtually every other book, including super hero DC's, MLJs, Foxes, and even Timleys.

 

As someone who has been trying to complete high grade runs of pre-hero DCs for many, many years, I am still waiting for this "decline" of which you speak.

 

Peter

 

This area of collecting is not a large group, but to me the pre-Action 1 stuff is just great as this new entertainment media was looking for a formula that worked.

 

Peter, has maintained his focus for decades (or it seems so) on this special area of the hobby.

 

jb

[G.A.tor]

From an investment standpoint I would recoomend tecs (27-40) and action 1-15 before I would ever say buy pre bat tecs for investment...unfortunately I would only buy pre bat tecs if you love them and want to collect them but my guess is that the will continue to decline in price (like more funs and adv etc)

 

Rick, this is an interesting statement coming from one who has never collected pre-hero DC's (no offense intended by this remark). I would love to know who, if anyone, is telling you that copies (and, in particular, high grade copies) of pre-hero Adventures/New Adventures and Tecs are "declining." Granted, like all books (other than Action 1 and Tec 27) from every publisher, prices have dipped in the last couple of auctions because of the combined effect of (1) the economy, and (2) the sudden flood of books. But they have not dipped on the pre-hero DCs any more than they have on virtually every other book, including super hero DC's, MLJs, Foxes, and even Timleys.

 

As someone who has been trying to complete high grade runs of pre-hero DCs for many, many years, I am still waiting for this "decline" of which you speak.

 

Peter

no offense ever taken, since we are just posting our opinions, afterall... action 1, 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9, 10, 12, 13 etc have all continued to increase in price of late... tec 27,28,29,31,35,36 also have increased in price, while most books have "dipped"... so keep in mind, I was comparing "these" to "those"

 

and, I actually have collected pre hero DC's (had tec 1,3, 6,8,18,22,26) as well as numerous early New Adventures and pre spectre More funs....shocking, I know...and all within the last 4-5 years, but of course, not "seriously" like I do many runs, more casual here and there pick ups...now, I never went after any high grade copies, and I suspect that there is more resistence to declining prices there, than say lower grade or restored, but my "guess"/opinion, is that these books will continue (or start, if that is better) to decline in both demand, and therefore (assuming constant supply) price

 

I found that looking at the gary keller books being auctioned, that prices on the superhero components of those books have taken a significant hit in pricing (not just a dip, but a serious hit)... my feeling (since the question was asked) is that these particular books, when compared to say the action1 up and tec 27 up , will follow that same trend...

 

I can say that in every instance but 2, I sold my pre hero books at less than what I paid, so from my personal experience, I felt comfortable in my opinion... and, I also track ALL Golden age sales (that I can, within reason, mind you), and my feeling is that with Gary K out of the running, with the George/1koko's out of the running (specifically for pre bat tecs) that those books will not have the same upward demand now, as they had even 2 years ago...unless some new "serious" blood enters that genre market... I suspect Peter knows his usually bidding "opponents" for those type books very well, so I will of course, defer to his knowledge on those type books, over mine (thumbs u

 

now, that said, my statements also included, "collect them because you love them" which, in Rarehighgrade's sake, I know to be true (thumbs u

[G.A.tor]

From an investment standpoint I would recoomend tecs (27-40) and action 1-15 before I would ever say buy pre bat tecs for investment...unfortunately I would only buy pre bat tecs if you love them and want to collect them but my guess is that the will continue to decline in price (like more funs and adv etc)

 

Rick, this is an interesting statement coming from one who has never collected pre-hero DC's (no offense intended by this remark). I would love to know who, if anyone, is telling you that copies (and, in particular, high grade copies) of pre-hero Adventures/New Adventures and Tecs are "declining." Granted, like all books (other than Action 1 and Tec 27) from every publisher, prices have dipped in the last couple of auctions because of the combined effect of (1) the economy, and (2) the sudden flood of books. But they have not dipped on the pre-hero DCs any more than they have on virtually every other book, including super hero DC's, MLJs, Foxes, and even Timleys.

 

As someone who has been trying to complete high grade runs of pre-hero DCs for many, many years, I am still waiting for this "decline" of which you speak.

 

Peter

 

This area of collecting is not a large group, but to me the pre-Action 1 stuff is just great as this new entertainment media was looking for a formula that worked.

 

Peter, has maintained his focus for decades (or it seems so) on this special area of the hobby.

 

jb

I agree, and compared to me, I am but a novice in that market, and Peter is the teacher... however, just from general feel and observation (and I hope to the delight of Peter), my gut tells me that genre will be cheaper to collect moving forward, than it has moving past

[G.A.tor]

I agree that the GA portion of the hobby has TONS to offer... but, anyone buying a nice GA comic today, that costs, say $500, has to consider the "investment" application of the book... and I don't mean that they bought it for an investment, etc, but that they have "invested" some $'s into purchasing it, in a market where one would hope that the book would not only bring joy and satisfaction to the purchaser, but that the book would maintain some value beyond just the "own it" part...

 

I do not disagree.

 

But how many times can the same question be asked and the same answer be given.

 

I think I got it that the hobby marketplace thinks Superman and Batman are the top characters.

 

...and my comments do not come from "pulp envy" since I have most of the key books....It is similar to every conversation I have with a "non-believer" when showing a comic: "Ah, what is that worth?"

 

Hey!!!!!! Hold on there!!!!! I got a radical thought about which to purchase between Action and Batman 'tecs.. Heck I should have thought of this before.

 

How about getting the one you like the most!! Hmm...there is a germ of an idea here.....Nah, too radical....

 

jb

it does tend to comment on the current activity in Gold on these boards, no doubt...but, I can't help but think that the record prices being paid for action 1 and tec 27, have fueled that... I can't recall any time in the past 7 years that these types of threads have been as apparent (and redundant) as they are now... just the nature of the cycle, I suspect

[jbcomicbox]

From an investment standpoint I would recoomend tecs (27-40) and action 1-15 before I would ever say buy pre bat tecs for investment...unfortunately I would only buy pre bat tecs if you love them and want to collect them but my guess is that the will continue to decline in price (like more funs and adv etc)

 

Rick, this is an interesting statement coming from one who has never collected pre-hero DC's (no offense intended by this remark). I would love to know who, if anyone, is telling you that copies (and, in particular, high grade copies) of pre-hero Adventures/New Adventures and Tecs are "declining." Granted, like all books (other than Action 1 and Tec 27) from every publisher, prices have dipped in the last couple of auctions because of the combined effect of (1) the economy, and (2) the sudden flood of books. But they have not dipped on the pre-hero DCs any more than they have on virtually every other book, including super hero DC's, MLJs, Foxes, and even Timleys.

 

As someone who has been trying to complete high grade runs of pre-hero DCs for many, many years, I am still waiting for this "decline" of which you speak.

 

Peter

 

This area of collecting is not a large group, but to me the pre-Action 1 stuff is just great as this new entertainment media was looking for a formula that worked.

 

Peter, has maintained his focus for decades (or it seems so) on this special area of the hobby.

 

jb

I agree, and compared to me, I am but a novice in that market, and Peter is the teacher... however, just from general feel and observation (and I hope to the delight of Peter), my gut tells me that genre will be cheaper to collect moving forward, than it has moving past

 

All so....but from my viewpoint of over 35 years of collecting I never once thought when purchasing a book as to what it would go "up in value". I have always been a sucker for bright primary colors on the cover of a fantastic book.

 

I suppose for the "Gang of Twelve Books" this is a reality. I suppose persons would not like to loose value, of course.

 

I remember Gary Carter telling me that it was not what a book sold at so much as what it could be re-sold in the short term that reflected a books true 'value'....

 

 

 

jb

[ComicConnoisseur]

From an investment standpoint I would recoomend tecs (27-40) and action 1-15 before I would ever say buy pre bat tecs for investment...unfortunately I would only buy pre bat tecs if you love them and want to collect them but my guess is that the will continue to decline in price (like more funs and adv etc)

 

Rick, this is an interesting statement coming from one who has never collected pre-hero DC's (no offense intended by this remark). I would love to know who, if anyone, is telling you that copies (and, in particular, high grade copies) of pre-hero Adventures/New Adventures and Tecs are "declining." Granted, like all books (other than Action 1 and Tec 27) from every publisher, prices have dipped in the last couple of auctions because of the combined effect of (1) the economy, and (2) the sudden flood of books. But they have not dipped on the pre-hero DCs any more than they have on virtually every other book, including super hero DC's, MLJs, Foxes, and even Timleys.

 

As someone who has been trying to complete high grade runs of pre-hero DCs for many, many years, I am still waiting for this "decline" of which you speak.

 

Peter

 

This area of collecting is not a large group, but to me the pre-Action 1 stuff is just great as this new entertainment media was looking for a formula that worked.

 

Peter, has maintained his focus for decades (or it seems so) on this special area of the hobby.

 

jb

I agree, and compared to me, I am but a novice in that market, and Peter is the teacher... however, just from general feel and observation (and I hope to the delight of Peter), my gut tells me that genre will be cheaper to collect moving forward, than it has moving past

 

All so....but from my viewpoint of over 35 years of collecting I never once thought when purchasing a book as to what it would go "up in value". I have always been a sucker for bright primary colors on the cover of a fantastic book.

 

I suppose for the "Gang of Twelve Books" this is a reality. I suppose persons would not like to loose value, of course.

 

I remember Gary Carter telling me that it was not what a book sold at so much as what it could be re-sold in the short term that reflected a books true 'value'....

 

jb

That is so true, whatever comic book you buy today, you would really find out it`s true value if you had to sell it a week from now if a emergency came up because you needed money fast.

[G.A.tor]

From an investment standpoint I would recoomend tecs (27-40) and action 1-15 before I would ever say buy pre bat tecs for investment...unfortunately I would only buy pre bat tecs if you love them and want to collect them but my guess is that the will continue to decline in price (like more funs and adv etc)

 

Rick, this is an interesting statement coming from one who has never collected pre-hero DC's (no offense intended by this remark). I would love to know who, if anyone, is telling you that copies (and, in particular, high grade copies) of pre-hero Adventures/New Adventures and Tecs are "declining." Granted, like all books (other than Action 1 and Tec 27) from every publisher, prices have dipped in the last couple of auctions because of the combined effect of (1) the economy, and (2) the sudden flood of books. But they have not dipped on the pre-hero DCs any more than they have on virtually every other book, including super hero DC's, MLJs, Foxes, and even Timleys.

 

As someone who has been trying to complete high grade runs of pre-hero DCs for many, many years, I am still waiting for this "decline" of which you speak.

 

Peter

 

This area of collecting is not a large group, but to me the pre-Action 1 stuff is just great as this new entertainment media was looking for a formula that worked.

 

Peter, has maintained his focus for decades (or it seems so) on this special area of the hobby.

 

jb

I agree, and compared to me, I am but a novice in that market, and Peter is the teacher... however, just from general feel and observation (and I hope to the delight of Peter), my gut tells me that genre will be cheaper to collect moving forward, than it has moving past

 

All so....but from my viewpoint of over 35 years of collecting I never once thought when purchasing a book as to what it would go "up in value". I have always been a sucker for bright primary colors on the cover of a fantastic book.

 

I suppose for the "Gang of Twelve Books" this is a reality. I suppose persons would not like to loose value, of course.

 

I remember Gary Carter telling me that it was not what a book sold at so much as what it could be re-sold in the short term that reflected a books true 'value'....

 

 

 

jb

I first started reading comics in 1973 at the age of 6 or so...

I first started collecting comics in 1988, with the silver age...

I first started spending "real" money on comics in 1990 with my purchase of my first GA comic, which happened to be an 18K copy of Action 1... it really wasn't until that time that I even considered comics as anything other than a fun thing to collect (most of my silver age I was picking up at $1 or less a book back then)...

 

really opened my eyes... when I sold my collection in 1995 (golden age) to help fund my business, I realized a tidy profit...that was the first time I considered "value" or investment of comics...

 

when I reentered the hobby in 2005, I didn't consider "value" or investment (as well documented, I paid and paid strongly for book(s) I wanted, and often times (way more often than not) sold the book at a loss when I upgraded, downgraded, etc...

 

these days, I consider "value" in every purchase...whether it be sentimental/entertainment/aesthic value, or monetary value or some combo of the two... just a reality for me

[Bronty]

how the heck did you have 18k at 23 yrs old in 1990 for an action 1! Mind you I was 15 then so I was happy with Cap 100s and the like Paper route money only went so far.

[sacentaur]

But how many times can the same question be asked and the same answer be given.

 

On this Board, unfortunately there appears to be no limit - the same inane digressions about the same subjects, over and over and over again.

 

There is a breadth and depth to this hobby that is almost limitless - unfortunately, the proverbial 'big picture' seems to get lost in the repeated noise on the same few frequencies.

[jimjum12]

I personally prefer Superman or Batman to AC and DC.....THE backups in the latter two don't do much for me, with the exception of S&K Boy Commandos or Robotman .I now find myself attracted to books with covers AND interiors that I consider exceptional...like Superman 74 or Batman 37. After watching Nearmint's sweet 7.0 copy of Action 101 sit unsold recently....I'm not really sure what the future holds. My goal is to collect examples that I can get my money back out of someday....I can't really say I'm sold on comics as investments....at least not the ones in my price stratosphere. GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus) (thumbs u

[Mr. 10%]

 

On this Board, unfortunately there appears to be no limit - the same inane digressions about the same subjects, over and over and over again.

 

There is a breadth and depth to this hobby that is almost limitless - unfortunately, the proverbial 'big picture' seems to get lost in the repeated noise on the same few frequencies.

 

Joy of repetition

[tabcom]

these days, I consider "value" in every purchase...whether it be sentimental/entertainment/aesthic value, or monetary value or some combo of the two... just a reality for me

 

Well stated. An opinion I share.

 

l... action 1, 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9, 10, 12, 13 etc have all continued to increase in price of late... tec 27,28,29,31,35,36 also have increased in price

 

Action 1-13 -----> Prices realized over\near or under guide?

Action 15-30 -----> Prices realized over\near or under guide?

 

Tec 1-5 -----> Prices realized over\near or under guide?

Tect 6-26 -----> Prices realized over\near or under guide?

Tec 27-40 -----> Prices realized over\near or under guide?

 

 

[Bruce1971]

I personally prefer Superman or Batman to AC and DC.....THE backups in the latter two don't do much for me, with the exception of S&K Boy Commandos or Robotman .I now find myself attracted to books with covers AND interiors that I consider exceptional...like Superman 74 or Batman 37. After watching Nearmint's sweet 7.0 copy of Action 101 sit unsold recently....I'm not really sure what the future holds. My goal is to collect examples that I can get my money back out of someday....I can't really say I'm sold on comics as investments....at least not the ones in my price stratosphere. GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus) (thumbs u

 

Thats probably because so many of us are tapped out from all the great stuff that has been put up for sale recently. I know I have picked up 3 of my top 10 covers this year, well top 10 affordable covers anyways. Makes it harder to sell a book here in a week. Plus I think sometimes boardies are unrealistic, getting GPA or close to GPA all the time for books when they are only up for sale for a week.

 

Bruce

 

[G.A.tor]

how the heck did you have 18k at 23 yrs old in 1990 for an action 1! Mind you I was 15 then so I was happy with Cap 100s and the like Paper route money only went so far.

I didn't...I had a year long payment plan (like 1800 a month, if I recall) (thumbs u

[showcase22gr1959]

From an investment standpoint I would recoomend tecs (27-40) and action 1-15 before I would ever say buy pre bat tecs for investment...unfortunately I would only buy pre bat tecs if you love them and want to collect them but my guess is that the will continue to decline in price (like more funs and adv etc)

 

Rick, this is an interesting statement coming from one who has never collected pre-hero DC's (no offense intended by this remark). I would love to know who, if anyone, is telling you that copies (and, in particular, high grade copies) of pre-hero Adventures/New Adventures and Tecs are "declining." Granted, like all books (other than Action 1 and Tec 27) from every publisher, prices have dipped in the last couple of auctions because of the combined effect of (1) the economy, and (2) the sudden flood of books. But they have not dipped on the pre-hero DCs any more than they have on virtually every other book, including super hero DC's, MLJs, Foxes, and even Timleys.

 

As someone who has been trying to complete high grade runs of pre-hero DCs for many, many years, I am still waiting for this "decline" of which you speak.

 

Peter

 

This area of collecting is not a large group, but to me the pre-Action 1 stuff is just great as this new entertainment media was looking for a formula that worked.

 

Peter, has maintained his focus for decades (or it seems so) on this special area of the hobby.

 

jb

I agree, and compared to me, I am but a novice in that market, and Peter is the teacher... however, just from general feel and observation (and I hope to the delight of Peter), my gut tells me that genre will be cheaper to collect moving forward, than it has moving past

 

All so....but from my viewpoint of over 35 years of collecting I never once thought when purchasing a book as to what it would go "up in value". I have always been a sucker for bright primary colors on the cover of a fantastic book.

 

I suppose for the "Gang of Twelve Books" this is a reality. I suppose persons would not like to loose value, of course.

 

I remember Gary Carter telling me that it was not what a book sold at so much as what it could be re-sold in the short term that reflected a books true 'value'....

 

 

 

jb

I first started reading comics in 1973 at the age of 6 or so...

I first started collecting comics in 1988, with the silver age...

I first started spending "real" money on comics in 1990 with my purchase of my first GA comic, which happened to be an 18K copy of Action 1... it really wasn't until that time that I even considered comics as anything other than a fun thing to collect (most of my silver age I was picking up at $1 or less a book back then)...

 

really opened my eyes... when I sold my collection in 1995 (golden age) to help fund my business, I realized a tidy profit...that was the first time I considered "value" or investment of comics...

 

when I reentered the hobby in 2005, I didn't consider "value" or investment (as well documented, I paid and paid strongly for book(s) I wanted, and often times (way more often than not) sold the book at a loss when I upgraded, downgraded, etc...

 

these days, I consider "value" in every purchase...whether it be sentimental/entertainment/aesthic value, or monetary value or some combo of the two... just a reality for me

 

Very cool...$18k for an Action one in 1990's and you reading comics in 1973, the year I was born. (thumbs u

[showcase22gr1959]

how the heck did you have 18k at 23 yrs old in 1990 for an action 1! Mind you I was 15 then so I was happy with Cap 100s and the like Paper route money only went so far.

I didn't...I had a year long payment plan (like 1800 a month, if I recall) (thumbs u

 

In 1990, I bought a ASM 1 5.5 for $1100 and that was my biggest comic purchase ever and it drained me back then. I was a paper boy also. I wonder how many boardies were paper boy as a teenager.