Price Variant Club 31 31

[bergdoll]

I'm going to have a struggle finding any of these in boxes, as I'm north of the border and we get Canadian editions, but not variants here.

 

That said, something I "can" add to this discussion is some feedback on the 3-pack books.

 

I was a collector in the late 1970's and I can say with certainty that the 3-pack of Micronauts #1-3 can out in the same month as Micronauts #12. It may be that they were sitting in a warehouse for while, but I do remember that #1 was selling at a slight premium at this time ($6 I think) and the pre-packs were something I bought several of to sell off at a tidy profit! As a kid, this was cool and helped me afford several other books.

 

The big difference was the diamond price as opposed to the box price.

 

This may lead to some idea of how these books "may" have been marketed in the past. 3-packs were very popular in the late 1970's and sold via toy shops, and retail chains. As an example, 30 cent books in the 3-pack would have been less desirable than 35 cent books. Why? With 3 35cent books, you are over $1 in "value", but the 3-packs of the time could be priced at 99cents.

 

Because of where I live, I never pulled a price-variant off the newsstand. Does anyone here have that experience?

 

At any rate, if someone does have some extra price variants that they are selling, I'd be interested in a PM. I'd like to "get a start" on these - so if you are sitting on some that you ended-up with extras of, let me know and maybe I can buy some off you?

 

The lists that are on the earlier pages of this thread are very useful. Thank-you for those.

Edited May 16, 2009 by bergdoll

[joe_collector]

I think what SA is saying is not that 30 centers are as rare as 35 centers so much as saying that the difficult nature of finding them as unidentified variants on E-bay skews the rarity some.

 

I think we all know what he means, but I also think he's incorrect.

 

As I've stated before, and others have too, I purchased a ton of comics on EBay between 1998 and 2004, from all over the US and Canada. One of my primary methods of doing so was to find larger runs and lots of BA comics, usually without a photo and try to get a steal. I was not looking for variants, just a good deal on some BA books.

 

When received and looked through, most of these had no price variants at all, but of those that did, 100% of these were 30-cent variants and I have never opened up a "general lot/run" package of comics and found even a single 35-cent variant. I've found some via searching, but we're talking about random, unseen lots and large runs of Bronze comics.

 

From all my "sight unseen lot" purchases from those years, somewhere between 30-40 had 30-centers, some with full runs, while ZERO had 35-cent variants. Those stats tell me a lot about the rarity of these books.

[joe_collector]

On the other side, I do agree that when SEARCHING on EBay, the 30-centers are much easier to spot. I think most of you have seen it, but this pic is one of my fave single buys from the early-EBay days as it's got most of the 30-centers I was looking for, including full runs of X-Men, Thor and Avengers, along with quite a few randoms.

 

Best of all, the auction and pic listed 62 comics, but he found some more later on, and I think it came closer to 90 books total. And only $16 US shipping back then.

[ShieldAgent]

I think what SA is saying is not that 30 centers are as rare as 35 centers so much as saying that the difficult nature of finding them as unidentified variants on E-bay skews the rarity some.

 

I think we all know what he means, but I also think he's incorrect.

 

As I've stated before, and others have too, I purchased a ton of comics on EBay between 1998 and 2004, from all over the US and Canada. One of my primary methods of doing so was to find larger runs and lots of BA comics, usually without a photo and try to get a steal. I was not looking for variants, just a good deal on some BA books.

 

When received and looked through, most of these had no price variants at all, but of those that did, 100% of these were 30-cent variants and I have never opened up a "general lot/run" package of comics and found even a single 35-cent variant. I've found some via searching, but we're talking about random, unseen lots and large runs of Bronze comics.

 

From all my "sight unseen lot" purchases from those years, somewhere between 30-40 had 30-centers, some with full runs, while ZERO had 35-cent variants. Those stats tell me a lot about the rarity of these books.

 

I am not sure what I said that was incorrect. One thing is for sure, it is impossible for me to dispute your unsubstantiated stats. I already told you that I take you at your word.

 

So, I will just concede to the fact that you agree with me that 35 cent variants are more rare than 30 cent variants based upon your observations and past purchases. And, unless I missed something, you also agree, that like me, you do not know the print runs of any variant.

[JerryZ]

On the other side, I do agree that when SEARCHING on EBay, the 30-centers are much easier to spot. I think most of you have seen it, but this pic is one of my fave single buys from the early-EBay days as it's got most of the 30-centers I was looking for, including full runs of X-Men, Thor and Avengers, along with quite a few randoms.

 

Best of all, the auction and pic listed 62 comics, but he found some more later on, and I think it came closer to 90 books total. And only $16 US shipping back then.

 

Good eye!! Nice buy...

[JerryZ]

Just got these today I was pretty happy with the grades to say the least..

 

Highest graded on both..white pages as well..

 

 

 

 

Just wanted to share,

 

Cheers

JZ

[RockMyAmadeus]

Over at STL if you look at the numbers on there list it seems they suggest there were as litle as 5 and some 50 or more I avent seen anything to suggest 1500 of each anywhere in any of the stuff ive read .. the 35 centers i mean.

 

PRINT RUN.

 

Not EXTANT.

 

There's a difference.

 

 

I Guess well never now the true numbers on these books.But both the 30 and 35 centers are way undervalued for sure..overstreet is waaay behind on them

 

Cheers,

JZ

 

I think OPG is low on the 35 centers. I do not believe they are low on the 30s.

[RockMyAmadeus]

This is actually a an interesting discussion. I think it is still a mystery as to what the print runs were for the 30 and 35 centers.

 

ShieldAgent is correct in his assessment that the 30 centers are much easier to find than the 35 centers if you are looking at a group of old bronze age books in a small ebay picture, because of the price starbursts. Some of the harder 30 cent variants to find are the one with the regular price blocks because they don't stand out.

 

I don't think this assessment is really accurate. If you're looking for 30 centers, you know what they are, whether they are "starbursted" (like X-Men #100), or not (like Iron Fist #4.)

 

I suppose to the casual looker who doesn't know better, they might be a bit of purchases based on this, but how much could that really account for?

 

Because of the regular price blocks, the 35 centers are harder to pick out in a group. That being said, I am still relatively amazed at how few 35 centers have found particularly for the prices that they bring.

 

I have no facts to base this on, but I imagine some executive in sales and marketing at Marvel in 1977 saying something like this. "You know we tried that test a couple of years ago before we raised the prices on all of our books from 25 cents to 30 cents. We ought to try it again before we raise prices to 35 cents. But maybe we don't have to do as large a test..."

 

The 30 centers were tested in 1976, the 35s in 1977, almost exactly a year apart. These details may seem picky, but they are important when trying to deconstruct what happened and how.

 

Anyway, using CGC certified books as proxy for the relative rarity of the books you will find that there are 2000 30 centers certified for 186 issues and 875 35 centers certified for 184 issues. Additionally, one issue, Star Wars 1, makes up almost 10% of the 35 cent books certified. Star Wars 1 was a huge print run for Marvel, has a large collector demand. The price variant was known for years before it became widely known that all the other marvel issues had price variant printings.

 

My best guess is that the 35 center print runs were 1/4 to 1/3 the size of the 30 cent runs.

 

Absolutely agreed.

 

Interesting point to consider: the OPG in the mid 80's noted that X-Men #98 and 99 had a price variant, got it wrong a couple of years ("35 cent cover"), and even pointed out in the Update that they were "NOT RARE!"

 

Star Wars #1 is the most famous (and long known) price variant, but obviously others were acknowledged long before they became "popular."

 

What doesn't make sense is this: If Star Wars #1 was known almost from the day it was printed...why did no one make the connection with #2-4, at the very least? Nobody knows.

[FlyingDonut]

I think OPG is low on the 35 centers. I do not believe they are low on the 30s.

 

 

They're low on some, especially the odd-ball stuff. See below:

[FlyingDonut]

 

 

[FlyingDonut]

 

 

[ShieldAgent]

 

I don't think this assessment is really accurate. If you're looking for 30 centers, you know what they are, whether they are "starbursted" (like X-Men #100), or not (like Iron Fist #4.)

 

X-men 100 is a variant of the circle price type

[FlyingDonut]

Just back from CGC

 

 

I found Rob's 148 at the store in Gallatin, TN in 2004.

[JerryZ]

Just back from CGC

 

 

I found Rob's 148 at the store in Gallatin, TN in 2004.

 

Nice books!! Do you go by flying donut or the Hedgehog?

[RockMyAmadeus]

 

I don't think this assessment is really accurate. If you're looking for 30 centers, you know what they are, whether they are "starbursted" (like X-Men #100), or not (like Iron Fist #4.)

 

X-men 100 is a variant of the circle price type

 

 

yeah, yeah, whatev....it's still an "obvious" one.

[RockMyAmadeus]

I think OPG is low on the 35 centers. I do not believe they are low on the 30s.

 

 

They're low on some, especially the odd-ball stuff. See below:

 

Yeah, I was more "in general"....the westerns, reprints, etc...well....it'd take some reallll hard times for me to part with my Kid Colt #209...which should have graded a lot higher than "5"...grrr

 

[nmtg9]

Loving this thread and the books.

 

What i like about these is that there could be lots sat in collections with people too lazy to check through

[underthebigw]

Great discussion over here... been a long time. As many have said we may never know the specifics as to the print runs of variants as this information is well over 30 years old and who knows if accurate records where even kept. We do know there was a collection from Wilmington, NC (IIRC) that had about 100 35 cent variants but that is one of or the only BIG find I can think of.

 

 

Wow. Go away for 2 days, and look what happens. Nice to see this thread revived.

 

Back in 1999/2000, I passed on a collection that had every possible superhero 30 cent variant in it, in HG (except for the mold that had begun to grow in the bags).

 

As for 35 cent variants, I picked up about 36 of them from one dealer, all from one collection.

 

Why aren't there more finds like this? I'm betting most people avoided the higher priced books like the plague, and they eventually became returns. The ones I found in a large lot were the result of the collector going out of his way to buy both versions off the newstand.

[joe_collector]

Why aren't there more finds like this? I'm betting most people avoided the higher priced books like the plague, and they eventually became returns.

 

On that note, I should state that the guy I got those 30-centers in the pic from was in Florida and selling them for a friend. When they arrived, some were still in their generic multi-packs (opened but still there), non-Whitman, just those excess inventory ones that you find from time to time, so definitely returns.

 

There was even one of those old X/$X.XX stickers on the cover of one of the Avengers books.

[Warlord]

Great discussion over here... been a long time. As many have said we may never know the specifics as to the print runs of variants as this information is well over 30 years old and who knows if accurate records where even kept. We do know there was a collection from Wilmington, NC (IIRC) that had about 100 35 cent variants but that is one of or the only BIG find I can think of.

 

I think what SA is saying is not that 30 centers are as rare as 35 centers so much as saying that the difficult nature of finding them as unidentified variants on E-bay skews the rarity some. I live and travel all over Florida and have been looking for these variants since 2003 and I have only found 4 35 cent variants and 2 30 centers while searching about 80% of the comic shops in the state. That is a very small sample but I think in this case the "normal" looking nature of the 35 centers probably worked in my favor.

 

I've never found a 35-cent variant while searching through long-boxes in comic stores. I found 4 in my collection after I read Dan's info, and I admit that I capitalized on them - had them slabbed and sold them on the the 'Bay - in fact, they were probably some of the first slabbed 35-centers sold. I have found several 30-cent variants in stores, but the pickings have become considerably slimmer since Overstreet broke them out a few years ago. I found dozens of them in my collection after finding out about them - and most were the common ones for sure...

 

I found 3 35-cent variants in bargain boxes recently!

 

It does happen! But not very often