Who's the person I need to talk to update the Census?

[rob_react]

Okay, I can see that as a reasonable example although with a book like that the auctions are so public I wonder how often there's a real need to make a snap decision (although it clearly does happen.)

 

I was wondering if there was some modern corner of the market where this matters as well.

[Bosco685]

Okay, I can see that as a reasonable example although with a book like that the auctions are so public I wonder how often there's a real need to make a snap decision (although it clearly does happen.)

 

I was wondering if there was some modern corner of the market where this matters as well.

Many sellers are starting to post this information on Ebay as "educational" sales points how many books are at a given grade. I'm seeing this more and more now.

 

I guess it is targeting potential bidders that have no idea about the details within the census, but are excited to buy a certain book graded and may be swayed by this information. And bidders like this are out there.

[fantastic_four]

I'm not being a jerk, I just want to understand the thought process here and everyone that's explaining it to me is being really general.

 

I believe the thought process at work here looks a lot like this.

 

[rob_react]

Okay, I can see that as a reasonable example although with a book like that the auctions are so public I wonder how often there's a real need to make a snap decision (although it clearly does happen.)

 

I was wondering if there was some modern corner of the market where this matters as well.

Many sellers are starting to post this information on Ebay as "educational" sales points how many books are at a given grade. I'm seeing this more and more now.

 

I guess it is targeting potential bidders that have no idea about the details within the census, but are excited to buy a certain book graded and may be swayed by this information. And bidders like this are out there.

 

ComicLink posts it and Heritage offers a link right from their auction listings. I'm happy to have the info myself in those situations and I use it regularly.

 

The part I'm asking about is the need to have it up-to-the-second.

[Bosco685]

The part I'm asking about is the need to have it up-to-the-second.

Sorry, you're right.

 

[kuddy]

i agree with using the Census to determine whether to buy a book or not.

 

the reason i use it is because you'll have a new book (ie, Wolverine #1 Deadpool variant) list on ebay for close to $400. being a big collector of Wolverine, i want to buy it but before i do, i'd like to know if there are a lot (ie, 30 or more) of books graded at 9.8. if they are, in my opinion the book is not worth $400.

 

its a valuable tool when buying modern books. my 2 cents.

 

K.

 

btw: i started a thread myself for the same reason:

 

http://boards.collectors-society.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=4290261&fpart=1

[tth2]

Many sellers are starting to post this information on Ebay as "educational" sales points how many books are at a given grade. I'm seeing this more and more now.

 

I guess it is targeting potential bidders that have no idea about the details within the census, but are excited to buy a certain book graded and may be swayed by this information. And bidders like this are out there.

 

ComicLink posts it and Heritage offers a link right from their auction listings.

ComicLink posts a limited amount of census information in some auction listings when it suits them ("highest CGC grade!", and doesn't post any in other listings when it doesn't suit them (you never see "one of 237 at 6.0, behind 7,643 higher").

 

Heritage posts the entire census data for a book in all of their listings. Plus lists all previous sales on Heritage of the book in the same grade, a link to all previous sales on Heritage in other grades, and a link to GPA for the book, in every one of their listings.

[tth2]

the reason i use it is because you'll have a new book (ie, Wolverine #1 Deadpool variant) list on ebay for close to $400. being a big collector of Wolverine, i want to buy it but before i do, i'd like to know if there are a lot (ie, 30 or more) of books graded at 9.8. if they are, in my opinion the book is not worth $400.

 

its a valuable tool when buying modern books. my 2 cents.

But even if there are 0 other 9.8s out there at THAT MOMENT, the Census tells you nothing about how many might be in the pipeline at CGC at that moment, let alone all of the raw copies out there that have not been submitted yet.

 

When you're buying modern books, it seems to me this is the pricing methodology to follow:

 

1. Find out the most important thing to know, the size of the print run.

 

2. Assume that at least 50% of that print run will be 9.8 or higher.

 

3. Price accordingly, regardless of what the Census says.

[rob_react]

Many sellers are starting to post this information on Ebay as "educational" sales points how many books are at a given grade. I'm seeing this more and more now.

 

I guess it is targeting potential bidders that have no idea about the details within the census, but are excited to buy a certain book graded and may be swayed by this information. And bidders like this are out there.

 

ComicLink posts it and Heritage offers a link right from their auction listings.

ComicLink posts a limited amount of census information in some auction listings when it suits them ("highest CGC grade!", and doesn't post any in other listings when it doesn't suit them (you never see "one of 237 at 6.0, behind 7,643 higher").

 

Yeah, I should have been more clear. I was focusing on the top end of grades, because that's where I assume this census monitoring has to goes on, where they do mostly post the census info (those are also the books I bid on there, so it seems like it's always available.)

[Jeffro.]

Checking the census sometimes helps me to decide if i should buy now or not.

If there are lots of the book i want, in the grade i want, then i know i should soon have other opportunities to get it.

 

Exactly, someone who understands the census is important into learning about supply vs demand. It's important to learing how low or high I can purchase or sell a book. If you don't understand that, I suggest going back to school.

 

 

Yeah, but you can't predict how many books are going to appear the day after you make your well researched purchase.

 

 

Exactly!!!

 

Census "rarity" is at times, misleading.

[Bosco685]

Heritage posts the entire census data for a book in all of their listings. Plus lists all previous sales on Heritage of the book in the same grade, a link to all previous sales on Heritage in other grades, and a link to GPA for the book, in every one of their listings.

Actually, I like that Heritage does this to save me the time of jumping around to research a book's census or previous sales at their site.

 

Where it gets a little tricky is if it is a book that they have not sold in a long time, and market value has dipped. When they show the last previous sale from a few years ago, it can lead someone to believe this is still the current market price.

 

It's still good to do some of your own research outside of their data.

[Flaming_Telepath]

I would think that census numbers are utterly useless on moderns? Actually, make that most books beyond the Bronze Age.

 

It certainly tells you next to nothing for fairly new releases, although it has great value for GA and early SA and keys.

[Bosco685]

I would think that census numbers are utterly useless on moderns? Actually, make that most books beyond the Bronze Age.

 

It certainly tells you next to nothing for fairly new releases, although it has great value for GA and early SA and keys.

In this case for Copper/Moderns, all it does show is what people got around to submitting - not rarity.

 

Last year, there was maybe 2-3 copies of Airboy 5 in the census, and all were 9.8's. It wasn't because they were rare. The book value just wasn't worth submitting and paying for shipping and encasement.

 

Now that the excitement is building again for Dave Stevens covers, that census number has climbed fast.

[Flaming_Telepath]

I would think that census numbers are utterly useless on moderns? Actually, make that most books beyond the Bronze Age.

 

It certainly tells you next to nothing for fairly new releases, although it has great value for GA and early SA and keys.

In this case for Copper/Moderns, all it does show is what people got around to submitting - not rarity.

 

Last year, there was maybe 2-3 copies of Airboy 5 in the census, and all were 9.8's. It wasn't because they were rare. The book value just wasn't worth submitting and paying for shipping and encasement.

 

Now that the excitement is building again for Dave Stevens covers, that census number has climbed fast.

 

Absolutely right.

 

Additionally, you'll have a lot of delayed submissions on moderns...people who want to put a pre-screening batch together and wait months and months and months to get it together.

 

Also, it's chicken and egg...upon inspection of the census, you decide a certain modern is 'rare', pop the BIN on eBay at $500...and everybody else sees this and sends in ten copies each for grading.

 

Look at the NM #98 in 9.9...10 years without a 9.9, $12,000 gets laid out for the first one...then within six months there's three of the buggers and the $12,000 copy is worth about $5,000 tops.

[Bosco685]

When I got back into collecting three years ago, I remember someone telling me Colossus Comics would submit individually issues by the case. Supposedly he submitted a few hundred Spider-Man 1 Silver and Spider-Man 1 Regular covers, and most all came back 9.8 WP.

 

Now someone like that can just change the census overnight when it comes to Copper and Modern books. Anyone that paid $50-$75 for their books early on can just watch the value go down if they are basing their collecting on the census numbers.

[VintageComics]

I believe they stopped this service bit it did go on for quite some time.

 

 

[Bosco685]

When I got back into collecting three years ago, I remember someone telling me Colossus Comics would submit individually issues by the case. Supposedly he submitted a few hundred Spider-Man 1 Silver and Spider-Man 1 Regular covers, and most all came back 9.8 WP.

Just checked. Yup, the census is loaded with Spider-Man 1's (1990).

 

[Flaming_Telepath]

And what about Neat Stuff with their boxes of Platinum Spidey #1s?

 

Submit all of those in one go...

[Bosco685]

And what about Neat Stuff with their boxes of Platinum Spidey #1s?

 

Submit all of those in one go...

Exactly!

[chrisco37]

Absolutely correct. The crazy $$$ ship has already sailed on ASM#300, but that's another book you can reference.

 

I know there's a board member that has/had some unopened cases of that book. How many of those are 9.8's?