Perfectionism and High Grade Collecting

[BassGMan]

I know, a little off topic but while some of us are suggesting "don't worry about the grade, just read the book". Well.... some of us don't care about reading the books. As mentioned before, I am not a perfectionist collector like some here, but at the same time, I'm not a reader either and have only read a few comics during my entire life (maybe just 5-10 a year at best). Sure they are OK, but I'd much rather watch a good movie or TV show. Really, I don't care how good a story is. I am more into good cover art and a little into good interior art. No, don't tell me that is "sad" as I get plenty of enjoyment out of just collecting and looking at the pretty covers.

 

And I do really understand perfectionist collecting. Just not to the point that you really have to limit yourself with the cost of these books when you can get much more for your money by being able to "live with" a few flaws. Either way, everybody knows best what he/she should be collecting so who really cares what other people have to say about "my" or "your" individual tastes or preferences.

 

As far as a method of therapy to "get over" the need for perfect books? All I would say is that you should compare the price that you are paying for perfection to other more practical items. For example: $800 for an ASM #300 CGC 9.8 or a brand new 35" Sony TV? One sits in a box or stored away and the other gives you YEARS of enjoyment and use. Instead, by your ASM #300 CGC 9.4 for $125 or so and get a 32" Sony TV with the difference. Something like that. ------Sid

[delekkerste]

Instead, by your ASM #300 CGC 9.4 for $125 or so and get a 32" Sony TV with the difference.

 

Who wants to buy my ASM #300 CGC 9.4 for $125???

[r100comics]

Paul

 

I think when collecting High Grade becomes this painful it's not really about the books anymore. Why not select some of your nicer books and send them to CGC. Once CGC confirm (or exceed) the grades you have allocated, it is bound to make you feel more secure about the quality of your collection. Trust me, when you call up for your grades it's like xmas and b'day rolled into one.

 

V.funny posts btw. I'd love to hear some more examples of your collecting madness.

 

p.s. Sorry about the Pretty J.I.M.s Of The Day. If I'd known they would have had this effect, I would have selected some [!@#%^&^]*ier copies !

[Ze-man]

Last night, I went to look at my copy of Amazing Spider-Man 136 after seeing the book discussed

on the boards recently. Looking at it, I was chagrined to see minute wear at both corners and a

small amount of surface wear.

 

I was pissed off for the rest of the evening. Looking at that one book made me feel my entire

collection was garbage books and that I wanted to sell everything.

 

 

While I am sorry to here about your plight.

I AM glad to hear that others besides me have had issues with being a forumite, and how it affects our own personal collections.

I knew a year ago when I came here I had very few, if any true HG comics, but I did have alot of very nice comics.

As with you, when I go through my boxes, what I once thought as ok.. is now for sale, or sold already.

 

I knew I had to give up comparing myself to the "Jones's" here on the forum ..since I will most likely never have the cash to ever buy what I really want, or like.

Or for that matter, I would never pay 5 -10x multiples for anything except a few certain comics, even if I had the money.

 

So as with other things in life..The trick is to...

 

Not be unhappy about the things you dont have..

But to be happy with what you got.

And better yet.. to want what you already have.

 

As Redhook once told me along time ago when I was down in the dumps about my budget..and was not able to buy anymore.

He said" Kenny, the comics will always be out there, and you can always find what you want on Ebay most any day of the week, your time will come"

 

This hit home with me.. I guess I already knew that, but when someone else says it , well , you listen.

Made me realize it is indeed not a race, and not a contest to try and win.

We all collect for different reasons, but I hope we all at least collect because we like either art, stories,etc..

 

The HG fever strikes us all, we all want the best comics we can get.. who wouldnt?

, but this is no way should diminish the part of our collection we already spent time and money compiling.

More then likely you have some really decent titles, and some really nice runs.

 

So next time you go thru your stuff, and all you see are flaws. creases, and scruffy corners.. put them back in the box, and walk away.

 

I bet if you took 25 of your nice comics to 25 different people you would get 25 different responses.

some would say.. " hrummph.. decent lot, ok for readers."

Other would say.." Wow.. nice comics, do you want to sell a few?"

And a few would say, "HOLY [!@#%^&^].. where did you get those Mint comics..those are really sweet, you are one lucky dude!".

 

My point is, the forum here teaches us all about comics , to be wary on Ebay, shillers, resubs, and all the baddies out there whole try to rip us off, the forum.But

it also shows us the cream of the crop.. among the finest specimens a comic title has to offer.

And that can indeed make us look at our current books in a different light.

 

 

So for me at least, I still love to see as many PBOTD as I can.

it not only teaches me more about grading comics , but also exposes me to books I might not otherwise see.

And when I go through my collection now, I do weed out the stuff I used to think was ok.. but I still find plenty of comics that make me smile, and make me glad I own them(flawed or not)

And yes..there will always be a better condition comic around... so dont chase the illusion.. of perfection revel in the fact you have some really, really nice comics.

Enjoy all your past comic finds, and from your experince here, make better buys in the future.

 

And if you want to sell off 25 nice comics, to buy 1 ultra HG, then thats ok too.

 

But I bet after you get that 1 HG home, you will kinda miss your 25 really decent F/VF comic gems.

 

 

My case and point in closing.

 

I just bought a Spiderman mag. #1 CGC 8.5 for $50 on Ebay this weekend.

6 were for sale by ShowcaseNE and all sold..

my 8.5 looked near identicle to the 9.4 which sold for $255, and the 9.6 which sold for $525

 

So to me, my $50 was very well spent on a really nice 8.5 , and who ever got the 9.6 for $525.. was his comic worth that much more?

To him it must have been.

But not to me.

 

Good luck to you , and happy hunting.

[OldGuy]

Should I also "suck it up"?

 

Yup.

[uclapeterg]

 

Another pathological tendency:

 

Sometimes when I'm on the fence about whether a book is nice enough to keep, I get this urge

to crease up a corner just so the decision will be irrevocably made....

[uclapeterg]

You can't let anyone else make you feel that your collection is bad or inadequate. If these boards make you strive to collect higher grade books, that's fine. But don't let them make you feel bad about books that you were happy with before.

 

Alas, I have been this way for at least 10 years. It just seems to get increasingly bad as time

passes. Although, I must admit, it doesn't help seeing the "Pretty JIM of the Day" threads.

I collected from 1980-1985 and then 1992-present. Books that in the early 80's I considered

the beauties of my collection are now the absolute dogs (the few that are left).

 

It's a hobby... it should be fun, not stressful.

 

That's what I keep telling myself Any suggestions on how to make myself believe it?

 

Tell youself in the mirror every day: "My collection is fine and people still like me".

[uclapeterg]

 

 

I'll pay you 2 whole cents for it!

 

Instead, by your ASM #300 CGC 9.4 for $125 or so and get a 32" Sony TV with the difference.

 

Who wants to buy my ASM #300 CGC 9.4 for $125???

[rabidwolf]

Think of it this way too. If you had the best copy of the books you wanted, collecting wouldnt be as fun. Part of the thrill is tring to hunt down better copies.

[squidmo2000]

I totally enjoy 5.0 -9.0 books,on a 5.0,if I have a shot of hooch and squint,it magically becomes an 8.5...............and I still have 2k in the bank the next day.............being on a limited budget,the only way I could complete any silver age set is by going 5.0 and up on early silver..........in fact,I just won an ASM #3 CGC 5.0 for $586.........the most I ever spent on a book........and even though I paid a little more than guide,to me its the nicest book in the world.........so what if a dog pooped on Ock's face..................

[Shadow]

I find it's a balancing act with "grades" as I get older. I can afford higher grades now than I could in High School. But I try to keep the enjoyment factor in mind. That's another factor of CGC that I don't care for. I prefer to open the comic and read it (carefully). Take in a small portal in time. I love when there's ads for other comics of the time.

But, as much as this BBS is fun, it has the ever so slight drawback of reminding me about "grades" and all the beauties out there that I don't have.

Hence, the balancing act.

 

I guess the challenge is for me to keep the hobby in perspective.

[PovertyRow]

 

Just making a point about how obsessive high grade collecting can make you...Should I also "suck it up"?

 

MONK?? (Had to ask!)

 

Any suggestions on how to make myself believe it?

Good suggestions have been given. Look at your books then look and see what is really out there, such as on ebay. And just LOOK at your books. The whole PQ thing is really for real. Does the book have rich colors and good gloss? I know all of the DC BA I bought from Greggy do. Sure, most have a small crease here os a tiny color break at the spine. He graded them that way (sometimes a bit undergraded IMO) and the books are beautiful when looked at as a whole. When I look at them they just POP. Then my eye goes to the "defects" and I say "OK" and then focus back to the whole and ejoy the POP again!

 

It is like SHALLOW HAL where Jason Alexander turned down a date with a beautiful, intelligent woman who had tickets to an exclusive Beatles reunion (with, as I recall, Clapton subbing for Lennon) - why? Because one of her toes was too long.

 

Does that sound familiar?

[tth2]

Since it seems like most of the people in this thread are trying to talk Paul off the ledge, let me be one of the people in the crowd yelling "JUMP!" Come to the dark side, Paul, where perfection becomes an obsession and no price is too high to pay for a copy without those annoying creases and flecks.

 

Seriously, though, it's all about what you're into. I personally collect high grade books because I like the challenge of assembling such a collection. I'm into SA, and in my opinion it would be too easy to assemble a run of mid-grade SA books (DC or Marvel). So if you want perfection, go for it, but realize that you can go with your completist tendencies or your perfectionist tendencies, but unless you have massive financial resources you won't be able to do both (at least not quickly).

[Silver Surfer]

Paul,

 

Auction it off, try and get a good price for it and then buy an upgrade? I will say that I do handle my slabbs now with much more care I as shudder at the thought of wrecking the corners on some of more high grade books.