TOMORROWS TREASURES 4 4

[lizards2]

If you call him, he will usually send a scan without asking.

How does he know what you're calling for then? :shrug:

I'm more smarter than I can remember.

[catrick339]

Rich and I get along well, and we've done quite a lot of business over the years, both buying and selling, I like him.

 

But I'll admit he's an acquired taste, and I don't start a conversation unless I have fifteen minutes to spare, minimum,

[Dale Roberts]

That is his booth, but that is not Richie Muchin. That is a guy that helps him. He has even set up some of Richie's stuff at the Tampa show by himself when Richie was at other shows.

 

Is that the guy who sells restored books, declares the restoration but insists it is not restoration but preservation?

 

Rich has swung around 180 degrees from what he used to do. He sells primarily slabs at this point. I know he just send in 1800 books to CBCS. His booth is full of slabs at this point. Boxes and boxes and boxes.

 

You don't really have to worry so much about the resto anymore.

[WalkinWillie]

Known Rich for several years - used to set up across from him at Heroes-Con and now make it a point to check out what he has now that I am just buying at Heroes and not selling anymore.

 

The guy is super knowledgeable, funny and makes solid deals. As far as conservation/restoration is concerned, I really appreciate the lengths Rich goes to so that you know out of the gate the status of a book.

 

I know of one dealer that sold me about 10 silver age books some years ago at Heroes-Con and five of them turned up with color touches.If it had been just one out of 10 and super minor then I would think the dealer just missed it - when it was half the lot, then there are some ethics issues involved. Obviously I don't darken their door anymore.

 

Bottom line is that Tomorrow's Treasures is top notch IMHO.

[Real Elijah Snow]

Richie barely looks at me when I go to his booth. I mean, I get it. I'm too good looking, and he's jealous. The lady he has working for him is nice though. I usually just talk to her, and get a 20% discount. I never buy anything major, but have spent a few hundred dollars a handful of times. I might be willing to make a bigger purchase, but Richie himself and his lack of communication skill keeps me from doing that. I don't really care all that much. He always looks like he's super busy looking down and muttering to himself , so I'm ok with not talking to him. Maybe he's communicating with an alien intelligence, and my interaction could doom the planet. I only talk to good looking people anyway. (like me)

[namisgr]

He's somewhat socially inept, but knows a bunch about comics and, as others have mentioned, will talk your ear off once he gets comfortable with you and gets going.

 

He always has some nice comics, too, and to me has always been up front about any work he may have done on a book.

 

I think a turning point for his attitude toward encapsulation was when policy changed and a distinction was made between restoration and conservation.

[gcstomp]

My 1st dealing with Richie was maybe 25 years ago, in a small show in a holiday inn in Wantagh NY. Richie had turned down cash from someone for full sticker price with vendor next to him. He was engaged in a serious argument with his booth neighbor about not having to make a sale to someone if he doesnt want to. Neighbor said you have to take the cash for the item at the marked price. Richie asked, how about if the cash is counterfeit. Neighbor says of course not, you dont take the cash. Well, then the cash is questionable, I do not even have to see it, and no required level of proof has been set, so no likey you, no sale. Nuts right, at a show, having this kind of hypothetical talk?

 

IMO, turning point for Richie regarding 3rd party grading was more personal. I was set up across from his booth one show, I believe it was last years TBCC, maybe year before, and Richie was busy ignoring his customers, but it wasnt a newspaper this time. He and Steve B were sitting and chatting, with Richie alternating between scowling, waving his hands in cartoon fashion, laughing, and nodding.

 

This post will go poof, as my prior posts have been, but that wont change anything. They were talking for a good couple of hours, every once in a while Richie would swiftly grab a book making some important point, but when Steve B left, after having an open and honest talk about slabbing done for whatever the "right" reasons are, I would have laid down a mega bet that Richie was a convert from that point on.

[mrmyst]

Richie barely looks at me when I go to his booth. I mean, I get it. I'm too good looking, and he's jealous. The lady he has working for him is nice though. I usually just talk to her, and get a 20% discount. I never buy anything major, but have spent a few hundred dollars a handful of times. I might be willing to make a bigger purchase, but Richie himself and his lack of communication skill keeps me from doing that. I don't really care all that much. He always looks like he's super busy looking down and muttering to himself , so I'm ok with not talking to him. Maybe he's communicating with an alien intelligence, and my interaction could doom the planet. I only talk to good looking people anyway. (like me)

 

That lady is his wife, and she's a sweetheart.

[aggr1103]

I bought two graded books from him at Heroes, and it was fun sitting down last night and looking through not only the graders notes of the books I bought, but other books he submitted on the same invoice.

 

The books I bought weren't super high grade, but both are keys and present exceptionally well for the grades they received. I imagine most of the other books on the invoices fared the same way.

[shadroch]

Anyone have a guesstimate what round trip shipping for 1800 books from NY is going to run?

[zosocane]

Richie is tops for me. Quirky, sure, but then again all of us have one or more patent and/or latent idiosyncracies of one sort or another, so whateves. Richie is always willing to work out a deal and gets good, vintage material. Been buying from him for 5 years now. His wife/assistant is a pleasure to speak with.

[makeminemego]

Richie is Ok in my book. He's up for making a deal and likes talking about comics. Bought my FF 1 from him. And yeah, his wife is really nice on the phone and in person.

[stroszek]

How much of a deal does he like to make? He has some stuff I want, but mostly listed at 3-4x what I'd offer. I don't ever complain about what someone asks for their own books, but I also feel it's inappropriate to contact someone when you're looking to pay about 25% of what they're asking.

 

 

 

 

[1950's war comics]

Your kidding about offering 25% of his asking price right ?? boy that'll be a good one when you call him and ask for that.

 

[stroszek]

Your kidding about offering 25% of his asking price right ?? boy that'll be a good one when you call him and ask for that.

 

As I said, it's not something I would do unless I knew more about the dealer. The prices in question are just way, way above what I would pay. Or what I've recently paid for similar (though not identical) issues. And way over (3x or more) guide for not-at-all hot books though, admittedly, also not easy books to find.

 

Similar situations crop up from time to time with books listed on the boards. I figure there's no point in making an offer unless you're ultimately willing to come in at least 75% of the original listing price. But then again, someone may just be listing at a crazy price hoping someone jumps.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 23, 2016 by stroszek

[mrwoogieman]

I don't know about Muchin, but one time at a flea market I picked out a few books and the guy said $12, I said how about $5, he said that's not even half! I said, okay how about $6? He ended up keeping the books. I'm a tightwad I guess.

[RockMyAmadeus]

Richie.....

[Sqeggs]

Your kidding about offering 25% of his asking price right ?? boy that'll be a good one when you call him and ask for that.

 

As I said, it's not something I would do unless I knew more about the dealer. The prices in question are just way, way above what I would pay. Or what I've recently paid for similar (though not identical) issues. And way over (3x or more) guide for not-at-all hot books though, admittedly, also not easy books to find.

 

Similar situations crop up from time to time with books listed on the boards. I figure there's no point in making an offer unless you're ultimately willing to come in at least 75% of the original listing price. But then again, someone may just be listing at a crazy price hoping someone jumps.

 

 

He prices aggressively and usually discounts aggressively, particularly if you make offers on multiple books. That said, he doesn't price at 3x FMV that I can recall. Now 3x guide for a book that typically sells for way over guide is another thing. You can talk to him about it, but I can't imagine his selling you a book for 25% of his asking price.

[Chaseman210]

I don't think I would offer 25% of the asking price, especially if it's a tough book to find. When it's not a common book, sometimes it's best to buy it while you can. It sounds like even 75% of the asking price is too high in your opinion. If that is the case, I'd probably look elsewhere or purchase multiple books for a better discount.

[shadroch]

How much of a deal does he like to make? He has some stuff I want, but mostly listed at 3-4x what I'd offer. I don't ever complain about what someone asks for their own books, but I also feel it's inappropriate to contact someone when you're looking to pay about 25% of what they're asking.

 

 

 

 

While I forget the exact figures, we had an email exchange that went like this.

Book listed for $75. I offered $55. He responded at $74.50. I offered $60. He offered $74.49.