Siegel's Action 7 on Ebay - What to make of it??

[Dr Carl]

So, just now did a search for Action 7 on Ebay, and found a copy of Action 7 with panels cut out that apparently is Siegel's original copy that he used in his court case against DC in the late 40s.

 

Action 7 on Ebay Action 7 on Ebay

 

I understand that the book has historical value, but, of course, $70K is a lot of dough, especially for this book in this condition.

 

I'd be interested in learning from your feedback: Does historical significance and it's then one-of-a-kindness make a book like this this valuable?

 

And any other thoughts on the book??

[G.A.tor]

Bluechip in 1,2,3

[Dr Carl]

Bluechip in 1,2,3

 

Is the very question offensive?

 

Is it a big ?

 

My intention, of course, is to learn, not to judge...

[comicdonna]

Bluechip in 1,2,3

 

Is the very question offensive?

 

Is it a big ?

 

My intention, of course, is to learn, not to judge...

No.

[G.A.tor]

Bluechip in 1,2,3

 

Is the very question offensive?

 

Is it a big ?

 

My intention, of course, is to learn, not to judge...

I meant that it is his book so who better to answer (thumbs u

[adamstrange]

Bluechip in 1,2,3

 

Is the very question offensive?

 

Is it a big ?

 

My intention, of course, is to learn, not to judge...

I meant that it is his book so who better to answer (thumbs u

from the seller's perspective...

[Dr Carl]

Bluechip in 1,2,3

 

Is the very question offensive?

 

Is it a big ?

 

My intention, of course, is to learn, not to judge...

I meant that it is his book so who better to answer (thumbs u

 

Phew!

 

I was thinking, with 3,2,1...

 

 

[G.A.tor]

Bluechip in 1,2,3

 

Is the very question offensive?

 

Is it a big ?

 

My intention, of course, is to learn, not to judge...

I meant that it is his book so who better to answer (thumbs u

from the seller's perspective...

But of course

[esquirecomics]

We've had threads on the topic before.

 

If I had Bill Gates' money, I wouldn't hesitate to buy it.

 

I love the historical legal significance. (thumbs u

[Dark Knight]

I don't know whether historical significance makes a book much more valuable. Did the Jerry Robinson personal copies sell for a premium?

[Big Moov]

I would probably pay a premium, above the normal price in a given grade, for a book owned by someone important. But if panels were cut out and missing, just because a famous person did it obviously doesn't make it much better - the grade is still tremendously lowered. For something like that, I would buy it for the historical significance only, not for the comic. So in such a case, I would prefer to have accompanying notes, documents or any writing, signatures, etc. I really wouldn't want just the comic.

[bluechip]

So, just now did a search for Action 7 on Ebay, and found a copy of Action 7 with panels cut out that apparently is Siegel's original copy that he used in his court case against DC in the late 40s.

 

Action 7 on Ebay Action 7 on Ebay

 

I understand that the book has historical value, but, of course, $70K is a lot of dough, especially for this book in this condition.

 

I'd be interested in learning from your feedback: Does historical significance and it's then one-of-a-kindness make a book like this this valuable?

 

And any other thoughts on the book??

 

Hi, Doc.

As Gator pointed out this is my book. 70K is a lot of dough, though not as much as it would cost you to get a high grade or even upper mid grade copy of this book. I suppose it's fair to say that any time someone offers a book (or anything) for sale, the seller is saying the book is less valuable to him than the price he's asking, or he wouldn't be willing to sell it. For some people, including me, a lower grade book with historical and cultural significance is more interesting to own than a somewhat better copy of the same book. And I know that on the occasions when I've shown my stuff to people outside the hobby or loaned things to museums, the historical items get more interest. Of course a lot of collectors are much more concerned with condition, and they will not only gravitate toward the top condition copies but tend to point others in the same direction. So, in cases, like an Action 7, where truly top condition copies are genuinely rare and likely to remain rare (limited to, say, a few HG copies and one or two uber HGs), then I wouldn't expect a historical copy to beat the value of any of the top few copies. But what would an uber HG Action 7 get today? I think number people here might say a quarter mill or more.

 

The day I got this book, I had sold a low mid grade Action 7 to a dealer, who I presume was going to sell it for more. Then, just a short while later, I saw this, for the same money. And I bought it. To me it was a real bargain because other collectors were somewhat blind to the value of its history. I didn't feel the missing panels were a big deal because it was interesting what happened to them. And, it was a bit easier at the time to get coverless and incomplete copies for not much money. (definitely not the case today, where I see incomplete coverless copies missing the entire supe story selling for more than it would've cost at the time to get a complete VG action 7). So in just a short time I found a guy who had a coverless copy but either didn't have or didn't want to let go of the 1st wrap or centerfold. I told him I had a copy with missing panels and he agreed to sell me only the pages with those panels. Now, at that time, the book would have been 'worth' more if I'd swapped out the clipped panel pages and restored the book. But to me that would've taken away value, not because I considered it a stigma to restore books, but because in the case of a historical item, the damage itself is part of its story. (and, when you think about it, even some uber HG purists feel in a similar way, in regards to the names and codes, etc that some GA collectors put on their books)

[Dr Carl]

Thanks, Bluechip.

 

Appreciate the thoughtful answer.

 

It's certainly a one-of-a-kind, and no doubt a gem of historical significance.

 

And I suspect, as you'd noted, pricing comes down to what value you need to get from the book in order to make it worth selling...

 

... and clearly, from the earlier posts, there are folks who, if they had the money, would be happy to pay it...

 

So, best of luck with the sale!

 

 

 

 

[bluechip]

Thanks, Bluechip.

 

Appreciate the thoughtful answer.

 

It's certainly a one-of-a-kind, and no doubt a gem of historical significance.

 

And I suspect, as you'd noted, pricing comes down to what value you need to get from the book in order to make it worth selling...

 

... and clearly, from the earlier posts, there are folks who, if they had the money, would be happy to pay it...

 

So, best of luck with the sale!

 

 

 

 

Thanks.

 

I am a firm believer that the hobby is well on its way to becoming a permanent addition to the list of collectibles acceptable and sought after by folk of all stripes and economic status and thus, that there is room for collectors of high grades and pedigrees, beat but complete or even incomplete, restored or unrestored, signed and unsigned, rare and not so rare, one of a kind and otherwise, and I think those can all enjoy growth without any presumption that a gain in area needs to be at the expense of any other area.