Why do comics keep going up in value?

[bobpfef]

I've been collecting comics for about 20 years now. Every year a new price guide comes out at they go up in value. A few go down, but in general they go up at least a little bit unless they are newer books. Anything that is "collectible" in the comic world has gone up in value, usually slowly, but consistantly.

 

I am also a serious collector of cartoon character glass , Holt Howard Pixieware and other stuff. While not a collector for as long as I have been with comics, I've been seriously buying these other things for at least 10 years. For the most part the value of these stay the same. A glass $20 glass 12 years ago is still a $20 glass today. A $100 Pixie 10 years ago is still a $100 Pixie. Some have gone up a bit, some have lowered, but the vast majority are right around the price they were 10 years ago. Not that I mind. I am glad they haven't really lost value, and I just like them because I like them, not because they are worth anything. But still, why consistent level values for some collectibles other have consistent but slow growth?

 

Why is this? Is it because those are smaller collector groups and there needs to be some sort of critical mass to get increase demand and thus increase in prices? More next blood wanting a limited amount of items to increase "value"? Or do you need BSDs? In cartoon glasses, for example, the Mighty Mouse glass is the "grail" glass. It is rare, probably about 100 or so out there, and it is about a $500 glass. But it was a $500 glass 12 years ago. Shouldn't it go up if it so hard to find and so many people want it? But almost every auction with this glass I have seen the bidding ALWAYS dies or right around $500. Do the glass collectors need someone willing to play "crazy money" like 1000 to buy up a bunch to make the price go up?

 

Or is it the price guides that cause the steady rise in prices. A price guide comes out for glasses or Pixies at the most once every 4 or 5 years. While comics have the yearly Overstreet.

[Aman619]

well, speaking for a number of comic collectors here (I presume), one reason might be:

"You collect what????"

 

However, Another viewpoint could also be " Be careful what you wish for! You collect in paradise compared to our world!!"

[bobpfef]

I *like* that prices are stable, so I don't have to keep throwing more money then I already do into these things! But I am talking in general. Most collectibes tend to stay stable in value, or perhaps go down. A Mickey Mouse BLB is worth about that same that was 12 years around. Most old tin toys are worth the same. Viewmasters...etc down the line. Most things you find at a collective flea market don't increase in value even if there is a collectible group that thinks they are cool and actively looks for them. Even if there is a price guide and national conventions and all that, the prices stay pretty level. I don't know anything about stamps and coins, perhaps those go up every year like comics but most other things are pretty level, or go down.

[justiceleaguer]

I *like* that prices are stable, so I don't have to keep throwing more money then I already do into these things! But I am talking in general. Most collectibes tend to stay stable in value, or perhaps go down. A Mickey Mouse BLB is worth about that same that was 12 years around. Most old tin toys are worth the same. Viewmasters...etc down the line. Most things you find at a collective flea market don't increase in value even if there is a collectible group that things they are cool and actively looks for them. Even if there are price guide and national conventions and all then, they prices stay pretty level. I don't know anything about stamps and coins, perhaps those go up every year like comics but most other things are pretty level, or go down.

 

Ahhh, but will your old tin toys disintegrate in your hands when you pick them up after 50-60 years of sitting on a shelf?

[fantastic_four]

Or is it the price guides that cause the steady rise in prices. A price guide comes out for glasses or Pixies at the most once every 4 or 5 years. While comics have the yearly Overstreet.

 

Comic prices aren't as stable as Overstreet indicates, yet without it, the prices probably wouldn't have been as stable as they've always been. Comics go up for the same reason any other market appreciates...if demand is high and supply is low, the price goes up.

[joe_collector]

But I am talking in general. Most collectibes tend to stay stable in value, or perhaps go down.

 

You are correct, and that is one of the reasons for new innovations like certified grading. These are new fads that help pump newbie money into a hobby, and extend the viable lifespan of the collectible. In some cases, like OS and CGC, it's the tail wagging the dog, but I hope no one is under the misinterpretation that these creations have been altruistic, and are for the hobby's greater good.

 

Without a consistent "speculator carrot" every decade or so, comics, cards and coins would not see the kind of rapid price spikes (and in some cases, crashes) they have, and would likely go the way of other collectibles that don't get this special treatment.

[buttock]

Overstreet held a policy for many years that rarely would a series or issue go down in price - lest it kill the series/issue. So in that sense, we have a falsely inflated market. Seriously, do you think that every comic book should only increase in value? When will that value max out? How many people are willing to buy an entire run of 4 color in vg at guide? How about House of Mystery 140-173?

You really have to take overstreet values with a grain of salt, as they're only partially determined by market.

The comic book market has a guide that determines sale prices, rather than sale prices that determine guide value.

[rabidwolf]

There have been many good points relating to the steady increase in prices of comics on this thread. Another reason is that people have come to accept that the prices of comics will go up every year. So they do not mind paying the higher price each year, since after all the price is just gonna go up again next year. Therefore the market price goes up and the increase in prices in the guide is justified, kinda like fuel feeding fire. Another thing Ive noticed(and I may be wrong) is that the volume of sales as well as the prices paid increase a few months prior to the guide coming out, whereas they decrease the few months after the guide's release ...speculation based on annual increases in prices.

[shadow2026]

Ahh, a question I know the answer to!

 

Well, its really an evil plot laid out by the government just prior to WWII. All those golden age comics that kids and parents were "recycling" were kept by the government in a vault at Fort Knox, and when the prices surge high enough on them, they'll auction them off at ridiculous prices! They currently have about 30 copies of CGC 10.0 quality Action Comics #1, about 100 CGC 10.0 quality Detective Comics 1-27, and several other mint golden age beauties.

 

The american dollar isn't backed by gold, as THEY would have you believe! It's actually backed by comic books! The Mile High collection was actually stolen from one such government facility, although the government refuses to admit it!

 

I really shouldn't have said anything about this, only a select few people actually know. If I never post again, then you guys know why!

 

Gotta go, there's a knock at the door...

[DiceX]

*Note to self: Create new professional grading service for "cartoon character glasses".*

[bobpfef]

I realize that the actual "value" for most comics is some percentage below Overstreet. That way sellers can move more books and buyers think they are getting a decent price, but even so the books have gone up over the years. It is interesting to watch this, as from my point of view as a collector and dealer in a lot of other pop culture type items this seems to be a comic book only type of deal. Some collectibles have huge build up and then massive crashes (lunch boxes, ceral boxes) they never recover from due to market manipulation from a few major dealers and collectors. But even with the crashes in comics older books still retain the value and keep slowly going up.

 

The more I think about it I think it is a combination of the steading influence of the Guide, and the large number of collectors to absord the existing older comics that are out there. But it is still a bit amazing to realize that, for example, a VG copy of Batman #30 is $250 book now while 15 - 20 years about it was a $25 book, due to slowly going up in value each year. That kind of steady increase is unheard for almost any other pop culture collectible. And most comic collectors never bat an eye.

[bobpfef]

Oh, for more are cartoon character glasses check this out.

 

Comic Characters: A Touch of Glass

 

It is a article about Forum member's glass collection, do you know who it is? Hint, he also a member of the Price Variant club...

[shiverbones]

hey bob, i love pixie ware! I just sold everything except for onions last year, but they still make me smile! Never did get a chili sauce, coffee, honey or the weird bottles/bowls/spoons. As to your question, they really don't across the board. There are way more comic collectors than the niche markets so when something becomes noticed and all of a sudden a few hundred people are going for the same comics, then dealers will charge more. But books like westerns, funny animal, 60's-80's non key marvel & DC aren't really selling for any more than they did 10 years ago, and in some cases less. But i do see what you mean.

[Silver Surfer]

I feel that we are in the "silver age" of comic collecting as it has gained new popularity like never before with the help of CGC and first class movies (ASM, X-Men) that appeal to all ages. All we need is for someone like Bill Clinton to say he collects the Fantastic Four and look out.

[Stronguy]

Overstreet held a policy for many years that rarely would a series or issue go down in price - lest it kill the series/issue. So in that sense, we have a falsely inflated market. Seriously, do you think that every comic book should only increase in value? When will that value max out? How many people are willing to buy an entire run of 4 color in vg at guide? How about House of Mystery 140-173?

You really have to take overstreet values with a grain of salt, as they're only partially determined by market.

The comic book market has a guide that determines sale prices, rather than sale prices that determine guide value.

 

Yup -- right on the nose. Look at Iron Man #55. Why the hell is this a $100+ book and the other books around it are $10 (taking a stab at this price)? I know -- first Thanos -- but who really gives a flip a/b Thanos any more. The entire reason it's a $100+ book is that it used to be hot -- back when Thanos was hot. Since this character has essentially kicked-the-bucket the interest in this book as suffered. The only thing that makes people pay for it is the flip.

[joe_collector]

I feel that we are in the "silver age" of comic collecting as it has gained new popularity like never before with the help of CGC and first class movies (ASM, X-Men) that appeal to all ages.

 

Actually, we're now in the Chrome Age, similar to the 1993-4 run-up in values and speculator mania, while the real Silver Age was the mid-to-late 80's, when comic collecting really took off along with values.

 

Yes, prior to that, FF 48 was $15, ASM 50 was $10 and virtually any non-#1 key Marvel was selling for peanuts. Not 2 years later, most prices had spiked 10's of thousands of percentage points.

[joe_collector]

The entire reason it's a $100+ book is that it used to be hot -- back when Thanos was hot. Since this character has essentially kicked-the-bucket the interest in this book as suffered. The only thing that makes people pay for it is the flip.

 

I totally agree, and I'm a big Thanos fan. But as we all know, OS would rather walk over a bed of razor-filled hot coals than lower prices on his "key issues index".

 

There are many comics out there that are only selling for high prices, because OS lists them that way. It's really quite amusing when you think about it.

[bobpfef]

hey bob, i love pixie ware! I just sold everything except for onions last year, but they still make me smile! Never did get a chili sauce, coffee, honey or the weird bottles/bowls/spoons.

 

Onions is probably my favorite as well, I love that face. My wife started collecting them, but dang, they make me smile too!