HULK 181 CGC 9.9? 1 1

[Real Elijah Snow]

how in the world is that iron man 2 a 9.9? You can clearly see a bit of color missing near the top staple, a spine crease near the bottom and what looks like a tiny crease on the top left edge??? I mean, Damm, it's nice as heck, but how is that a 9.9? Am i missing something? I thought a 9.9 would show no defects from a scan...

[otherworldsj33]

Anything over 60K is to much for this book. I might add it is my firm conviction that it's spectacles like this that are going to contribute to the eventual, inetivible, huge price downturn in this hobby. Thanks to a ever seemingly infinite increasing number of pressed and super pressed books, subbed and re-subbed, pimped up and hyped out to the point that the stories in the comics themsleves are more credible then the descriptions that some sellers would have us belive, as they slither about for the next sucker/buyer.

. What makes this more alarming, and its becoming more evident as time marches on, is that books like the Hulk 181, of relative recent vintage, are not rare, or even scarce in higher grades, again thanks in part to the press and re-sub game. I would not be surprised to see another 3 or 4 CGC 9.9's in the next 5-7 years, and God knows how many more 9.8's. And someone is asking 150K for this book, with a straight face, knowing full well that the chances of more in like-same grades in the near future are a pretty good bet. I would ask them, if they HAD to tell me the truth, would THEY ever fork out that kind of money for a book like that? Shell game anyone? Greed and hypocrisy, I'll say it, human nature is consistent..

When the crash does happen, and many of the current power brokers/opportunists fall like shooting stars, you won't find me shedding any tears for them. Too many dealers and collectors today seem to revel in trickery, and even have a perverse arroagance and pride in doing so.

There are many good and honest and concientious people in this hobby, both dealers and collectors. But eventually, like a brood of magggots devouring the dead, the moving stench and rot are going to contaminate every living thing they touch.

[tth2]

Don`t hold back Joe, tell us what you really think!

[benz]

as long as there is a collector willing to pay then the price will be met. the price to me seems too high but i've said that to a lot of books that sold (including the 9.9 new mutant 98 selling for $12500)

[goldust40]

But eventually, like a brood of magggots devouring the dead, the moving stench and rot are going to contaminate every living thing they touch.

 

So not a very high opinion of dealers, then?

[asteroid-comix]

I don't see how any bronze book is worth a 150k

 

If I were going to drop a 150k on a book, I can think of a lot better places to put it.

 

I wonder if the 150k list price wasn't to target a bid of 50%-70% (Clink caps bids at 50% of list). Sounds like 50k-65k would be about right for a 9.9. I think the person that bidded 80k, assuming it's legit, is out to lunch though

[evilsly]

150k would buy you a 9.2 of hulk #1

 

 

I know where my money would be going.

 

 

 

[namisgr]

Anything over 60K is to much for this book. I might add it is my firm conviction that it's spectacles like this that are going to contribute to the eventual, inetivible, huge price downturn in this hobby. Thanks to a ever seemingly infinite increasing number of pressed and super pressed books, subbed and re-subbed, pimped up and hyped out to the point that the stories in the comics themsleves are more credible then the descriptions that some sellers would have us belive, as they slither about for the next sucker/buyer.

. What makes this more alarming, and its becoming more evident as time marches on, is that books like the Hulk 181, of relative recent vintage, are not rare, or even scarce in higher grades, again thanks in part to the press and re-sub game. I would not be surprised to see another 3 or 4 CGC 9.9's in the next 5-7 years, and God knows how many more 9.8's. And someone is asking 150K for this book, with a straight face, knowing full well that the chances of more in like-same grades in the near future are a pretty good bet. I would ask them, if they HAD to tell me the truth, would THEY ever fork out that kind of money for a book like that? Shell game anyone? Greed and hypocrisy, I'll say it, human nature is consistent..

When the crash does happen, and many of the current power brokers/opportunists fall like shooting stars, you won't find me shedding any tears for them. Too many dealers and collectors today seem to revel in trickery, and even have a perverse arroagance and pride in doing so.

There are many good and honest and concientious people in this hobby, both dealers and collectors. But eventually, like a brood of magggots devouring the dead, the moving stench and rot are going to contaminate every living thing they touch.

 

Sorry to disagree, but I think this sale has virtually nothing to do with the current or near-term future state of the comic market. It's a one-off item and will have no impact on the 2011 sales of Hulk #181 comics in 9.6 condition and below, let alone move the overall bronze market in even the smallest way. We're not going to see another 4 copies of this comic in 9.9 grade over the next few years, as this example is an old label copy that was graded something like 9 years ago yet still stands alone at the top of the census.

 

Should the book actually sell (which seems unlikely), it will be sold to a buyer who cares a great deal about the numerical grade stamped on the top left of the slab label. Let's face it, there are plenty of comic buyers out there for whom the numerical grade is king, and this buyer would be far from alone. To each his/her own, I guess. It seems silly to post what other comics you'd prefer to buy with that $120-150K, since you're not the one buying the comic and establishing with real money that this is a comic you want to own for that kind of price. There's tens of thousands of cool vintage comics out there, and do you really expect that every collector will share precisely your taste in them?

 

My concern with this comic has nothing to do with the market and everything to do with comic preservation. It gets talked about some on these boards, but probably still doesn't get the attention it deserves: for ultra high grade comics, the CGC enclosure is a flawed preservation method. While it's true we can't tell for certain whether the corners of this comic have suffered since being encapsulated, it sure looks that way from the scan, and it would surprise few who've seen the front cover scan if the comic were freshly regraded and received a 9.6 grade. I think the same can be said for the famous and superexpensive 9.9 Boston copy of Fantastic Four #55.

 

Do I think a Hulk 181 in 9.9 is a $120K or a $100K or a $75K comic? I have little idea. What I DO know is that a Hulk 181 in 9.6 white with outstanding cover registration, as this particular example might now actually grade, goes for less than $7K.

[Bosco685]

Do I think a Hulk 181 in 9.9 is a $120K or a $100K or a $75K comic? I have little idea.

 

I have to agree with this statement. Should it go for any of those prices? If someone pays a price, then yes it should. Someone is going to see this as a one-of-a-kind book and opportunity to have bragging rights based on the label designation.

 

Will it change the state of Hulk 181's? Probably not. It will just show this hobby has some collectors with very deep pockets, and will pay high prices for what they want.

[COMICKINGS]

I would not be surprised to see another 3 or 4 CGC 9.9's in the next 5-7 years

 

That ain't gonna happen.

[delekkerste]

Just went on sale on Comiclink for $150k. HERE.

 

Is a 9.9 really worth that much?

 

 

Wow, what's up with that URHC?

 

Scans can be deceiving, but it doesn't look like a 9.9 to me.

 

I held the book in my hands at the SDCC some years ago (2003 maybe?) The scan is not deceiving - it does not look like a 9.9 in person. No way would it get a 9.9 on a resub. I'm not sure the book is a victim of SCS; I recall it not looking minty fresh enough back then, and that it's very likely that the book was not a true 9.9 when it was graded and it just lucked out.

[Ted Knight]

 

Sorry to disagree, but I think this sale has virtually nothing to do with the current or near-term future state of the comic market. It's a one-off item and will have no impact on the 2011 sales of Hulk #181 comics in 9.6 condition and below, let alone move the overall bronze market in even the smallest way. We're not going to see another 4 copies of this comic in 9.9 grade over the next few years, as this example is an old label copy that was graded something like 9 years ago yet still stands alone at the top of the census.

 

Should the book actually sell (which seems unlikely), it will be sold to a buyer who cares a great deal about the numerical grade stamped on the top left of the slab label. Let's face it, there are plenty of comic buyers out there for whom the numerical grade is king, and this buyer would be far from alone. To each his/her own, I guess. It seems silly to post what other comics you'd prefer to buy with that $120-150K, since you're not the one buying the comic and establishing with real money that this is a comic you want to own for that kind of price. There's tens of thousands of cool vintage comics out there, and do you really expect that every collector will share precisely your taste in them?

 

My concern with this comic has nothing to do with the market and everything to do with comic preservation. It gets talked about some on these boards, but probably still doesn't get the attention it deserves: for ultra high grade comics, the CGC enclosure is a flawed preservation method. While it's true we can't tell for certain whether the corners of this comic have suffered since being encapsulated, it sure looks that way from the scan, and it would surprise few who've seen the front cover scan if the comic were freshly regraded and received a 9.6 grade. I think the same can be said for the famous and superexpensive 9.9 Boston copy of Fantastic Four #55.

 

Do I think a Hulk 181 in 9.9 is a $120K or a $100K or a $75K comic? I have little idea. What I DO know is that a Hulk 181 in 9.6 white with outstanding cover registration, as this particular example might now actually grade, goes for less than $7K.

 

Can't agree with you more. I don't personally think the label means much more than a ballpark for the grade I'm looking for (given the variation in grading). But you're correct about the preservation problems with the CGC holder, something that nobody seems to want to talk about. Comics date back before the 1940's. That's 70+ years of preservation, of which only the last 10 or so has the CGC been a part of our hobby. I don't personally own an Action 1 or even Amazing Fantasy 15 in high grade but if I did, and I wanted to keep it in good condition for the next 30 years of living with me, I wouldn't keep it in a CGC Slab. SCS or otherwise.

 

The label is good for a ballpark estimation of grade. That's it. And chasing "highest graded" books is a fool's errand, short term and long term.

[chezhead]

does a 9.9 get an extra layer of scrutiny at cgc?

 

i.e. does the grader need to get approval at a different level when it comes to a high profile book of this nature? Or is it as long as the 3 graders agree on a 9.9 it gets that grade?

 

[James Howlett]

does a 9.9 get an extra layer of scrutiny at cgc?

 

i.e. does the grader need to get approval at a different level when it comes to a high profile book of this nature? Or is it as long as the 3 graders agree on a 9.9 it gets that grade?

 

From what their cust service rep told me in general, the number is just based on the final graders opinion, he may take the other graders notes into account, but the last grader gets the final say.

[InvstmntComcSuply]

does a 9.9 get an extra layer of scrutiny at cgc?

 

i.e. does the grader need to get approval at a different level when it comes to a high profile book of this nature? Or is it as long as the 3 graders agree on a 9.9 it gets that grade?

 

From what their cust service rep told me in general, the number is just based on the final graders opinion, he may take the other graders notes into account, but the last grader gets the final say.

 

That is true for run of the mill books, but when you are talking about a top census mega key, I would think it would have to go through Haspel, or Borock at the time.

[tth2]

What I DO know is that a Hulk 181 in 9.6 white with outstanding cover registration, as this particular example might now actually grade, goes for less than $7K.

Which is still too much for an ultra-common BA book, no matter whose first appearance is inside.

 

Plus, it`s not even really a first appearance.

[Mr 9.8]

Plus, it`s not even really a first appearance.

 

I've seen this discussion before.

[tth2]

Plus, it`s not even really a first appearance.

 

I've seen this discussion before.

Figured I`d stir the pot a little.

[supapimp]

i'm waiting for sborock to chime in.

[Mr 9.8]

Plus, it`s not even really a first appearance.

 

I've seen this discussion before.

Figured I`d stir the pot a little.