When UHG no longer matters

[COI]

I was having a similar conversation with a boardie the other day, over a AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #34 , CGC 9.8 NM/MT, White Pages selling for $23,000 on Comiclink. Now I don't dispute the value of the book, but I for one do not have $23K to drop on a book that isn't even a key as far as I can tell. I guess the folks that buy the "best of" have the bucks to spare and it doesn't matter to them what they pay, as long as they get what they want.

 

Most of the guys chasing these kinds of books (like Brulato) had been buying the best years before CGC opened its doors. As a result, a substantial portion of their collections where acquired for a fraction of today's values. If you got in early enough and have the means, it certainly makes sense to continue buying the best. If your ASM 1 is a 9.8, I doubt a 34 in 8.5 holds much interest.

 

I couldn't imagine starting from scratch today and trying to put together a 9.6/9.8 ASM run.

[ComicConnoisseur]

When I began here I had a collection that was focused on completion of runs. After some time here I was opened up to so many new titles, characters, and genres. I also became very grade concious... As time has moved on (and my tastes have changed), I realize grade isnt the almighty I thought it was. A conversation awhile back with Foolkiller brought some very valid points, but the conversation was based on this. Why buy books that break the bank, and dont look so great. Why buy a 9.4 when a nice 9.2 can look as good if not better? And it got me thinking.. I collect alot of 9.0 books, I prefer good wraps and nice pages to all. And lately find myself picking up 8.0/8.5 books that nobody wants due to grade that just look so good!

 

Is anyone else feeling this, or is it just a few who have been dropped on their heads? Or maybe the kool-aid isnt as strong as it used to be?

Amazing how long the selling of the perception lasted. What about a decade? That`s why people can`t wait for a newbie in any market to come around the corner and sell the hype, kinda like a ponzi scheme, keep selling to new collectors until it runs outs.

[Old Fashion PB and J]

Ok, some great responses here. I mean those awesome top census books look great, but I couldnt justify the spending. I guess I am just getting back to a more simple collection these days. Well except the Tec run..

[COI]

Count me in as someone who no longer drinks the kool aid.

 

My reasons are simple; if I'm going to spend big bucks on something, I want it to be somewhat unique. Most HG SA Marvel (what I like) isn't unique; in fact, it's becoming more and more common now that we know how to "potentialize" otherwise lower grade books.

 

Sure, mid-lower grade Marvels are common as dirt, but they're also priced acccordingly. Find the "right" lower-mid grade copies, and you can assemble a great looking collection that is exponentially less expensive than its highgrade counterpart.

 

Another thing that mystifies me about high grade collecting is what I'd like to refer to as "scaling expectations". Many collectors will spend tons of cash getting 9.4-9.6 late-silver FFs (just an example), but when it comes to getting an FF1, they're perfectly content with a 3.5-4.0. I never understood this. Why not get lower grade copies to fill the run, and take all that extra money that was previously invested in the more common UHG stuff, and put it towards a nicer key? If a 3.5 or 4.0 is acceptable for an FF1, logically it should be acceptable for an FF 100 as well.

 

Of course, everyone should collect however they choose, this is just one man's perspective.

 

I agree with 100 percent of what you say in this post, basically I think a lot of the collectors are thinking what you are thinking now but not the investors or spectulators. (thumbs u

 

It's hard to say for certain where anyone lies on the spectrum. There are high grade collectors who buy purely for pleasure, just as I'm sure there are low grade collectors who are primarily concerned with the value of their books. A lot depends on one's taste in books, and the means at their disposal.

 

I totally get guys like Brulato and Ghost Town and I admire their collections, but that ship has sailed for most of us. Run collectors buying 9.6 common books, and 3.5 mega-keys because they want a small piece of what the BSDs have, just doesn't make sense from a "collector", "investor", or "speculator" standpoint. But again, to each his own.

[Mark 1]

For my collection I buy what I can afford at the time and how good the deal is...I'm not obsessed with having the highest grade.

 

I've recently purchased some 9.4s that were not too bad for the price but if a 9.0 or 9.2 was available...I probably would get that instead.

 

I am amazed at the collections of some people on the registry with full runs of 9.6/9.8. And, all major keys in those amazing grades. The money involved for that is just beyond what I could afford and quite honestly...I have no interest in having "the best".

 

Some books just look cooler with some wear (since I don't have UHG books I'll keep telling myself this )

 

And to my eye it's not worth spending mega bucks to have a 9.8 when I don't know I can tell much difference from a 9.4.

 

Anything above an 8.0 is a great looking book and I'm happy to have it. My TOS 39 is a 5.0 and since that is my best key owned...I'm still happy with it among other grades like 4.0 and up in my run.

 

I'm not too picky...I really do buy the book in most cases and not depend on the grade. Although, I am trying to get the higher grades if possible. I'll never be interested in the 9.6 or 9.8s...unless their premiums drop at some point.

[JiveTurkeyMoFo]

I was having a similar conversation with a boardie the other day, over a AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #34 , CGC 9.8 NM/MT, White Pages selling for $23,000 on Comiclink. Now I don't dispute the value of the book, but I for one do not have $23K to drop on a book that isn't even a key as far as I can tell. I guess the folks that buy the "best of" have the bucks to spare and it doesn't matter to them what they pay, as long as they get what they want.

 

This is the book in question. I suppose the first thing to say is that if you're posting a Census-topping book you're hoping to field a record price for, you should smack yourself in the head for posting a really , distortedly-resized, overly-dark scan like this. Second...this is an example of how hard this book can be to get with nice wrap. Third...the overspray up top--which might not even be there but looks like it is, can't verify it due to the scan distortion resulting from a bad resize though--isn't something I'd ever consider on a 9.8 for this price level. A copy sold for $25K earlier this year, so the price isn't out of the ballpark, but I'll be surprised if it sells at this level. There are some rabid Spidey collectors out there that might pay that price for a 9.8 with white pages.

 

 

Why James, the only thing that matters from that scan is that the "9.8" is visible. Everything else is flotsam.

 

[Davenport]

 

 

Why James, the only thing that matters from that scan is that the "9.8" is visible. Everything else is flotsam.

[evilsly]

I was having a similar conversation with a boardie the other day, over a AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #34 , CGC 9.8 NM/MT, White Pages selling for $23,000 on Comiclink. Now I don't dispute the value of the book, but I for one do not have $23K to drop on a book that isn't even a key as far as I can tell. I guess the folks that buy the "best of" have the bucks to spare and it doesn't matter to them what they pay, as long as they get what they want.

 

Most of the guys chasing these kinds of books (like Brulato) had been buying the best years before CGC opened its doors. As a result, a substantial portion of their collections where acquired for a fraction of today's values. If you got in early enough and have the means, it certainly makes sense to continue buying the best. If your ASM 1 is a 9.8, I doubt a 34 in 8.5 holds much interest.

 

I couldn't imagine starting from scratch today and trying to put together a 9.6/9.8 ASM run.

 

ah, but for us mortals

 

a 34 in 8.5 (which I have) is damn fine at 1% of the price of a 9.8

 

after all, they read they same.