I'm going to look at a collection today....1200+ long boxes!

[HOTFLIPS]

Just dont burn them in a fireplace. The ink leaves an odor.

 

Sounds like a man with experience.

 

Dan

 

[Monster's Lair Comics]

So I'm planning on making an offer. I figure there is probably somewhere in the neighborhood of 250,000 to 300,000 books. Of those, I would imagine about 50-75,000 are going to get recycled. That leaves about 200,000-250,000 potential books. With renting a truck for probably two days, thousands of hours going through this stuff, moving this stuff into a medium sized storage facility, storage fees, and then trying to make money off this by shlepping it to shows to do quarter bins. What would you guys say is a legit offer? I have a number in my head, per book, and total. Just wanted to see how decent it is.

[sakaridis]

I wouldn't pay more than three to five cents per book.

 

So, 10-15,000 total.

[Shark]

I wouldn't pay more than three to five cents per book.

 

So, 10-15,000 total.

 

+1 but error on the low side. Assume there's only 250,000 books.

 

So start out at $7,500. See what they say and go from there.

[Monster's Lair Comics]

Well, when I consider the overall costs to the collection moving, storage, rebagging and boarding the "good" stuff. I'm not thinking even that high. Realistically I think the collection should probably go in the neighborhood of $4500-5000. The other thing I have to consider is that the collection is not located close to any large city, so to go to any convention, there is travel.

[SAGAT]

Give em 2000 and they'll still take it

[Shark]

Give em 2000 and they'll still take it

 

Whatever price you end up offering, let us know what happens.

[G.A.tor]

Well, when I consider the overall costs to the collection moving, storage, rebagging and boarding the "good" stuff. I'm not thinking even that high. Realistically I think the collection should probably go in the neighborhood of $4500-5000. The other thing I have to consider is that the collection is not located close to any large city, so to go to any convention, there is travel.

2 cents a book might get it...5k might do it...but I would be prepared to be able to offer more...

[Monster's Lair Comics]

Just got off the phone with the owner of the books. I have an appointment to see the books again, do a final box count ( to estimate amount of books ) do a final walk thru to see if there are books I didn't see before, and finally make an offer. I have a feeling this guy is going to want something ridiculous for them like $100,000, and I'm trying to think of something crafty to say to him. Hopefully he's somewhat grounded in reality, but we shall see.

[the blob]

Problem is, he has $5,000 invested in long boxes for the books (assuming about $5 each), not to mention bags and boards (if they have any). I can't imagine doing this, and renting storage space? Maybe if you had a big garage or something.

 

Ever try to sell quarter books at shows? And you're paying $50-$100 a table to be able to lay out 12 boxes (6 on top, 6 under) of this stuff.

 

Not saying don't do it, but think long and hard. If you sell at shows anyway, not a biggie, but to make any money on these kinds of books you need to have like 5 tables worth, which means 50-65 boxes, which means too much for a station wagon (do you own a van?) and a huge amount to lug around yourself ...so you need a helper at the show, etc.

[Monster's Lair Comics]

Did a hard count on the boxes and have approx 800 long boxes full of comics. This is the second visit. Found some interesting stuff, also found some complete trash. I figure about 240,000 books. Of that about 25,000 books will be trashed due to terrible storage. And about another 75,000 books are worse than complete trash (Defiant, Ultraverse, Valiants-Psi lords, hard corps, ninjak, ect). So that leaves me with about 140,000 decent books. I did notice there is about 20 copies per issue of Amazing Spidey between 325-375. For every 100 recent books, there is 1 silver age book in mangled, or near mangled shape. For every time this collection gives me something to get excited about, it also gives me something to dread. I asked the owner to give me a ballpark amount for what he wanted, he thought about it for about 10 minutes, and then he asked me to make him an offer. I'm just looking for him to give me something to find out if I'm close, or does this guy think it's 1993 again, and he's sitting on a million in books. Here's some pictures:

 

Any thoughts???

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[comicdonna]

I would tell him you would be willing to clean the warehouse out for $1000

[Monster's Lair Comics]

And as far as the investment that this guy has into the books, I do realize that he's got somewhere in the amount of probably $100,000 in the books (a LOT of the books were his store stock that just didn't sell, so that means .75-1.00 each even if he was getting a 55% discount through diamond). But I'm trying not to think of the investment he made, I'm trying to think the value today, and what its going to cost to get that value out. Reasonable retail on the books is somewhere in the ballpark of 10,000-15,000, maybe 20,000. That's squeezing every nickle out. But that also means 1000 or so man hours, $500 getting the collection from point a to point b. And another 250-350 in more supplies (if not more, I noticed he's got about 1000 bags he hasn't used yet). Plus the cost in the conventions I'm gonna have to set up at.

[paperheart]

I would tell him you would be willing to clean the warehouse out for $1000

 

you pay him or he pays you?

[cheetah]

Walk away.

[comicdonna]

I would tell him you would be willing to clean the warehouse out for $1000

 

you pay him or he pays you?

He pays! (thumbs u

[kimik]

And as far as the investment that this guy has into the books, I do realize that he's got somewhere in the amount of probably $100,000 in the books (a LOT of the books were his store stock that just didn't sell, so that means .75-1.00 each even if he was getting a 55% discount through diamond). But I'm trying not to think of the investment he made, I'm trying to think the value today, and what its going to cost to get that value out. Reasonable retail on the books is somewhere in the ballpark of 10,000-15,000, maybe 20,000. That's squeezing every nickle out. But that also means 1000 or so man hours, $500 getting the collection from point a to point b. And another 250-350 in more supplies (if not more, I noticed he's got about 1000 bags he hasn't used yet). Plus the cost in the conventions I'm gonna have to set up at.

 

Don't worry about what he paid for it - he likely made enough during the heyday to cover these leftovers. If reasonable retail is 10K - 15K, then you should offer no more than 5K. Start at $3500 and if he starts giving you grief then leave. There are better things to do with your money and better deals to be found.

[Comicdey]

If I were you, I'd call the LCS to value them after you get them for cleaning out the wharehouse and donate most to charity as a writeoff.

[Topnotchman]

This looks like a bunch of left overs, I would walk away. Monday morning call your local paper and spend $250.00 running classified buying adds to find a different collection. That way you have some sell able books.

[DR.X]

Walk away.

 

+2

 

As fast as you can. You'll live to score another day.

 

DR.X