What's more disheartening...

[Dr. Balls]

...Cruising the antique/junk stores and not finding any comic books, or feeling that tiny pang of excitement when you see a pile of books only to go through them and they're nothing but Psi-Force, Night Thrasher and Marvel Universe Handbook comics?

 

 

[Ryan.]

...Cruising the antique/junk stores and not finding any comic books, or feeling that tiny pang of excitement when you see a pile of books only to go through them and they're nothing but Psi-Force, Night Thrasher and Marvel Universe Handbook comics?

 

 

It can be painful sorting through those stacks of early 90s drek (no boards, cloudy bags), especially when as you are looking there is a dealer standing over your shoulder saying, "Two bucks each or the whole stack for fifty." It's hard to resist the urge to say, "Are you serious? You want how much for these Brute Forces?"

[DeliBebek]

Sometimes you just have to save some of those poor books. I saved a stack of American Flagg over the summer, but I had to pass on the Sub-Mariner (I forget the number, but early 70s issue) which looked great from the front and chewed up from the back, asking $8.00.

[seanfingh]

...Cruising the antique/junk stores and not finding any comic books, or feeling that tiny pang of excitement when you see a pile of books only to go through them and they're nothing but Psi-Force, Night Thrasher and Marvel Universe Handbook comics?

 

 

Not finding any is waaaaaay worse.

[mrwoogieman]

My favorite is when a Craigslist seller sends you a gigantic spreadsheet of all of their 90s drek. What a colossal waste of time for them!

 

[Dr. Balls]

One place spent the money to put them in mylars when they bagged and priced them. I mean, the mylar is worth more than the book.

[Jeffro.]

...Cruising the antique/junk stores and not finding any comic books, or feeling that tiny pang of excitement when you see a pile of books only to go through them and they're nothing but Psi-Force, Night Thrasher and Marvel Universe Handbook comics?

 

 

Not finding any is waaaaaay worse.

 

I don't know. I go into those places not expecting to find any comics. Nothing is more crushing than seeing a stack of what you know is old comics only to find out they are low grade copies of non-Disney Dells, or a stack of yellowed New Universe titles.

[Ryan.]

There is an antique shop in Maine I visited recently that had a giant stack of 60s stuff, mostly non-Disney Dells, as usual. They had no bags, boards, nothing. They were also stacked on top of each other with the spines curling from years of neglect. They were behind a counter so I asked the lady working if I could check them out. She sighed, loudly and angrily, and dropped them on the counter. I flipped through every one, about 60 or so in all, and thought I hit paydirt when I stumbled upon a Journey Into Mystery 84 in maybe GD- with yellow pages at the bottom of the pile. I pumped my fist and asked how much, thinking I found the 2nd Thor in the (usually) $2 pile. The lady called some dude on the phone and said, "$350". I said, "Uhh, no thanks" and handed it back. She tossed the JIM 84 back into the stack carelessly and then the whole stack back behind the counter. There was no secret treasure to be found.

[Jeffro.]

There is an antique shop in Maine I visited recently

 

I've been to a couple in Maine. Where was it?

[Dr. Balls]

I flipped through every one, about 60 or so in all, and thought I hit paydirt when I stumbled upon a Journey Into Mystery 84 in maybe GD- with yellow pages at the bottom of the pile. I pumped my fist and asked how much, thinking I found the 2nd Thor in the (usually) $2 pile. The lady called some dude on the phone and said, "$350". I said, "Uhh, no thanks" and handed it back. She tossed the JIM 84 back into the stack carelessly and then the whole stack back behind the counter. There was no secret treasure to be found.

 

Ahhh, yes - the antique shop that thinks a comic book is worth 100% of the Overstreet value regardless of condition. There's a place like that here, and it's a bummer. I found early Byrne Uncannys, but they wanted $50 for a GD/VG copy.

[Ryan.]

There is an antique shop in Maine I visited recently

 

I've been to a couple in Maine. Where was it?

 

It was in Kennebunk, I believe, or maybe a town over. I can't remember what the name was. There's about 900 antique shops per square mile in that area.

[krighton]

was searching estate auctions for comics, here's a local auction house auction off lots of comics. I'm guessing they're expecting 2x guide as a minimum.

 

i especially like the jim 83 in a freezer bag.

 

stopped by 2nd and Charles today, half price books knock off, they had about 20 long boxes of comics. I picked out a 52 #11 and a 52 #33 (batwoman appearances) for $1 each. That was about it. Alot of tightly packed shlock.

 

Comic gold

[mintcollector]

It's much harder (in my opinion) to get good deals in antique stores in the New England states; on anything. This is because 'antiquing' is very much alive and well in this region, and they take price guides very seriously. One thing I love about Pennsylvania, especially Adamstown and the region where I live, is that due to massive competition there is always a deal. I love 'picking' in this area.

 

That being said, a lot of antique dealers don't understand the comic book market overall. This can lead to good finds, and stories like the JIM #84; in the above example (not good finds).

 

[Jeffro.]

There is an antique shop in Maine I visited recently

 

I've been to a couple in Maine. Where was it?

 

It was in Kennebunk, I believe, or maybe a town over. I can't remember what the name was. There's about 900 antique shops per square mile in that area.

 

true dat.

[Ryan.]

It's much harder (in my opinion) to get good deals in antique stores in the New England states; on anything. This is because 'antiquing' is very much alive and well in this region, and they take price guides very seriously. One thing I love about Pennsylvania, especially Adamstown and the region where I live, is that due to massive competition there is always a deal. I love 'picking' in this area.

 

That being said, a lot of antique dealers don't understand the comic book market overall. This can lead to good finds, and stories like the JIM #84; in the above example (not good finds).

 

I have a bunch of examples just like that too. I found an ASM 298 in VF sitting on a coin dealer's table once, my eyes lit up, I turned it over and found a $75 price tag on the back, I put it down and ran away.

[ForlornOutcast]

I think its worse not finding any. At least it made the trip worthwhile if you get excited and get to look through a stack of books.

 

I got lucky at a local auction recently and got a stack of late 50's dcs for about a buck a book. OOAW #81 was among them

[TheShadowKnows]

There is an antique shop in Maine I visited recently that had a giant stack of 60s stuff, mostly non-Disney Dells, as usual. They had no bags, boards, nothing. They were also stacked on top of each other with the spines curling from years of neglect. They were behind a counter so I asked the lady working if I could check them out. She sighed, loudly and angrily, and dropped them on the counter. I flipped through every one, about 60 or so in all, and thought I hit paydirt when I stumbled upon a Journey Into Mystery 84 in maybe GD- with yellow pages at the bottom of the pile. I pumped my fist and asked how much, thinking I found the 2nd Thor in the (usually) $2 pile. The lady called some dude on the phone and said, "$350". I said, "Uhh, no thanks" and handed it back. She tossed the JIM 84 back into the stack carelessly and then the whole stack back behind the counter. There was no secret treasure to be found.

A few years ago I got a call from a antique shop asking if I was interested in some books.Nice batch of comics including xmen 2 in vf.

I asked the woman what she needed to get for the stack.Tells me she has an offer for 500 and the guy wants a call if anyone goes higher.Im thinking to myself here we go into a bidding war.

But the lady beings to tell me how she really doesnt like the other bidder.Hes arrogant,rude,etc.So she doesnt even bother calling him and says they are yours for 500.