Hobby of the future

[COI]

My point is that I continually hear people refer to certain markets as the 'next big thing.' The antiques and collectibles market is very dynamic and always changing. How will you recognize the next big 'fad' from the next big thing? People have been paying high prices for video games since the 1990's. Even grading has been around for more than several years.

 

I agree with you about the price manipulation, but my reasoning is that top end sales alone, whether they are manipulated or not, should not be the only data used in evaluating the long term viability of a hobby.

 

I think in this case it's just as useful to look at the sheer volume of "low end" sales of video game stuff among young people; those youngsters buying up Nintendo carts for $5 each, and looking for nice boxes and manuals to get complete sets, will grow up, make more money, and refine their collections. What indicates to me that this hobby will be the "next big thing" is this volume of low end, legit transactions, combined with the cultural dominance and saturation of video games in the mainstream.

[Dr. Balls]

Seems like a new record is being set for videogames every month.

 

Assuming this is real, it's a very impressive number.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/The-Legend-of-Zelda-NES-Nintendo-VGA-85-Zelda-II-Adventures-of-Link-VGA-90-/230826835745?pt=Video_Games_Games&hash=item35be59ff21

 

Graded video games? Where will it end?

 

I'll guess celebrity-worn clothing items graded by soil factor might be the eventual tipping point.

 

 

 

I'll bed you can smell those through the slab.

 

I thought they graded a lot harsher on stains. :shrug:

 

The better the stain, the higher the grade. Those jeans Fergie peed all over at her concert? They came back a 10.0.

[october]

Read Ready Player One

 

Just finished that book. It was awesome. I was born in 1980 and loved it, but I think that guys 5-10 years older than me would get even more of the references.

[Bronty]

My point is that I continually hear people refer to certain markets as the 'next big thing.' The antiques and collectibles market is very dynamic and always changing. How will you recognize the next big 'fad' from the next big thing? People have been paying high prices for video games since the 1990's. Even grading has been around for more than several years.

 

I agree with you about the price manipulation, but my reasoning is that top end sales alone, whether they are manipulated or not, should not be the only data used in evaluating the long term viability of a hobby.

 

I think in this case it's just as useful to look at the sheer volume of "low end" sales of video game stuff among young people; those youngsters buying up Nintendo carts for $5 each, and looking for nice boxes and manuals to get complete sets, will grow up, make more money, and refine their collections. What indicates to me that this hobby will be the "next big thing" is this volume of low end, legit transactions, combined with the cultural dominance and saturation of video games in the mainstream.

 

great points.

 

I think its also useful to make a couple other points.

 

- when we talk about the high end its not instructive to compare 80s and 90s games to 30s and 40s or even 60s comics. Let's compare apples to apples: what other 80s and 90s items routinely sell for three, four and five figures? Certainly not comics. Toys to some extent. In terms of contemporaneous collectibles though, games are already pretty well the top of the heap. And so they should be really. They were expensive and, in % terms, next to no one saved them in unopened shape - coupled with a huge mass of people who played and loved them.

 

- my own experience collecting 10 years now is that there's been a large influx of new collectors. Every month there's more guys (and to a very limited extent girls ), and that's an excellent indicator of a growing market.

 

- for all the talk on this thread of price manipulation (and certainly not every auction on ebay is believable just like is the case with comics) the degree of shenanigans in game sales is still a heck of a lot lower than has been the case over the comic collecting's past. I mean think about all the undisclosed restoration in the old days and all the 'maximized potential' these days. Its enough to make you sick and no hobby is immune from it. Anytime you have money trading hands you have Dbags looking to make a buck.

 

Comics being a bigger market have more dbags. Games being a smaller market have less Dbags but will have more all the time as it grows. Encapsulation has in some ways helped limit dbag shenanigans in both markets but its also changed the playing field in both markets.

[mintcollector]

My point is that I continually hear people refer to certain markets as the 'next big thing.' The antiques and collectibles market is very dynamic and always changing. How will you recognize the next big 'fad' from the next big thing? People have been paying high prices for video games since the 1990's. Even grading has been around for more than several years.

 

I agree with you about the price manipulation, but my reasoning is that top end sales alone, whether they are manipulated or not, should not be the only data used in evaluating the long term viability of a hobby.

 

I think in this case it's just as useful to look at the sheer volume of "low end" sales of video game stuff among young people; those youngsters buying up Nintendo carts for $5 each, and looking for nice boxes and manuals to get complete sets, will grow up, make more money, and refine their collections. What indicates to me that this hobby will be the "next big thing" is this volume of low end, legit transactions, combined with the cultural dominance and saturation of video games in the mainstream.

 

Assuming you have may (or may not have) read my other posts (and I would not expect anyone to remember them); when we talked about this same issue several months ago, I would agree. However, that is the PROBLEM. Sales at the low end have been 'stagnant.' I have been selling the Legend of Zelda (gold cartridge version) for the NES for $7.95-$9.95 for the last fifteen years! The price has yet to rise! The same can be said of well over 90% of all the so called classic video games. This being the case and the fact you can download ALMOST any popular game for $5-$10; how is this oversaturated and fragmented (very important point) market supposed to grow? So much for any 'investment' potential. Unless you are 'betting' on rare itesm to increase in value (and to be fair, some have); these make horrid items to collect for that reason alone.

 

Don't get me wrong I sell OUT of almost everything I list and my turnover is above 90% on all items the FIRST time I list. Now that being the case, I must be honest, as I do leave a little 'meat on the bone' just in case someone wants to buy a large quantity of items from me and attempt to resell. I buy to 'quick flip.' There is TONS of this stuff and do not let anyone tell you otherwise. Unless it is truly rare, it is not hard to find. Selling a copy of Zelda for $9.95 does not allow much 'meat on the bone' for someone to capitalize on.

 

Ironically, another fact one must consider when analyzing this market is a reason the 'rare' games are 'rare.' For every Panzer Dragoon Saga (a great Saturn game that can be considered somewhat rare); there is a ton of drek that is only rare because it 'sucks.' How many other hobbies survive because the 'rare' items generally are horrid to play or interact with?

 

When I ask my nephew and his friends what they think of 'collecting video games' some of them look at me like I am 'nuts.' As one said, I can download almost any good game I want to play for peanuts. Why would pay a small fortune to get one sealed in a plastic tomb that I can't touch or interact with; made for a system I don't own? I could not have said it better myself and I am a dealer. Maybe I am jaded after all...

 

Respectfully,

 

'mint'

 

[Beige]

I do have a question though as this topic comes up on this forum quite more than usual; generally from someone not directly involved in the 'hobby.' I keep hearing that this is the next big 'thing.' I speak on behalf of a lot of my mentors and even many antique and collectible experts who want to know at what benchmark are you using to determine when this 'next big thing' has arrived? Is it market demand? When individual auction houses cater to the product?

 

I don't know when it has "arrived", but I personally think it's the next big thing based on demographics. There are a lot of people between the ages of 15-35 spending a lot of disposable income building up game collections, and I don't see that slowing down any time soon.

 

There may not be "high end" games selling at Heritage right now, but cumulatively, there's already a lot of money being thrown around now.

 

Or does it appear so?

 

I find this act of possible price manipulation disgusting in any hobby. The supposed 1.2 million dollar video game sale never took place; according to what has been said. If that is the case, and even if a retraction was printed to those who published the story; would it matter? All that people outside the hobby remember is that a collection sold for 'X.' It does NOT seem to matter if the sale took place or not. Have you guys ever looked at the price of these items when they sell at straight auction? Do a check on ebay of graded games 85 or higher (or even 80) and see what the prices sold for; if they sold at all. Some DO get good prices, but far more sell for less than stellar prices and most don't sell at the ridiculous starting bids the original seller is asking. There are far MORE UNSOLD graded items than sold ones. I am not saying that certain items are NOT selling at a strong price. In fact, some of the 'black label' NES games I sold have gotten strong prices, as these are the truly scarce games; with the exception of a few. I would not be buying SMB however, as this game is quite common and was the first sealed NES game I bought for $5 each! They are overpriced, but that is another topic of discussion. You can ask anything you want for an item. If it does NOT sell, what good is it? Is it really media attention worthy? As I get older and more wiser in the antiques and collectibles market I see this kind of thing happening across all areas of the entire antiques/collectibles market.

 

I sold a SMB white seal in VGA 85 for several thousand dollars. I specifically answered all the buyer's questions about the item. I told him to be cautious about the item in question and not view it as an investment. Six months later I get an angry call from the individual because he chose to sell the item and got much less for it. Why am I responsible for an item this individual agreed to pay for; six months after the fact, just because he sold at a loss? This is why I prefer to sell these items on consignment. I don't have to deal with the buyer up front and I still make a decent profit compared to what I paid for the items. How many other sellers tell their customers the item they are buying may not be a good investmnent to begin with? I bought most of my 'stock' on closeout. I paid $5-$20 a game. That is it. I would never pay much more for a ,lot of these items. Just my opinion. They are too many better places to stash your cash.

 

Once it is said and done, I will keep one graded game in 85 or above for myself. Almost everything else will be sold soon. This is an untested market at best in my opinion. If you are entering the market you are much better buying mint and complete games, because at the very least you can play them and you will save money to 'boot.'

 

By the way, the reason I asked my inittial questions about how you will know when the next big thing arrives is simple; I just want to knwo what everyone is using as a barometer to guage this. On Saturday, October 20, I attended a marbles auction at Morphy's Auction. I spent a lot of cash. That being said, one individual paid well over $20,000 for a single marble. Has this hobby now become the next big thing? Auction houses have been catering to marbles for over ten years now and the internet is full of forums and speciality auction sites.

 

Antique glass bottles are another 'hot' item right now. Mt glass collection is up 225% from what I paid for it. American Bottle Auctions recently had an auction full of record breaking prices. People have been paying tens and tens of thousands of dollars for one bottle for years now. Has this market officially arrived?

 

My point is that I continually hear people refer to certain markets as the 'next big thing.' The antiques and collectibles market is very dynamic and always changing. How will you recognize the next big 'fad' from the next big thing? People have been paying high prices for video games since the 1990's. Even grading has been around for more than several years.

 

Just an opinion.

 

Respectfully,

 

'mint'

 

 

Well thought out posts - I would throw another one in.

West German Lava pottery from the seventies has probably doubled in price over the last 2 years.

Yup that ugly '70's drek that our parents got for Xmas etc is now commanding an unbelievable amount of interest - it's the next 'Troika' (closed Cornish pottery factory) - who would have guessed?

[Bronty]

My point is that I continually hear people refer to certain markets as the 'next big thing.' The antiques and collectibles market is very dynamic and always changing. How will you recognize the next big 'fad' from the next big thing? People have been paying high prices for video games since the 1990's. Even grading has been around for more than several years.

 

I agree with you about the price manipulation, but my reasoning is that top end sales alone, whether they are manipulated or not, should not be the only data used in evaluating the long term viability of a hobby.

 

I think in this case it's just as useful to look at the sheer volume of "low end" sales of video game stuff among young people; those youngsters buying up Nintendo carts for $5 each, and looking for nice boxes and manuals to get complete sets, will grow up, make more money, and refine their collections. What indicates to me that this hobby will be the "next big thing" is this volume of low end, legit transactions, combined with the cultural dominance and saturation of video games in the mainstream.

 

Assuming you have may (or may not have) read my other posts (and I would not expect anyone to remember them); when we talked about this same issue several months ago, I would agree. However, that is the PROBLEM. Sales at the low end have been 'stagnant.' I have been selling the Legend of Zelda (gold cartridge version) for the NES for $7.95-$9.95 for the last fifteen years! The price has yet to rise! The same can be said of well over 90% of all the so called classic video games. This being the case and the fact you can download ALMOST any popular game for $5-$10; how is this oversaturated and fragmented (very important point) market supposed to grow? So much for any 'investment' potential. Unless you are 'betting' on rare itesm to increase in value (and to be fair, some have); these make horrid items to collect for that reason alone.

 

Don't get me wrong I sell OUT of almost everything I list and my turnover is above 90% on all items the FIRST time I list. Now that being the case, I must be honest, as I do leave a little 'meat on the bone' just in case someone wants to buy a large quantity of items from me and attempt to resell. I buy to 'quick flip.' There is TONS of this stuff and do not let anyone tell you otherwise. Unless it is truly rare, it is not hard to find. Selling a copy of Zelda for $9.95 does not allow much 'meat on the bone' for someone to capitalize on.

 

Ironically, another fact one must consider when analyzing this market is a reason the 'rare' games are 'rare.' For every Panzer Dragoon Saga (a great Saturn game that can be considered somewhat rare); there is a ton of drek that is only rare because it 'sucks.' How many other hobbies survive because the 'rare' items generally are horrid to play or interact with?

 

When I ask my nephew and his friends what they think of 'collecting video games' some of them look at me like I am 'nuts.' As one said, I can download almost any good game I want to play for peanuts. Why would pay a small fortune to get one sealed in a plastic tomb that I can't touch or interact with; made for a system I don't own? I could not have said it better myself and I am a dealer. Maybe I am jaded after all...

 

Respectfully,

 

'mint'

 

yeah, you ARE jaded I am seeing loose carts of run of the mill stuff like gargoyle's quest 2 selling for more than I paid for my sealed copy. All kinds of $100 loose carts now (some good to play, some not) for stuff I can't believe fetching that price. I am regularly seeing loose carts fetch more than I paid for my sealed copies in the day so calling the low end of nes/snes stagnant - I don't think is fair. Plenty of formerly dirt cheap items are fetching a decent price now.

 

Obviously there's trash that hasn't moved but show me a market where that DOESN'T happen. 90% of EVERYTHING - games, comics, toys, whatever, is drek. That goes without saying, and anybody that expects Dance Aerobics or Anticipation to become valuable will be sorely disappointed, of course. Now other consoles like atari I'm sure are stagnant but dead publishers will always suffer from that whether its fawcett or atari.

[Bronty]

eg - 8 copies of wild guns in completed items that sold for $150 or more as loose carts. Those used to available all day for $150 sealed.

 

So there's one random example of a game that's fun to play, collected by fans not investors, and has gone up tremendously in the last three or so years from sub $50 to now $150 + as a loose cart.

 

(Perhaps you are defining low end differently, but I think of low end as sub $200. $1-10 items (the bottom of the barrel stuff) may be more stagnant but again I think that's to be expected).

 

 

[AGGIEZ]

Yeh, I would think "low end" for most is $20 or less.

[Bronty]

Well, whatever. If we are going to use a bar that low then you have to apply it evenly - and there aren't exactly a bushelful of sub-$20 "anythings" that are a scorching hot market.

 

Go to any convention for any kind of item and buy the best item you can find for $20? You're not going to get very far with that 20 bones.

[COI]

My point is that I continually hear people refer to certain markets as the 'next big thing.' The antiques and collectibles market is very dynamic and always changing. How will you recognize the next big 'fad' from the next big thing? People have been paying high prices for video games since the 1990's. Even grading has been around for more than several years.

 

I agree with you about the price manipulation, but my reasoning is that top end sales alone, whether they are manipulated or not, should not be the only data used in evaluating the long term viability of a hobby.

 

I think in this case it's just as useful to look at the sheer volume of "low end" sales of video game stuff among young people; those youngsters buying up Nintendo carts for $5 each, and looking for nice boxes and manuals to get complete sets, will grow up, make more money, and refine their collections. What indicates to me that this hobby will be the "next big thing" is this volume of low end, legit transactions, combined with the cultural dominance and saturation of video games in the mainstream.

 

Assuming you have may (or may not have) read my other posts (and I would not expect anyone to remember them); when we talked about this same issue several months ago, I would agree. However, that is the PROBLEM. Sales at the low end have been 'stagnant.' I have been selling the Legend of Zelda (gold cartridge version) for the NES for $7.95-$9.95 for the last fifteen years! The price has yet to rise! The same can be said of well over 90% of all the so called classic video games. This being the case and the fact you can download ALMOST any popular game for $5-$10; how is this oversaturated and fragmented (very important point) market supposed to grow? So much for any 'investment' potential. Unless you are 'betting' on rare itesm to increase in value (and to be fair, some have); these make horrid items to collect for that reason alone.

 

Don't get me wrong I sell OUT of almost everything I list and my turnover is above 90% on all items the FIRST time I list. Now that being the case, I must be honest, as I do leave a little 'meat on the bone' just in case someone wants to buy a large quantity of items from me and attempt to resell. I buy to 'quick flip.' There is TONS of this stuff and do not let anyone tell you otherwise. Unless it is truly rare, it is not hard to find. Selling a copy of Zelda for $9.95 does not allow much 'meat on the bone' for someone to capitalize on.

 

Ironically, another fact one must consider when analyzing this market is a reason the 'rare' games are 'rare.' For every Panzer Dragoon Saga (a great Saturn game that can be considered somewhat rare); there is a ton of drek that is only rare because it 'sucks.' How many other hobbies survive because the 'rare' items generally are horrid to play or interact with?

 

When I ask my nephew and his friends what they think of 'collecting video games' some of them look at me like I am 'nuts.' As one said, I can download almost any good game I want to play for peanuts. Why would pay a small fortune to get one sealed in a plastic tomb that I can't touch or interact with; made for a system I don't own? I could not have said it better myself and I am a dealer. Maybe I am jaded after all...

 

Respectfully,

 

'mint'

 

There's a lot of selection bias in your reasoning. You're focusing on examples that prove your point, neglecting (maybe not intentionally) examples like the ones Bronty notes above. Prices on a lot of stuff has been stagnant, but there have been a lot of winners too. Your gamer nephews are busy playing games not collecting them, and they may never be interested in collecting them, but there are also people reading comics who have no interest in collecting them. On the other hand, again, go to youtube, type in "game collection", "game room", "recent game pickups" etc... and you'll find tons and tons of kids your nephew's age and older who are very interested in collecting stuff, even stuff that came out wayyy before they were born.

 

You're right, the stuff is everywhere, but that also works in favor of the hobby. The fact that a 14 year-old kid can nab a working NES and a Legend of Zelda cart is actually A GOOD THING because it facilitates the necessary conditions for future collecting. Besides, all you need to do is take a look around the comic hobby to see that, not only is the majority of the hobby filled with drek (quantitatively speaking - low grade SA and BA, most modern), but there is tons of stuff that is common as dirt (high grade post-'66 books) that still commands a premium because demand is there. So being commonly available and the existence of tremendous amounts of junk are necessary but not sufficient conditions to a stagnant hobby.

 

Am I saying run out and spend 30K on sealed Zeldas? Nope. Nor am I saying that most gamers will become collectors. But the fact is, the most popular games are produced and sold in numbers that comics never have, and never will touch. If even a tiny fraction of those gamers take up high end game collecting in their older age, that will mean growth for the game collecting market.

[mintcollector]

Well, whatever. If we are going to use a bar that low then you have to apply it evenly - and there aren't exactly a bushelful of sub-$20 "anythings" that are a scorching hot market.

 

Go to any convention for any kind of item and buy the best item you can find for $20? You're not going to get very far with that 20 bones.

 

As someone active in a lot of collectible and antique markets, I have to respectfully disagree.There are a TON of different collectibles that have been hot on the secondary market that retail for less than $20 an item. By that logic a lot of the PEZ and Lego Minifigure collecting community would cease to exist. Hot Wheel colectors would not have conventions. Even relative antique categories can be had in that range, i.e. bottle cap collecting, match book collecting, and cigar label collecting (WHICH HAS ITS OWN LEGIT GRADING COMPANY; 'caps only used for emphasis). Most collectors of items are NOT like us (or myself; the HARDCORE); they pay little for their items. This is why buying at flea markets is so popular.

 

As for video games, a lot of loose NES, SNES, Genesis, Atari, Colecovision, Intellivision, Nintendo 64, Playstation, Playstation 2, Xbox, and GameCube games reatail under $20. TOP games like Zelda, Contra, MT Punch-Out!!, etc. etc.Some even MIB or CIB.

 

My point is, this is what most people are buying. They are buying the games to play; spending UNDER $20 a pop for them. Do I sell the top end items? Of course, and I enjoy it. That being said, the majority of most video game dealer's sales that I know of (by volume) are in the below $20 range. There is nothing wrong with the statement made. Search eBay. Look at how many unsold graded games there are listed in the COMPLETED auctions.Yes, most are way overpriced.

 

Please do NOT say I am biased. I made a lot of money because of the graded game market. I also wrote a very popular eBay guide (I will gladly post it here if you would like) providing facts as to how great the company is because I was tired of all the lies. Back before VGA was publically announced I was on Digit Press and other forums stating the industry needed this. Do you know how much HATE mail I received? I even received threats stating that it would destroy the collecting community. There is a common misconception that I am either biased or somehow against the hobby. I have a large portion of my money tied up in collectibles and antiques and video games. It was my first true 'love.' I have no reason to be biased. I am only stating facts as I see it. The people who paid a large fortune for a lot of these games when graded games first appeared are going to lose big IF they did not buy smart; OR enough new collectors come into the 'fragmented' hobby as it is. This is not like like a comic book or an action figure. You actually have to own the original video game system to have appreciated the item in question. In other words, the collectible does NOT stand on its own. I get backlash for even dealing in them. This is why I consign a lot of them. How many other hobbies can survive when a large majority of the collecting community not only does not like factory sealed game collecting, but also does not fully understand or agree with the grading of such games? I have no problem catering to BOTH markets. In fact I have done it quite well. My only issue is that I think sometimes the true facts are being 'blurred' by 'newbies' coming into different collecting fields (and comic books are no different) with 'dollar signs gleaming in their eyes.' I can tell you that these are the people that get hurt the most. As I have said many times, it is very easy to create wealth if you 'invest in what you know.' That being said, if you just want to own the item and don't care about what you paid, the possible future resale value of the item, or how it may perform ten to twenty years from now; then buy it. That being the case though, not many people are like some us (myself included in this statement of 'us') on these boards who can afford to lose thousands of dollars with no regrets. These are the people I worry the most in this regard.

 

Respectfully,

 

'mint'

[Bronty]

I guess I just don't see where the negativity comes from. I've been around a long time and you've been around a long time. There's been ups and downs but over time a very steady upward trend at least on the material I collect. Over that time I've even seen many formerly sub $20 items start to fetch pretty good prices. I find it hard to reconcile my experience with some of your statements or perhaps moreso the overall tone of your statements. On the other hand some of the other things you say such as 'buy what you know' are of course good advice. Anybody entering any market needs to do some degree of homework.

[mintcollector]

I guess I just don't see where the negativity comes from. I've been around a long time and you've been around a long time. There's been ups and downs but over time a very steady upward trend at least on the material I collect. Over that time I've even seen many formerly sub $20 items start to fetch pretty good prices. I find it hard to reconcile my experience with some of your statements or perhaps moreso the overall tone of your statements. On the other hand some of the other things you say such as 'buy what you know' are of course good advice. Anybody entering any market needs to do some degree of homework.

 

Hello Bronty,

 

I don't mean to make it sound like I am 'arguing' with you in any way. I am just showing how I view this particular hobby (from my own experiences); as compared to other aspects of the antiques and collectibles market. I was actually quite surprised at the hostility I received from those in the hobby due to my views; originally. Third party grading is not going anywhere, so I don't understand why certain individuals will always 'rail' against it. Ironically, there does seem to be two opposing sides to the equation; then you have people like me who are caught right in the middle. As a dealer and a collector it can be difficult. I am sure you see this; as you are much more active on forums like Nintendo Age then I am. I barely have time to post here and several other antique and collectibles blogs/forums in which I am part of. I wish I could spend more time on video game forums than I do.

 

In conclusion, I think we both agree that anyone needs to be careful and do their own research. This is the best advice for any collecting field.

 

Kind Regards,

 

'mint'

[Bronty]

yep, fair enough

[comicwiz]

Do you know how much HATE mail I received? I even received threats stating that it would destroy the collecting community

 

Everytime I hear this kind of stupidity going on in a hobby, I think the best way to deal with their ilk is to round them up, and drop them off a helicopter into the exercise yard of Pelican Bay prison wearing t-shirts that say come at me bro!

[mintcollector]

Do you know how much HATE mail I received? I even received threats stating that it would destroy the collecting community

 

Everytime I hear this kind of stupidity going on in a hobby, I think the best way to deal with their ilk is to round them up, and drop them off a helicopter into the exercise yard of Pelican Bay prison wearing t-shirts that say come at me bro!

 

Being an 'opinionated' person like myself does have its fair share of disadvantages. I would venture to say a portion of this forum not only dislikes me, but also has me on 'ignore.' While I have no one on 'ignore,' I do respect a person's individual right to choose what is being displayed on their screen. That being said, there is NEVER a reason to get so emotionally upset over a difference of opinion in regards to a tangible item (man made and mass produced as well); as to exhibit tremendous hatred towards another human being. Difference of opinion; yes, by all means (it is anyone's right). Threats of violence and horribly written 'hate' emails; absolutely NOT.

 

There is a portion of any collecting community that truly believes that third party grading is the cause for mass price increases for the amount of money being paid for certain items. There is a also a portion of any collecting field that feels any discussion relevant to the overall 'cost of an item' or 'future investment potential' is 'taboo.' I find fault with both said statements and consider it only 'logical' to have discussions rooted in value; over emotional attachment. Logic is something that any collecting field needs more of, not less. As for third party grading, that is a logical progressive step in the right direction. Just don't try to 'slab' a table from 1847. Ironically though, even 'slabbing' a table from 1847 would not change its original function (while 'slabbed'). One could always place set items on the 'slab' itself.

 

Kind Regards,

 

'mint'

 

[bug33fouf]

Everyone knows that video comics about comics with relevant characters will crush those record prices.

 

Who did what in the where now? [/quote

 

 

So toys and video games is the only good thing that the 80's gave us?

 

[Bronty]

Of course not the 80s might have been the best decade there was, reading-wise, for comics. But they were printed and saved in massive quantities in perfect condition.

[comicwiz]

Do you know how much HATE mail I received? I even received threats stating that it would destroy the collecting community

 

Everytime I hear this kind of stupidity going on in a hobby, I think the best way to deal with their ilk is to round them up, and drop them off a helicopter into the exercise yard of Pelican Bay prison wearing t-shirts that say come at me bro!

 

Being an 'opinionated' person like myself does have its fair share of disadvantages. I would venture to say a portion of this forum not only dislikes me, but also has me on 'ignore.' While I have no one on 'ignore,' I do respect a person's individual right to choose what is being displayed on their screen. That being said, there is NEVER a reason to get so emotionally upset over a difference of opinion in regards to a tangible item (man made and mass produced as well); as to exhibit tremendous hatred towards another human being. Difference of opinion; yes, by all means (it is anyone's right). Threats of violence and horribly written 'hate' emails; absolutely NOT.

 

There is a portion of any collecting community that truly believes that third party grading is the cause for mass price increases for the amount of money being paid for certain items. There is a also a portion of any collecting field that feels any discussion relevant to the overall 'cost of an item' or 'future investment potential' is 'taboo.' I find fault with both said statements and consider it only 'logical' to have discussions rooted in value; over emotional attachment. Logic is something that any collecting field needs more of, not less. As for third party grading, that is a logical progressive step in the right direction. Just don't try to 'slab' a table from 1847. Ironically though, even 'slabbing' a table from 1847 would not change its original function (while 'slabbed'). One could always place set items on the 'slab' itself.

 

Kind Regards,

 

'mint'

 

I was just speaking to someone who purchased an item from me. There is an issue relating to the item because of the holder design, and the company has graciously accepted responsibility to correct the issue.

 

The way this person was describing "guarantees"of certification, as if the items inside them should be guaranteed to be in the assigned grade forever was something I had to address. I'll expand on it further here.

 

We shouldn't be surprised, and yet here I was asking myself if this is part of the persuasion power of certification - namely, that consumers could actually fall for this notion that once an item is slabbed/holdered, it's going to remain that way for life.

 

I started to explain how this wasn't realistic, because of transit and environmental influences (i.e. lighting, humidity, etc.). And then went into what really needs to be emphasized when this type of confusion occurs in the market.

 

Certification is a selling tool. Nothing more.

 

No extension of meaning or purpose that does anything more than provide an assurance in a person-to-person situation where goods are exchanged for barter or money, that the item at the center of the transaction has been assessed by a neutral third-party.

 

Certification is not a storage tool.

 

It is not a tool to display your items.

 

How consumers extend its purpose and function isn't at all congruent with the way the certification companies designed them.

 

They are a single purpose product.

 

The concerns should be no different than those relating to reusing or prolonging the life of consumer products intended for one-time use.

 

As consumers, we need to remain informed about the resulting damage that might occur when prolonged use isn't covered under the items warranty of fitness.

 

In many hobbies where certification has created a reliable commodity, we fall into the trap of extending practically, feature and function because of the value component.

 

Who wants to crack out a 9.8 after dropping 4, 5, 6 figures.

 

Or crack out a census topping figure from its acrylic case.

 

And yet, when the comic shifts, action figures cases starts to yellow, or holders/cases crack during shipment, the real issue is that we need to realize how much of what we spend on a collectible is really about the value of the item and not the cost to maintain and keep the item in the grade the label on the holder promises.