Thread closed

[Whizzer]

Look, I think it depends on your reasons for collecting. If you want to build a portfolio of books for investment purposes you are going to be looking at ultra high grade books with ultra high price tags, that is just the nature of high end collecting.

 

If on the other hand, you want to build a collection to read and enjoy, then lower your grade requirements to maybe the 5.0 to 7.0 range. You'll still have a really nice collection at a fraction of the cost. It will probably still appreciate in value, but at a much slower rate.

 

If you want specific advice, you need to decide what you want to achieve and state that clearly here so that people can be of more help.

 

Don't be in too much of a rush, it takes years to learn to grade accurately and to learn about the finer points of the hobby. I've been at it for more than 35 years and I'm still learning.

 

You are in the best place here to learn, but maybe just slow down a little. (thumbs u

 

[Capt.America88]

thanks and i want to be able to have a collection and let it be worth something one day im going to slow down but i wish to know how to grade so i dont keep going to shops and not knowing the grade of an old comic that someone on here might want,or i myself might want

[Whizzer]

I would advise you to get a copy of the latest Overstreet price guide. It gives a reasonably good explanation of grading as well as prices for the main grades. It also gives a lot of historical info and helps identify keys etc.

 

However, remember with regard to the prices it lists, it is a guide only and actual prices can vary wildly.

 

It is a good starting point though and a useful tool for the new collector.

[Scrooge]

I believe Whizzer's post to be fantastic.

 

You need to decide what the hobby is to you. There are some people who can easily turn their hobby into a money making proposition but it's "hard work": learning how you are going to do it, spending the time to make the needed connections and the rounds, looking for comics at every opportunity, grading properly, establishing your reputation on the boards and elsewhere, ... It takes time. If you are willing to dedicate the time, you can achieve that.

 

But that also means you cannot buy that Cap, not know its grade and wonder if the $20 you paid for is worth it. I don't know that market but I bet you could have paid less for a similar copy with little effort. Still, it remains that it's only a couple of bucks different. That's not how you are going to jump from a $20 Cap to higher dollar keys, no matter what you know.

 

The boards can distort one's perceptions. I love seeing books that boardies post but I never lose the sight that some collectors posting here spend more on one book than I have put in my collection over a 5-year span. I accept it and develop my collecting goals around that fact, even if it means I buy low grade '50's romance comics with artists whose work I like

 

Bottom line: This is a large hobby that can sustain your interest for years (look at Whizzer, he's been at it for 35 years!); don't chase what may be out of reach, set your sights to reasonable goals, sit back and HAVE FUN!! for Pete's sakes.

[Capt.America88]

I believe Whizzer's post to be fantastic.

 

You need to decide what the hobby is to you. There are some people who can easily turn their hobby into a money making proposition but it's "hard work": learning how you are going to do it, spending the time to make the needed connections and the rounds, looking for comics at every opportunity, grading properly, establishing your reputation on the boards and elsewhere, ... It takes time. If you are willing to dedicate the time, you can achieve that.

 

But that also means you cannot buy that Cap, not know its grade and wonder if the $20 you paid for is worth it. I don't know that market but I bet you could have paid less for a similar copy with little effort. Still, it remains that it's only a couple of bucks different. That's not how you are going to jump from a $20 Cap to higher dollar keys, no matter what you know.

 

The boards can distort one's perceptions. I love seeing books that boardies post but I never lose the sight that some collectors posting here spend more on one book than I have put in my collection over a 5-year span. I accept it and develop my collecting goals around that fact, even if it means I buy low grade '50's romance comics with artists whose work I like

 

Bottom line: This is a large hobby that can sustain your interest for years (look at Whizzer, he's been at it for 35 years!); don't chase what may be out of reach, set your sights to reasonable goals, sit back and HAVE FUN!! for Pete's sakes.

 

thanks bud

[oakman29]

Justin I have been trying to tell you,and you don't seem to listen to me.You have to keep focus here,you have only been on here for two or three days.First you want to do one thing,then collect,buy,then sell.your trying to do everything all at once,slow down.

[Capt.America88]

Justin I have been trying to tell you,and you don't seem to listen to me.You have to keep focus here,you have only been on here for two or three days.First you want to do one thing,then collect,buy,then sell.your trying to do everything all at once,slow down.

 

well i have been listening but when you have a female in your ear yelling at you for not spending the money on her and on the comics it gets very annoying and now i want to collect but at a slower pace once i get a cap 109 so i can look for books for other people and i am trying to help people get comics that are near my home or local shops

[oakman29]

but what do i do with them if no one wants them i dont want to hold onto them

What happened to a sentimental value,your Grandfather gave you those.I would be holding onto them just for that reason alone.

[Capt.America88]

Oakman go to my other thread and well talk there

[oakman29]

Why? it's the same topic over there too!

[skypinkblu]

I would advise you to get a copy of the latest Overstreet price guide. It gives a reasonably good explanation of grading as well as prices for the main grades. It also gives a lot of historical info and helps identify keys etc.

 

However, remember with regard to the prices it lists, it is a guide only and actual prices can vary wildly.

 

It is a good starting point though and a useful tool for the new collector.

 

Good advice, as a start I sent him this the other day http://www.gemstonepub.com/archive/06_grading.asp

 

and I scanned the Cap pages from Overstreet for him...

 

I am hoping he'll slow down and learn to use both resources.

 

[Hibou]

Another GREAT place to go to get a good feel on grading is here...

 

http://boards.collectors-society.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=postlist&Board=50&page=1

 

Pick a book and read through what people think a certain book is graded at.

 

Just keep looking at those and looking at books that CGC graded and you'll start to see what makes a certain book that grade.

[Conan_Aficionado]

With regards to pricing, I seldom follow Overstreet values for raw books. What you want to do is look at market values, or the prices that folks are paying for books, You want to look at stuff like GPA, Heritage final sales, Ebay comleted listings and other auction houses to get an idea of what realistic market values are.

 

In general you'll notice that books sell at a discount from overstreet, depending on the nature of the book, attributes such as the title, condition and whether it's a key or not will determine how close to guide a book can sell for.

 

I buy Amazing Spider-man books and more recently Silver Age spideys, and my observations are that they can be found on the CGC sales board for around 50% of guide, semi-keys for 50-70% of guide and keys can fetch as much or more than 100% of guide depending on the environment, like if a movie is coming out.

 

I've also found myself bidding up low grade spideys on ebay up to 100% of guide, either a lapse of judgement on my part or high demand for lower grade books.

[thehumantorch]

Justin I have been trying to tell you,and you don't seem to listen to me.You have to keep focus here,you have only been on here for two or three days.First you want to do one thing,then collect,buy,then sell.your trying to do everything all at once,slow down.

 

well i have been listening but when you have a female in your ear yelling at you for not spending the money on her and on the comics it gets very annoying and now i want to collect but at a slower pace once i get a cap 109 so i can look for books for other people and i am trying to help people get comics that are near my home or local shops

 

Seems like this place is changing how you view comics. Not a surprise, it

affects us all.

 

As far as buying and selling comics for a profit there is no magic formula.

There are many full-time and part-time dealers here and they all know more

about comic values, grading and demand than you. Keep reading, study

grading threads, watch what sells easily and what has to be discounted

heavily to sell. Soak it all up like a big sponge and appreciate that you've

become involved in a hobby that is rewarding and that you never stop learning.

 

Your girlfriend has a point. Don't spend every penny possible here and

ignore her. Decide on a monthly comic budget and stick to it.

 

Consider changing careers to increase your pay or find a part-time job to

increase your comic buying budget. I work overtime at work just to buy

comics and I never spend $$ from my regular paycheque on them.

 

I feel for you dude. Join this place, see all the crazy cool comics for sale,

see what people have in their collection and what they lay out without

blinking an eye and realize you're a goldfish in a whale tank. It makes you

question what to buy, how to pay for it and what to do next.

 

There are several ways to build a collection.

 

Scrooge, for example, buys tons of cool, low grade, low cost books. I don't

believe I've ever see him lay down more then $30 on one comic. He builds

runs, he collects certain artists and he has a wonderful and varied

collection.

 

There are others who chase expensive, key books. Most of them buy only

a few stunning books per year.

 

Or you could find a middle ground. Purchase a few amazing books per year

and also work on your favorite set in low grade.

[ComicConnoisseur]

but what do i do with them if no one wants them i dont want to hold onto them

Sounds like you thought they would be worth much more,so your disappointed now. Don`t feel like your alone, as this happens a lot with the majority of comic books. I would just enjoy them for the good memories your granddad had collecting and saving them for you. All comic books can`t be Action 1s and Amazing Fantasy 15s, but they still can be cherished.

[Hibou]

but what do i do with them if no one wants them i dont want to hold onto them

Sounds like you thought they would be worth much more,so your disappointed now. Don`t feel like your alone, as this happens a lot with the majority of comic books. I would just enjoy them for the good memories your granddad had collecting and saving them for you. All comic books can`t be Action 1s and Amazing Fantasy 15s, but they still can be cherished.

 

+1

 

(BTW, I really like your new avatar, CC!)

[ComicConnoisseur]

but what do i do with them if no one wants them i dont want to hold onto them

Sounds like you thought they would be worth much more,so your disappointed now. Don`t feel like your alone, as this happens a lot with the majority of comic books. I would just enjoy them for the good memories your granddad had collecting and saving them for you. All comic books can`t be Action 1s and Amazing Fantasy 15s, but they still can be cherished.

 

+1

 

(BTW, I really like your new avatar, CC!)

thanks

 

[Mr.Diggler]

I thought this thread was closed?

[This is water]

It should be.

[Mr.Diggler]