Post your Overstreet Surprises...

[drbanner]

First, No Doubt that the date stamp in the middle of the book, killed the market for the FF #55.

 

No doubt about that now...Lauderbach's CGC 9.2 copy with white pages and no date stamp just went for over double the price at $375!

 

Personally, I think this is more an example of a cooling market (at least on this book), then of "date stamp avoidance".

 

I know I am not the only one who doesn't mind date stamps (I actually like them; it gives a book character....acknowledges a specific moment in time, if you will, when a book was first new.) Its hard for me to accept that a simple date stamp will devalue an otherwise nice high grade book by a factor of two or three.

 

The second copy had white pages and was just about perfectly centered. The first copy had OW/W pages, and in addition to the date stamp on the front cover it had writing on the back cover. According to GPA, the $375 sale is a record sale for this book (with the exception of the White Mountain copy), so I don't think it's a cooling market nearly as much as it's a case of collectors buying the book, and not the label.

[JiveTurkeyMoFo]

The second copy had white pages and was just about perfectly centered. The first copy had OW/W pages, and in addition to the date stamp on the front cover it had writing on the back cover. According to GPA, the $375 sale is a record sale for this book (with the exception of the White Mountain copy), so I don't think it's a cooling market nearly as much as it's a case of collectors buying the book, and not the label

 

I think this is all the more reason I am glad that OS got rid of the 9.4 price....when there is so much volatility just between 9.2s!

 

I have other evidence to suggest the FF market has cooled significantly....the FF # 43 I also got from Bob is a great looking book, MUCH nicer then the 9.2 I sold on eBay last year for $300. And this is a TOUGH book, the final issue before FFs start becoming more common in HG with # 44. Anyone else remember the 9.4 that sold for $644 last year on ebay?

 

Also, Silveracre's decent looking 8.5 FF # 11 sold for what I thought would have been below market (at least by the ultra hot December 02-February 03 market). That book looked very comparable to Bob's 9.2 that went for primo dough.

[sfilosa]

have other evidence to suggest the FF market has cooled significantly....the FF # 43 I also got from Bob is a great looking book, MUCH nicer then the 9.2 I sold on eBay last year for $300. And this is a TOUGH book, the final issue before FFs start becoming more common in HG with # 44. Anyone else remember the 9.4 that sold for $644 last year on ebay?

 

Also, Silveracre's decent looking 8.5 FF # 11 sold for what I thought would have been below market (at least by the ultra hot December 02-February 03 market). That book looked very comparable to Bob's 9.2 that went for primo dough.

 

There is definitely a cooling off on FF's and JIM's. Not huge, but there isn't that "rush" to buy now, before prices even get higher.

 

And regardless of what you think, THE DATE STAMP (plus the miscut), hurt the sale price of BlazingBob's FF #55.

 

Lastly, you can take two approaches to this slight cooldown.

 

1) You can not buy anything (and maybe even sell some), with the idea that there will be a long term downward correction in prices.

 

2) You can watch, and buy books that you believe are now bargains, with the idea that in a few months, the "lull" will be over with, and prices will go back up.

 

I don't know which is the right answer, but I do know what I'm doing.

[uclapeterg]

That date stamp is in a pretty bad place.

 

date stamp haters

 

That's why I skipped it

[JiveTurkeyMoFo]

And regardless of what you think, THE DATE STAMP (plus the miscut), hurt the sale price of BlazingBob's FF #55.

 

I'll conceed you this point....but consider what it really means. Those of you who have come out and said that you passed on Bob's 9.2 did it because of the date stamp and writing. Fair enough.

 

But where are the second tier eBay buyers who don't mind a date stamp or arrival date so much? Why didn't anyone (not from the "Usual suspects" of this board) make a play for the book?

 

Last year, I sold off dozens of undercopies (9.0-9.4) on ebay, virtually always at a profit. Miswrapped, date stamped, arrival dates, you name it. There was always a buyer...always. I offered many of the books to Forum members (who are, rightfully, a picky bunch), and most of the books were passed on because of something or another..yet they always managed to find a home through eBay. I can virtually guarantee you that many of the 9.2 copies of this book that sold in the last 12-24 months had writing, or miswraps, or less then White page quality, yet they still sold regularly for $250-$350.

 

My only point is that this kind of volatility isn't good. Think of it this way; after two years of tracking ebay and Heritage sales, GPAnalysis indicates that this book in non-pedigreed 9.2.has recorded both its HIGH and LOW in sales on the same day! That isn't good!

[drbanner]

Buy the book, not the label is what happened here, I dont' see how anyone can say anything differently?

 

You got a nice deal, but everyone that was looking at Bob's copy surely knew that only 4 hours later there was a much better looking copy available with white pages, and not to mention, there's another real nice 9.2 copy that ends wednesday! The WP copy didn't go over $200 until well after Bob's copy ended, so who was to know??

 

Prior to yesterday, only one 9.2 had been sold on ebay this year, and it went for $343. I'm afraid Bob had lousy timing with this one, but OTOH, your timing was pretty good!

[sfilosa]

My only point is that this kind of volatility isn't good. Think of it this way; after two years of tracking ebay and Heritage sales, GPAnalysis indicates that this book in non-pedigreed 9.2.has recorded both its HIGH and LOW in sales on the same day! That isn't good!

 

 

Actually, what this says is VERY GOOD.

 

It means, AT LEAST FOR NOW, that people are really BUYING THE BOOK, NOT THE LABEL.

 

I know about 6-8 months ago, I really started to focus on quality books. That meant NO:

 

1) Cream to Off-White pages

2) No date stamps or writing on the front cover (I accept them on the back cover or inside pages)

3) No Slanted Miscuts (unless it is only noticable on the back side).

4) No yellowing or dust shadows on the front cover

5) Any other defect that gives me the "willies".

 

Yes, that limits the number of books for me to buy, but I haven't had a huge problem spending more than I should.

[JiveTurkeyMoFo]

Buy the book, not the label is what happened here, I dont' see how anyone can say anything differently?

 

Within the tiny little community of collectors on this board, I agree, this is what happened...

 

But within the context of the wider market, including eBay buyers (who are nowhere as picky as a whole), there was no interest in this book.

 

Let's take the example of the FF 43 CGC 9.2 that I also won from Bob. Nice book, decent centering. Page Quality was comparable to the fugly 9.2 that I sold last year for $300 that wasn't close to being this nice. With that sale in mind, and the sale of two 9.4s in the $650-$675 range last year, why wasn't anyone else bidding on this book besides James and myself? I know its not a book every FF collector has; the census and experience tells me so.

 

Granted, $233 is not a huge step down from $300, but considering the quality of the book and that FF values are supposed to have increased significantly from last summer, the lack of action outside of two Forum members really gives me pause.

 

All I am saying is that this appears to be a different market then it was just a few months ago.

[Foolkiller]

9.2s are definitely different than they were 12 months ago. I think there's a definite correction on those crazy multiples. I think those multiples as more geared towards the truly rare like certain books in 9.4 and others in 9.6 and better. The 9.2s for the ultra rare will always command a premium... but I think there are enough high grade Marvels out there to bring 9.2s back down to guide.

[fantastic_four]

Also, Silveracre's decent looking 8.5 FF # 11 sold for what I thought would have been below market (at least by the ultra hot December 02-February 03 market). That book looked very comparable to Bob's 9.2 that went for primo dough.

 

Why below market? That's by far the most I've seen an 8.5 copy of that issue go for. A 9.0 sold for around this amount sometime in 2002 or 2003. Bob's 9.2 went for $2500; an 8.5 going for half the price of a 9.2 isn't all that common. Usually 8.5s go for 1/3 or 1/4 the price of 9.2s.

[fantastic_four]

With that sale in mind, and the sale of two 9.4s in the $650-$675 range last year, why wasn't anyone else bidding on this book besides James and myself? I know its not a book every FF collector has; the census and experience tells me so.

 

I can tell you why I didn't bid more--I don't flip books, and I see 9.2s going down in price over the next few years due to rising population counts attributed to normal slabbing and resubmission upgrades. If I didn't get it for $225 yesterday, I suspect I'll get my chance before too long.

[JiveTurkeyMoFo]

Bob's 9.2 went for $2500

 

Didn't he have a $4,000 price tag on it? He came down $1,500 on the price?

[JiveTurkeyMoFo]

and I see 9.2s going down in price over the next few years due to rising population counts attributed to normal slabbing and resubmission upgrades.

 

I agree with you James, and I think you are right. Are we to surmise that since no one other then yourself and I bid on this book that this realization of 9.2s becoming more common is market-wide?

[fantastic_four]

I agree with you James, and I think you are right. Are we to surmise that since no one other then yourself and I bid on this book that this realization of 9.2s becoming more common is market-wide?

 

I dunno. Since I'm a collector who holds onto books, I mostly look at year-to-year trends, not month-to-month or week-to-week.

 

I do think many collectors of all levels are in a "wait-and-see" frame of mind right now due to pressing and cleaning. I view that FF #26 CGC 9.6 that JP bought as evidence of that; I was surprised none of the usual BSD complete run perfectionists jumped on it since it's a book that only comes up for sale every few years.

[fantastic_four]

Didn't he have a $4,000 price tag on it? He came down $1,500 on the price?

 

( collector name deleted ) paid $4000 for that copy!?!!? Whoa, I must have been thinking about the 9.2 that sold on ComicLink or the 9.2 that sold on Metro last year.

 

The movie could prove me wrong, but I don't think we're going to see prices like this paid on FFs for a few more years. I finally got out to buy the new Guide yesterday and look it over last night, and Overstreet is still mostly lagging the actual market prices on early Silver Age FFs and Spideys by about 20% to 200%, but he's definitely closer now than he's ever been. And on many issues, he's right on track, particularly the late Silver and Bronze issues.

[JiveTurkeyMoFo]

paid $4000 for that copy!?!!?

 

I don't know who bought it, but I'm pretty sure about the asking price.

[uclapeterg]

I don't need a 43 .

[FFB]

FWIW, I would have bid on this book too. I just missed the auction.

 

and I see 9.2s going down in price over the next few years due to rising population counts attributed to normal slabbing and resubmission upgrades.

 

I agree with you James, and I think you are right. Are we to surmise that since no one other then yourself and I bid on this book that this realization of 9.2s becoming more common is market-wide?

[Rob]

Is this the thread that called out OS errors? I noticed that in the Batman listings, they show Batman #227, but call it 237. Also, in the Detective prices, they describe #114 as the first small logo, but list it with the wrong group of issues.

[BachelorOfComix]

Is this the thread that called out OS errors? I noticed that in the Batman listings, they show Batman #227, but call it 237. Also, in the Detective prices, they describe #114 as the first small logo, but list it with the wrong group of issues.

Tower of Shadows 1 does NOT have a "Classic Steranko-c". Story + art , yes. Cover, no.