xmen 1 cgc 9.4 sells for $57K on comiclink!!!!!!!!!!

[Steve_HOCP]

On Topic:

 

Funny, I just recently joined these forums to get help getting my X-men 1 - 350 collection graded...to see prices like $57K for X-men number #1 just floors me. Most of my comics are in great condition and I try to "rough guess-timate" the values based on list price and the condition I "think" my stuff is in....but damn, $57K for X-Men #1 is just astounding.

 

Can anyone explain to me what makes someone pay that amount for a book that is available for 1/4 the price? Am I missing something?

 

I apologize, I am new...I am not a collector other than what I have...I don't know much...but I know that is a lot of money for a 9.4 CGC X-Men #1

[tth2]

Can anyone explain to me what makes someone pay that amount for a book that is available for 1/4 the price? Am I missing something?

 

Almost any silver age Marvel can be found in great numbers in lower grades. Therefore, they can often be had at guide or less. The same cannot always be said of higher grade copies, particularly for issues printed before 1965. There are some collectors that focus exclusively on high grade copies (or in some cases, very very high grade) and therefore are willing to pay a significant premium over Guide, particularly for major keys like X-Men 1, which does not come on the market in 9.0 or better very often. Put another way, demand greatly outstrips supply.

[sfilosa]

It is somewhat of a fallacy to see books sell this high and assume that "your book" that looks close to it would sell for near that price.

 

That X-Men #1 is graded as a CGC 9.4 and sold for $57K.

 

I just won an X-Men #1 of off Heritage in CGC 8.0 for $4,400.

 

That's around a 14 times difference in price because the 8.0 has a few light spine stress lines and a corner crease. To the non-collector community, it might seem insane to pay that much more because of the slight difference in wear, but that's the reality of high-grade collecting.

[justiceleaguer]

It is somewhat of a fallacy to see books sell this high and assume that "your book" that looks close to it would sell for near that price.

 

That X-Men #1 is graded as a CGC 9.4 and sold for $57K.

 

I just won an X-Men #1 of off Heritage in CGC 8.0 for $4,400.

 

That's around a 14 times difference in price because the 8.0 has a few light spine stress lines and a corner crease. To the non-collector community, it might seem insane to pay that much more because of the slight difference in wear, but that's the reality of high-grade collecting.

 

Ya, but most likely whoever bought this isnt a collector, just a very rich speculator. Sad really.

[Aman619]

It is somewhat of a fallacy to see books sell this high and assume that "your book" that looks close to it would sell for near that price.

 

That X-Men #1 is graded as a CGC 9.4 and sold for $57K.

 

I just won an X-Men #1 of off Heritage in CGC 8.0 for $4,400.

 

That's around a 14 times difference in price because the 8.0 has a few light spine stress lines and a corner crease. To the non-collector community, it might seem insane to pay that much more because of the slight difference in wear, but that's the reality of high-grade collecting.

 

Ya, but most likely whoever bought this isnt a collector, just a very rich speculator. Sad really.

 

why cant he be a rich (enough) collector upgrading?

Why do so many here spend so much energy imagining these fantasy speculators from Europe, or Hollywood, swooping in on our comics community and absconding with the best books for stupid money? Ive seen plenty of dyed-in-the-wool comics collectors pay stupid money too!!

[justiceleaguer]

It is somewhat of a fallacy to see books sell this high and assume that "your book" that looks close to it would sell for near that price.

 

That X-Men #1 is graded as a CGC 9.4 and sold for $57K.

 

I just won an X-Men #1 of off Heritage in CGC 8.0 for $4,400.

 

That's around a 14 times difference in price because the 8.0 has a few light spine stress lines and a corner crease. To the non-collector community, it might seem insane to pay that much more because of the slight difference in wear, but that's the reality of high-grade collecting.

 

Ya, but most likely whoever bought this isnt a collector, just a very rich speculator. Sad really.

 

why cant he be a rich (enough) collector upgrading?

Why do so many here spend so much energy imagining these fantasy speculators from Europe, or Hollywood, swooping in on our comics community and absconding with the best books for stupid money? Ive seen plenty of dyed-in-the-wool comics collectors pay stupid money too!!

 

Ok, its possible hes a collector.....but not a wise one. Would a true collector spend an exuberant amount of money on the best of the best copy of so and so, or would they purchase a slighty lesser quality book of so and so at 1/10th the cost and use the rest to purchase other books? All this breaks down to is which school of thought your a part of....quality or quantity? Personally, id take 10 midgrade books instead of 1 top census book.

[Darthdiesel]

Personally, id take 10 midgrade books instead of 1 top census book.

 

You are projecting your personal preferences onto collectors in general who may have as valid a motive for pursuing one top census copy in lieu of 10 slightly lower condition copies/other books and making a judgement call as to who is a true collector, stigmatizing the high grade collector as a speculator or as someone who doesn't know what to do with their money.

[Aman619]

or maybe the collector already has a those off grade books youd rather buy. If so, what does he do then? buy more crappy (in comparison) midgrade copies that just arent as liquid? Or go after one of the best copies? And just try (or hope) not to get caught up in the madness and lose $$$s. But if you do, then, as others here say, then you just put your collector hat on again and enjoy the book.

[Steve_HOCP]

It is somewhat of a fallacy to see books sell this high and assume that "your book" that looks close to it would sell for near that price.

 

That X-Men #1 is graded as a CGC 9.4 and sold for $57K.

 

I just won an X-Men #1 of off Heritage in CGC 8.0 for $4,400.

 

That's around a 14 times difference in price because the 8.0 has a few light spine stress lines and a corner crease. To the non-collector community, it might seem insane to pay that much more because of the slight difference in wear, but that's the reality of high-grade collecting.

 

I am not a collector ( I am trying though ). I joined the forums to get help with grading my X-Men collection. 90% of the books I have are my books originally or were given to me by my father 25+ years ago. Almost all are in good shape, with a handful that are yellowing.

 

To see a comic I own go for $57k is astounding. Yes, it is true I have no idea how to grade my books, my copy is pretty good, but I have no idea how to compare it to the other book that went for $57k...I just think that most people are amazed at something going for that high of a price over book value.

 

Having said all that, I guess I feel a little stupid now because I have a crapload of money stuffed ( issue #1 - #350 ) in a crappy old comic book box. I guess I better make sure I get all the comics #1 - #150 CGC graded...maybe I got a jackpot winner too.

 

 

 

 

[Aman619]

from the scan you posted, your XMen#1 looks very nice indeed. Your dad must ahve taken very good care of his comics.

I say Go for it!! You may just have a 9.0, or better a 9.2, or, possibly, a 9.4!!

[uclapeterg]

There's a corner crease on your 8.0?

[supapimp]

nice dark green instead of the ugly puke green like the 9.4 on comiclink.

[Steve_HOCP]

Supapimp, Aman...

 

The funny thing is, I was a huge comic book buff becasue of my dad. I totally lost interest in high school and never gave it much thought after that. I just recently reached out to my readers at HardOCP and Hypothermia to help me fill in the holes in my collection. The more I look, the more I am floored by the price of these books.

 

They are for my son though ( like my pops did ) and not for sale, but HOLY HELL...it is hard not to think about all that money sitting in that crappy ol' card board box.

[Foolkiller]

you have an extremely nice copy from the scan there of the X-Men #1... Put that baby in a mylar with some stiff backing boards... don't just store it in the long box with the others.

 

Otherwise... cgc it. pic is too small to call it a 9.4... but it looks reeeal nice.

[Steve_HOCP]

Why are there two different covers for X-Men #1? There is the one like mine, and then another that is an outdoor background with the same poses. Is one worth more than the other?

[Foolkiller]

yours I believe is the original.. the other must be a reprint of some type.

[FFB]

Steve_HOCP:

 

I hope you paid attention to what Foolkiller said here. I cannot stress how important it is for you to get your early X-Men books out of that long box and either (a) into a 4 mil Mylar with a Full Back 42 mil acid free buffered backing board or (b) into CGC to get them slabbed and graded. Whatever you do, do not shove that book back into the long box. Every tiny nick or stress mark you put on any of those early X-Men books will reduce the value of those books exponentially.

 

Your X-Men #1 looks great. If the others are like that, you've got one hell of a collection.

 

you have an extremely nice copy from the scan there of the X-Men #1... Put that baby in a mylar with some stiff backing boards... don't just store it in the long box with the others.

 

Otherwise... cgc it. pic is too small to call it a 9.4... but it looks reeeal nice.

[FFB]

Ladies and Gentlemen,

 

We welcome you to today's installment of "What I collect is cool, what you collect is stupid."

 

Who died and made you the world's authority on what is a true collector? If I want to buy a near-perfect copy of a book that everyone wants, it is going to cost a lot of money. If I am willing to pay that money, then that's my business, not yours. You don't like it? Don't buy NM keys. You have other priorities for your money or don't have enough in the comic budget to buy expensive books? Don't buy NM keys. You think that collecting high grade books is silly and you'd rather have ten plentiful VFs than one impossible to find NM? Don't buy NM keys. But don't talk down to collectors who do. You are not the authority of what is a "true collector." There are people out there who have enough money to spend obscene amounts on a NM key, and still have enough left over to spend additional obscene amounts on other NM keys. (Just look at any of Captain Tripps' runs in the registry.) It's not like everyone has the same comic budget. And the fact that you have budgeted less money for comic purchases does not entitle you to sit on a high horse and say that those who budget more are not "true" collectors, whatever that term means to you.

 

Ok, its possible hes a collector.....but not a wise one. Would a true collector spend an exuberant amount of money on the best of the best copy of so and so, or would they purchase a slighty lesser quality book of so and so at 1/10th the cost and use the rest to purchase other books? All this breaks down to is which school of thought your a part of....quality or quantity? Personally, id take 10 midgrade books instead of 1 top census book.

[FFB]

This is a much nicer way of saying what I said. I wish I would not have let the frustration level get so high.

 

Personally, id take 10 midgrade books instead of 1 top census book.

 

You are projecting your personal preferences onto collectors in general who may have as valid a motive for pursuing one top census copy in lieu of 10 slightly lower condition copies/other books and making a judgement call as to who is a true collector, stigmatizing the high grade collector as a speculator or as someone who doesn't know what to do with their money.

[Steve_HOCP]

Thanks bro, I appreciate that.

 

I "THOUGHT" I had good bags and boards on all of them, but they are the garden variety stuff found at cheapy comic shops, so I ordered all new bags and boards from www.egerber.com after people here told me to.

 

You guys are a GOLDMINE of information.

 

Initially I was going to box up the whole lot and send them to CGC, but ( again ) I was advised here to only have #1 - #150 done right now. I also didn't know how expensive it was, but for the books I have, it is apparent that I need to get them done.

 

I have all my comics on CDROM now so they never have to be opened to be read. I can just kick back and read them on my PC.