What happened to the comic economics thread?

[passion4comics]

This ones going to die too if politics come into it! You can debate economics and their impact on collectibles and not get political guys!

 

[the blob]

Comics and the economy-

 

I went to this guys house this afternoon. Nicest guy in the world. He had 7000 9+ comics bagged and boarded. He's out of work, behind on bills, has racked CC's and is behind on his mortgage and the first thing he's liquidating is his comics for next to nothing. All the prime stuff was already sold or my car would have been loaded to the top.

 

Just a snapshot!

 

I think December will be the turn for a major buyers market for a number of reasons.

 

the economy overall has been in the krapper since 2008 and was in the krapper in a lot of parts of the country well before then. you have just gotten back into this game temple, I assure you, people who have been down on their luck have been liquidiating their comics (if they're collectors) for the last 3-4 years. there's nothing magical about right now, it's just that you're seeing it now because you had not been looking until relatively recently. in late fall 2008 i was looking at foreclosures (on line) in san diego after we visited there in summer 2008 (and at the same time looking at stuff in miami) and it was ridiculous what could be had. i just have no real way of owning/maintaining property from 2- 3,000 miles away and didn't want to take on even a $100K mortgage to do it.

 

if you're on week 86 of unemployment benefits, chances are you sold the comics a while ago.

 

 

[the blob]

This ones going to die too if politics come into it! You can debate economics and their impact on collectibles and not get political guys!

 

I directly related taxes to the buying of comics, it's not political!

[the blob]

Comics and the economy-

 

I went to this guys house this afternoon. Nicest guy in the world. He had 7000 9+ comics bagged and boarded. He's out of work, behind on bills, has racked CC's and is behind on his mortgage and the first thing he's liquidating is his comics for next to nothing. All the prime stuff was already sold or my car would have been loaded to the top.

 

Just a snapshot!

 

I think December will be the turn for a major buyers market for a number of reasons.

 

So what did he want for his 7,000 cherry picked bagged and boarded comics?

 

Because in the early 90's, in the midst of a comic boom, he'd be lucky to get 5-10 cents each from most dealers. and in 2004 he'd be lucky to get 5-10 cents each. ditto 2007. ditto 1997. ditto 1988. ditto 1984.... you get my drift. Bulk generic krap (even if a chunk of it turns out to be solid $1-$5 material) has never been worth much except, apparently, in California in the early 90's (according to RMA). It sure wasn't worth anything here. My local shop bought another shop out for about 7 cents a book in like 1992/3 and that included a lot of BA, SA and generally decent stuff. He almost never paid more than 5 cents a book for walk in sales unless it was strictly vintage and then he'd still try to buy SA and GA collections for $1-$2 a book (and would often succeed).

[the blob]

And the shop I go to now...if someone calls he tells them generally if it isn't 60's an earlier, chances are he's not going to pay more than 5 cents a book. and it has been the same since I started shopping there in 2004. yes, for better material he pays about 20% of guide, maybe 30-40% if it is primo stuff he knows will sell quickly like an early SA Marvel key or something. I know the economy is worse now, but comics have been tricky for a while. it takes hard work to get decent prices for most common stuff.

 

if anything, at shows at least, stuff seems more expensive, and I'm talking $1-$3 boxes.

[Icculus308win]

In a heartbeat yes, with my same monetary worth (obviously a lot more would be dreamy) and age. Cause China is going through our version of the Industrial Revolution as we speak. Capitalism is just blossoming and flourishing over there, ours is waning. I would be thrilled to be living there, to be investing in the comical amount of Venture Capital right now and forth coming. Not to mention, buying up as much commercial land as possible. And on the side follow suit with the country and buy as much of the U.S.'s debt I could afford.

 

My two cents.

 

from what i understand from friends living/working over there, it isn't exactly cheap finding housing that meets western standards. basically, one friend is paying roughly the same she was paying in manhattan. sure, you can hire 10 or 15 chinese for the price of one american, but a decent apartment with decent plumbing in a decent area will likely cost you more than what you're paying now. if you want to live in a hovel you can do that on the cheap, yes.

 

Any American that wants to bust out Icculus' "Let's go to China" postulate better spend some time learning how to accurately defecate in a hole in the floor. Your years of indoor plumbing use have likely caused any natural skill therein to atrophy to the point of uselessness.

 

 

Well, I have grown-up with quite a few different hunting properties and hunted and fished a lot of places in this world that only have outhouses or a tree to bend over, or just well nothing. I even kept and maintain our outhouse up at my lake-house still for nostalgic purposes. So I think I would be ok.

 

Anytime I have been to China for business or pleasure, all of my business associates and or friends there that I have stayed with seem to have what we call a toliet. Actually some have had two or three. So maybe when you head over there next time, PM me I can reccomend a nicer place for you to stay.

 

 

[Batty Scrooge]

Comics and the economy-

 

I went to this guys house this afternoon. Nicest guy in the world. He had 7000 9+ comics bagged and boarded. He's out of work, behind on bills, has racked CC's and is behind on his mortgage and the first thing he's liquidating is his comics for next to nothing. All the prime stuff was already sold or my car would have been loaded to the top.

 

Just a snapshot!

 

I think December will be the turn for a major buyers market for a number of reasons.

 

I would think they would be sold before December so they can use the money for X-Mas if I were trying to time the market.

 

He would have been better off selling the collection complete, you can generally get 10-20% more on the common stuff if the keys are still in the collection.

[Hamlet]

Between the pension and SS, your mother is making more than the average single person in this country.

 

From Wikipedia-- "The overall median personal income for all individuals over the age of 18 was $25,149[4] ($32,140 for those age 25 or above) in the year 2005"

 

She's not really lower income. She may feel lower income, but the majority of Americans make less than her.

 

 

i know we talked about taxes in the last thread...I just did my mother's taxes. she is a 75 year old retiree getting SS and a mid-$20K pension. she had around $10K in medical expenses last year and around another $10K (home, local RE taxes, etc.) in deductions. she still wound up getting hit with $2500 in federal income taxes, roughly 15% of her taxable income. it would have been worse had she not been able to itemize. so much for the lower income folks being able to live income tax-free! i guess if she had kids at that income she wouldn't have paid taxes.....

 

now she won't be able to afford any comics! (to make it relevant to the board)

 

dang you obama, dang you!