Wading Through the Ruins

[Tnerb]

Or Where am I Putting it all?

 

Trying to get 4500 comics books put away is proving to be no daunting task. I save set myself up with a small business idea to get rid of them starting at ninety nine cents a piece on eBay. The trick of it will be to accurately grade them. The only thing I plan to do in its entirety is put them somewhere. I can grade them ten at a time as I place them on line for bidding.

 

I have also thought, do I get to keep any or have to bid on the ones I want. I am guessing out of all the books I have acquired that the best item in there is the Wolverine Limited Series, they range between a 9.2-9.6. My thoughts on these are to have them signed and graded.

 

If I can do that along with a few other decent books I can easily recoup my cost. Then as someone else said the rest is gravy. So why am I trying to enter this market as difficult as it might be? Probably because if I can grade right and get someone a book that they might be looking for I'm helping them complete their set, plus it would be somewhat of a relaxing endeavor to supplement my income. I give myself a year. Shall we see where I am by then?

 

 

Thanks for Reading

 

Tnerb

 

See more journals by Tnerb

[miraclemet]

where do you live where everything is rotated at a 90 degree angle?

 

Does it make finding parking difficult?

 

How about hanging a picture?

 

 

keep journaling about this t, I love seeing people wade thru collections to see what they find. (thumbs u

[Ditch Fahrenheit]

So you paid $832.50 to get Wolverine LS between 9.2 and 9.6?

 

Some of the boxes look water damaged. How are the books inside them? Are they all bagged and boarded?

 

I wish you luck, and hope you find some good stuff in there.

[BlowUpTheMoon]

I had to correct the photo.

 

[Ditch Fahrenheit]

That looks much better.

 

I was getting tired of tilting my head.

[seanfingh]

Good luck, Tnerb. PM me the next time you want to do a deal. I can do better than that!

[mzhammer]

I'm worried about the water damage to those boxes.... Yikes!!!!

[biggblaster]

Be careful T. It is not easy buying for resale, especially on a large scale. If you want some of my advise just let me know, but what I will tell you is that more often than not you end up making money for everybody else, like e-bay, paypal, the post office, staples, and CGC, and not nearly enough if any for yourself. Just the idea of selling books for 1.00 each on e-bay is really tough, especially on a consistent basis.

[Ditch Fahrenheit]

Be careful T. It is not easy buying for resale, especially on a large scale. If you want some of my advise just let me know, but what I will tell you is that more often than not you end up making money for everybody else, like e-bay, paypal, the post office, staples, and CGC, and not nearly enough if any for yourself. Just the idea of selling books for 1.00 each on e-bay is really tough, especially on a consistent basis.

 

Yup. Unless they're in high demand, most books from the 80s onward are almost impossible to sell individually. This forces you to sell in bulk at low prices. I see NM and better dreck with bags and boards selling for 15 to 25 cents all the time on eBay and other sites. Factor in a minimum wage, selling and shipping costs and you're losing money.

[biggblaster]

That’s right shellhead. I have bought some very good collections this year. But they were always cheap and always had some very desirable books. It could be newer stuff, even 90's but the keys had to be there, like new mutants 98 and bane 1. And of course condition. I know everyone says its key, but it is really true. One of the main collections I bought was around 50 or so long boxes for around 3000.00 but the stuff was immaculate. Harbinger 1's, new mutant 98's, bane 1's, just to name a few. As an example 7 copies of new mutants 98 were graded, 3 were 9.6 and 4 were 9.8. It all was like that. There were at least 15 Magnus number 1's. Out of those I sent in 5 as a test run, all came back 9.8.

Another collection had almost all independent stuff from the 80's and marvel magazines. Turtles 1,2,3, and 4 were right on the top. I almost fell over. It ended up being around 9 long boxes for 700.00. I sold those four turtles books for 800.00. The number 1 was a 2nd print and was a 7.5 I think and went for 300 by itself.

I am saying this because you really have to be picky unless it is dirt cheap. I went to one guys house who said he wanted 350 for 12 short boxes. I go there and it’s like 20 long boxes almost all bagged and boarded and he only wanted 350.

Another think is you have to be able to be patient to realize the right price and you have to have money to make money. I am waiting on over 200 books from CGC about 100 of them are signature series. I don't have to tell you how much that is that I have ties up, because you all know their prices. On top of that when I first sent the books in there was a 40 day wait, in the mean time there is now an over 100 day wait. It is hard to run a good business when I have to wait this long. And also in the meantime, there is a lot more people doing the same thing which means a lot more competition. And then those people do not realize how much work is involved so they sell their stuff dirt cheap just trying to get their money back or even cut their losses.

I really am trying to give you a heads up, and there is money to be made, so if you need any help please ask.

 

[Ditch Fahrenheit]

My little Gamble

 

Or JACKPOT-JACKPOT-7

 

There's always pros and cons of any transactions. The books that I bought are going to be a long time to "flip". It's ok I need the learning curve. There are some books that I've viewed and thought, well they suck. Then of course there are others that I feel I have a chance and yes if takes money to make money.

 

I have read the added commentary on my previous journal and for those offering to help I will get in contact with you. Thus however will be after the new year. Not only do I still have to finish unpacking the boxes, I've been asking to pick up extra shifts, for example on Christmas Day I'm working 19 of the 24 hours.

 

Some of the series that I loved finding was the Thing. This series I decided to collect in a 9.8, but wanted the opportunity to read them over again, I was going to start with issue 1 and read straight through. After issue 2 I cheated. I read issue 15, the first one of that series I ever got. I wonder if that us a theme.

 

There are certain books in there that I have decided I want to keep, and then as a father to a child, I said I'm not allowed. After a small debate I'm allowing myself to keep five if them to grade. All others have to go. I don't need to make a large profit, but I do want to see if I can do it, even if its only marginal.

 

As of now I have about a hundred books that are nice enough for CGC. I will put them aside and see what I can and cannot do. The best I will slowly go that route and the worst will start at a dollar on eBay. Eventually if I can turn this love for my hobby into something financially viable than I shall be happily blessed for it and if I can't... I can at least say I tried.

 

Thanks for Reading

 

Tnerb

 

After last journals picture if my comics defying gravity I figured thus next photo would be appropriate

 

 

The important thing is to have fun. And you seem to be doing that. (thumbs u

 

Don't work too hard during the holidays!