What Are People Thinking With These Vampirellas?

[delekkerste]

This has got to be the most ridiculously overvalued segment of the comic market right now...how much longer can this go on? When will Chris Bell's bizarro "Brewster's Millions"-like spending spree come to an end? Seems like other people are bidding these books up to crazy levels as well...I can only guess that they fear ast1155td will corner the market at the rate he's going. Personally, I have no doubt that supply will eventually catch up to demand and these crack-pipe prices will plummet, just as what happened with not difficult-to-find comics (think Peter Parker #1) after a while with CGC.

 

Take a look at some of these choice results:

 

VAMPIRELLA # 8 CGC 9.8 $2,066.00

VAMPIRELLA # 12 CGC 9.8 $1,137.13

VAMPIRELLA # 15 CGC 9.8 $850.00

VAMPIRELLA # 6 CGC 9.6 $660.00

VAMPIRELLA # 14 CGC 9.6 $585.99

VAMPIRELLA # 7 CGC 9.4 $405.00

VAMPIRELLA # 25 CGC 9.6 $338.00

VAMPIRELLA #82 CGC 9.8 $279.99

VAMPIRELLA # 112 CGC 9.4 $255.00

VAMPIRELLA #15 CGC NM 9.4 $227.50

VAMPIRELLA # 109 CGC 9.4 $207.50

VAMPIRELLA #88 CGC 9.4 $183.01

VAMPIRELLA #5 CGC 9.2 $161.06

VAMPIRELLA #4 CGC 9.0 $159.99

VAMPIRELLA #94 CGC 9.4 $151.50

VAMPIRELLA #8 CGC 9.0 $127.50

[Bonds25]

All I can say is " "

[deathlok]

when CGC announced that they were going to do magazine grading, I thought cool, I can pick up some higher graded copies of mags I used to own. To this day I have yet to bid on an auction for a magazine. It seems any mag over 9.0 goes for outrageous amounts. I have a list that hopefully I will be able to purchase.

[Bonds25]

I've already started noticing the same magazines being listed again and again in really high grades (9.6 or 9.8). Give it about 6 months, and you'll be able to buy the same magazines for about 30-40% of what they're selling for today. I think there were multiple hoards of these magazines, and they're probably pretty plentiful in high grade.

[deathlok]

That's what I said in another thread, that this is just the tip of the iceberg for magazines. I think there are a lot of people out there who collected these but have not heard about or have not submitted books to be graded.

[shiverbones]

well, the best copies are coming from the same source that was 3-5 deep on each issue, so there are at least 3-5 9.6 to 9.8 of just about every warren from that source.

[Marvelous]

This has got to be the most ridiculously overvalued segment of the comic market right now...how much longer can this go on? When will Chris Bell's bizarro "Brewster's Millions"-like spending spree come to an end? Seems like other people are bidding these books up to crazy levels as well...I can only guess that they fear ast1155td will corner the market at the rate he's going. Personally, I have no doubt that supply will eventually catch up to demand and these crack-pipe prices will plummet, just as what happened with not difficult-to-find comics (think Peter Parker #1) after a while with CGC.

 

Take a look at some of these choice results:

 

VAMPIRELLA # 8 CGC 9.8 $2,066.00

VAMPIRELLA # 12 CGC 9.8 $1,137.13

VAMPIRELLA # 15 CGC 9.8 $850.00

VAMPIRELLA # 6 CGC 9.6 $660.00

VAMPIRELLA # 14 CGC 9.6 $585.99

VAMPIRELLA # 7 CGC 9.4 $405.00

VAMPIRELLA # 25 CGC 9.6 $338.00

VAMPIRELLA #82 CGC 9.8 $279.99

VAMPIRELLA # 112 CGC 9.4 $255.00

VAMPIRELLA #15 CGC NM 9.4 $227.50

VAMPIRELLA # 109 CGC 9.4 $207.50

VAMPIRELLA #88 CGC 9.4 $183.01

VAMPIRELLA #5 CGC 9.2 $161.06

VAMPIRELLA #4 CGC 9.0 $159.99

VAMPIRELLA #94 CGC 9.4 $151.50

VAMPIRELLA #8 CGC 9.0 $127.50

 

More example of a person being greedy while others are being fearful to me.

[Marvelous]

I think you need to add 'EXCEPT IN THE CASE OF BUYING HG COMIC BOOKS' to the end of Warren Buffett's "Be greedy when others are fearful and fearful when others are greedy" quote in your sig line.

[delekkerste]

I think you need to add 'EXCEPT IN THE CASE OF BUYING HG COMIC BOOKS' to the end of Warren Buffett's "Be greedy when others are fearful and fearful when others are greedy" quote in your sig line.

 

[joe_collector]

More example of a person being greedy while others are being fearful to me.

 

I was right, you are the stupidest person on Earth.

[Marvelous]

More example of a person being greedy while others are being fearful to me.

 

I was right, you are the stupidest person on Earth.

 

Are you saying the people buying those mags are being fearful and you are being greedy? Think that makes you the stupid one insufficiently_thoughtful_person.

[joe_collector]

Are you saying the people buying those mags are being fearful and you are being greedy? Think that makes you the stupid one insufficiently_thoughtful_person.

 

You don't seem to understand the quote, do you? Not surprising, not surprising at all.

[Marvelous]

Are you saying the people buying those mags are being fearful and you are being greedy? Think that makes you the stupid one insufficiently_thoughtful_person.

 

You don't seem to understand the quote, do you? Not surprising, not surprising at all.

 

No, you are not surprising. You're just acting like the typical doom and gloom prophet you are.

[magelsa]

This has got to be the most ridiculously overvalued segment of the comic market right now...how much longer can this go on? When will Chris Bell's bizarro "Brewster's Millions"-like spending spree come to an end? Seems like other people are bidding these books up to crazy levels as well...I can only guess that they fear ast1155td will corner the market at the rate he's going. Personally, I have no doubt that supply will eventually catch up to demand and these crack-pipe prices will plummet, just as what happened with not difficult-to-find comics (think Peter Parker #1) after a while with CGC.

 

Take a look at some of these choice results:

 

VAMPIRELLA # 8 CGC 9.8 $2,066.00

VAMPIRELLA # 12 CGC 9.8 $1,137.13

VAMPIRELLA # 15 CGC 9.8 $850.00

VAMPIRELLA # 6 CGC 9.6 $660.00

VAMPIRELLA # 14 CGC 9.6 $585.99

VAMPIRELLA # 7 CGC 9.4 $405.00

VAMPIRELLA # 25 CGC 9.6 $338.00

VAMPIRELLA #82 CGC 9.8 $279.99

VAMPIRELLA # 112 CGC 9.4 $255.00

VAMPIRELLA #15 CGC NM 9.4 $227.50

VAMPIRELLA # 109 CGC 9.4 $207.50

VAMPIRELLA #88 CGC 9.4 $183.01

VAMPIRELLA #5 CGC 9.2 $161.06

VAMPIRELLA #4 CGC 9.0 $159.99

VAMPIRELLA #94 CGC 9.4 $151.50

VAMPIRELLA #8 CGC 9.0 $127.50

 

Not just the Vampirella mags, what about the Creepy and Eerie mags (such as that infamous 9.9 copy) - there will be loads of high grade (more than Vampirella) copies capable of reaching 9.6 and 9.8 out there, and to spend hundreds of dollars on these is a bit much. These prices are not realistic, and although the buyer may have money to burn, his spending I am sure will not determine future prices on mags. I love high grade mags, but am happy to have a nice collection of raw mags peppered with a few interesting CGC items such as high grade Skywald and Atlas/Seaboard mags. What is surprising is that the buyer in question spent nearly $200.00 (I'm not 100% sure about that sum, but somewhere in the region) for a Marvel Monsters Unleashed number one mag graded at 9.4. A short while before that, I was the only bidder on a 9.6 copy and got it for $80.00, which I think is a good and realistic price. However, I myself am guilty of having overpaid for CGC mags, but nothing in the way of those Vampirellas. I basically ignore CGC Vampirella auctions now.

[musicmeta]

It's just like the first CGC comics that first appeared. Lot's of high bidding.

These mags will cool down and the high bidding will mostly stop.

[lighthouse]

True... but it's hard to tell which prices are actually insane, and which are bargains...

 

It was a HUGE deal when Matt Plourde's first 9.4 Hulk 181 sold for over $1000 on eBay. That price is now a bargain... But at the time a ton of people were talking about how many more copies there must be in 9.4... Turns out it didn't matter, there were far more people wanting the book...

 

The guys with the best stuff are always the guys who paid prices that were thought insane at the time. There are plenty of people who overpay and get burned, but the guy who bought Plourde's Hulk 181 certainly didn't. And I imagine some of the "insane" buyers of high grade Mags won't be either. It's just "which ones?"...

 

Mags have had no liquidity at all for many years. So the prices have remained incredibly sticky. Once the liquidity is there (which it will be after more of them are graded) the prices can move. The guys "overpaying" right now are just drawing lines in the sand where they believe the prices will pass... And while everyone talks about how many HG copies they have seen here, or there, or heard about in that warehouse, or saw at that one San Diego, or a buddy saw at that other show, until the copies start really getting certified no one really knows. Mags are VERY difficult to store. And many dealers who HAD HG copies at some point don't anymore because it wasn't worth the effort to keep them 9.6+ because "no one will ever want these"...

[deathlok]

Not only that, but it takes more than one person willing to bid that high to get that price. So the demand for these books is there at those prices.

[delekkerste]

Not only that, but it takes more than one person willing to bid that high to get that price. So the demand for these books is there at those prices.

 

The operative words are "for now". Remember, there were underbidders on that Spectacular Spider-Man #1 CGC 9.8 that sold for $763 in 2001 as well. There's no rule that they have to stick around at that level. Lighthouse's Hulk #181 story was an aberration because it took place before people had caught on to the CGC phenomenon. From what I have seen and what others have said, the first copy or two usually fetches the highest price and then subsequent prices tail off, often dramatically once the demand from the "gotta have it first at any price" crowd has been satisfied.

 

I have no doubt that these "lines in the sand" are being drawn at unrealistic levels. Considering that the original painted cover artwork for some of these Warren mags start at only around $800, it seems ridiculous that people would pay hundreds/thousands of dollars for just copies of non-key issues, some of which are most certainly not rare given the existence of all the Warren warehouse copies, the Jim Warren file copies and more.

[deathlok]

Not only that, but it takes more than one person willing to bid that high to get that price. So the demand for these books is there at those prices.

 

The operative words are "for now". Remember, there were underbidders on that Spectacular Spider-Man #1 CGC 9.8 that sold for $763 in 2001 as well. There's no rule that they have to stick around at that level. Lighthouse's Hulk #181 story was an aberration because it took place before people had caught on to the CGC phenomenon. From what I have seen and what others have said, the first copy or two usually fetches the highest price and then subsequent prices tail off, often dramatically once the demand from the "gotta have it first at any price" crowd has been satisfied.

 

true, but if their is a perceived shortage of these books in HG, someone will be willing to pay the price. That price will hopefully level out from the current price it is now. There will always be aberrations in the field, due to someone with no common sense bidding on a book.

[shiverbones]

i do have to say, that i have searched for high grade warrens since the early 90's. Until i stumbled across the jim warren copies from steve dolnick, i NEVER saw pefecrt copies. not even the warehouse stashes. I Do expect the top copies, 9.8 in particular to be pretty much limited to those copies. 9.4's and 9.6's will turn up from other sources, but there are no piles of prefect copies.Warehouse copies tended to be 6.0 to 8.5. I think the highest prices are too high, of course, i think most prices paid for almost any comic 9.6 to 9.8 are too high, but i don't think you will be seeing a flood of high grades.