Chuck's Prices

[Silver Surfer]

I am in no position to second guess an industry veteran like Chuck on his selling practices, to each his own, but I have to make a few observations about some of the new stuff he put online today. Hulk #1, CGC 6.5 - any guess on the asking price? $16,200 Avengers #1 CGC 5.0 - $1,800! Keep in mind that these are actually on sale, marked down from even higher price tags.

 

Sorry but this is pure insanity as the Hulk price tag is just, well I'm lost for words. I can get a slabbed 6.5 or 7.0 right now for $12,000 to $10,000 cheaper? I give him cudos for recently cutting prices considerably and actually bringing them to what the market is generally asking for on other sites. Maybe that would explain why he has record sales? I want to buy from MH, its one of the few sites I haven't bought from yet, but the pricing is rather insulting. Just my opinion.

[DKB]

What few times I have bought from them, its to fill in tiny modern holes here and there. Small press stuff, independants, books that I actually end up getting for less than cover. Otherwise, its a useful site when you a need a issue cover scan in a pinch.

[Silver Surfer]

DKB,

 

I'll give you that. Chuck does have one of best modern and bronze age selections going.

[jduran1]

Every once in a while he will have an 80% off (50% more often) and also through in free shipping. That is when you can get a resonable price. Get on his email list. To cover his hugh overhead of staff and facilities and the cost to store his 6 million comics he marks his comics up 100% at least. You have to treat his NM comics for pricing purposes as VF+ based on what I have bought and since my unreliable contacts inside the organization tell me he won't sell a true NM/Mint comic. Instead they are sold to private collectors and or sent to CGC. Whether this is true or not I don't know.

 

He is a valuable resource for filling your collection holes in the VG to Fine area given the amount and variety of books he gets in but only when he has a sale. Unless you want a certain book irregardless of it's condition or price then he has an awesome selection.

[sterlingcomics]

Hi the nail on the head, jduran1. If you are looking for high grade, just "chuckle" and move on to other sites. If you don't mind filler material in one of his massive sales, then MH is a good choice.

 

LoneStar comics generally fits the same mold, although I've actually received 9.0 grades from CGC from comics purchased there as NM. As a test I sent several MH comics and they all came back no higher than 8.0.

[Silver Surfer]

You forgot the cost of Peublo pottery.

[sburn_z]

I wouldn't order any NM w/o seeing them first! From being a person that has dug through a ton of there comics, I know that although they do have some excellent comics, for every true NM there are 5 VF that are also labeled NM. So if you are relying on the staff to find the best copy out of the six labeled NM, well... that just ain't gonna happen! O' and the CGC graded comics at mile high are all insanly priced, not sure why, but I think it has something to do with Chuck having something against CGC.

 

[sburn_z]

Pueblo!

[TLC55555]

I wouldn't order any NM w/o seeing them first! From being a person that has dug through a ton of THERE comics, I know that although they do have some excellent comics, for every true NM there are 5 VF that are also labeled NM. So if you are relying on the staff to find the best copy out of the six labeled NM, well... that just ain't gonna happen! O' and the CGC graded comics at mile high are all insanly priced, not sure why, but I think it has something to do with Chuck having something against CGC.

 

 

Their!

[Hensley300]

ditto

[Silver Surfer]

Tough crowd tonight. Have to admit I'm a little surprised that a big operation like Chuck's who has been in the game for so long has a reputation for overgrading. I don't mind paying a premium for a choice book but if you get screwed in the grading that would just drive me over the edge. Could it be that with the advent of CGC it has exposed his many years of over graded, over priced items? I can see why he wouldn't be pro-CGC. Anyone who likes to complain about how CGC has driven prices up should think about this for just a minute.

[Stronguy]

... but the pricing is rather insulting. Just my opinion.

 

Just wait until you do find something you're willing to pay for and get one of their infamous "NM" books. Talk about insulting.

 

All things beings equal I still think Stevie Wonder is still Mile High's primary grader.

[sburn_z]

sometimes i wonder if they really were NM BEFORE they were put out for the public to thumb through. I could see how a NM could turn into a F with a little bit of careless handleing! Considering that this place has people in and out all day every day this could happen quite fast!

[dolphinsrwj]

i just order a few books from chuck human torch#7 cgc 9.4 mh2 for $35 and hulk#125 cgc 9.2 mh2 $55 because he had them half off and free shipping.i think his staff sometimes just packages the books very careless because all those nm always looks like f/vf

[ultimatevenom]

i just order a few books from chuck human torch#7 cgc 9.4 mh2 for $35 and hulk#125 cgc 9.2 mh2 $55 because he had them half off and free shipping.i think his staff sometimes just packages the books very careless because all those nm always looks like f/vf

 

Yeah, during his sales some of the CGC books are quite a good deal, but some are way way over priced. Like the FF 1

[jduran1]

Interesting point. I have gone to his Super Store handpicked a NM comic out of 10 listed NM go to the counter and pay only to watch them slam it in a bag (causing a couple of blunted corners after holding it by the spine to scan the price thus causing a spine bend. So I now hold the comics for them to scan and I put them in my bag. 95% of Chucks NM advertised/nice books in his stores are NM-- or VF+. I think a lot of this has to do with the way customers handle them in the racks and with some staff ( not all) being indifferent about how the package them for the customer. I know a lot of the Mile High staff are true comic affectionados who feel comics should be bought to read and not bagged, graded and hung on a wall. It is fun to talk to the staff because they read the comics they sell and talk for days about the merits of any issue if you ask.

 

Of course as I travel around the Country and visit comic stores and every NM comic for sale at these stores is a NM- or a VF+. Dealers are not selling the true NM/M comics to the man on the street anymore. It seems those days are gone thanks to CGC.

 

Do others on this forum have similar experiences around the country with other comic dealers.?

[sburn_z]

Exactly! I also will not let the employees touch them, , I get the evil eye sometimes but I could care less.

[Kermit]

what i do is this:

 

i chose one of the worst copies from the shelf, go to the counter, i pay it (while the employe torture it), put's the comic in the bag and then i go again to the shelf and substitute it by the best copie. it ain't something they seem to love seen it (employes) but i really don't care, i pay to have something good, not a messed up comic.

[texasknight]

LoneStar comics generally fits the same mold, although I've actually received 9.0 grades from CGC from comics purchased there as NM. As a test I sent several MH comics and they all came back no higher than 8.0.

I'll have to agree with this one. I have bought some Bronze age books marked as NM quality from Lone Star (mycomicshop.com) and have yet to be disappointed when they came back from CGC as 9.4 and 9.6. One of the big questions about Lone Star is their silver age material. Im currently waiting for early issues of Aquaman and Hawkman to come back and see what grades they get.

[nochips]

Even if Chuck had a 100% off sale I would not buy from him.