The comic collector's dilema

[blowout]

Ok, so most of us here are after the highest graded books we can find.

 

All the seriously high grade Gold/Silver/Bronze books are that way because they have been kept in a cool, dark, place untouched by human hands for decades. All the great pedigree/HG collections were fabulously preserved, usually in sealed cases.

 

So what happens when we get the HG books we are looking for?

 

How do we keep them so well preserved yet still enjoy owning the books?

Can we maintain the high grade quality but still enjoy holding/looking at/displaying/reading them?

 

How does the High Grade comic book collector enjoy his books without them deteriorating in front of his/her eyes?

 

[murph0]

I keep mine ice cold and served on the rocks with a twist of lemon

 

Brian

[fantastic_four]

Why can't you look at, hold, display, and read a comic and still have it be high grade?

[Bugaboo-migration]

Why can't you look at, hold, display, and read a comic and still have it be high grade?

Uhhhh.....because holding can damage (oils from your hands)......displaying can damage (from stray or direct sunlight).......and reading can damage (if you don't know how.....I'm not going to explain it). Not a bid deal with a "back of the toilet/read on the crapper" type copy......but serious concerns with a $10,000 book.

[fantastic_four]

holding can damage (oils from your hands)......

Eliminate this risk by only holding them in the bags or while wearing gloves if it's an expensive issue.

displaying can damage (from stray or direct sunlight).......

Not if you display them in a room that doesn't have traffic going through it and that has curtains which totally block all sunlight from coming into the room.

reading can damage (if you don't know how.....I'm not going to explain it).

It can, if you're not careful...but I haven't reduced a book below 9.4 by reading it in years. I don't like to read books worth more than $50 if they're in the 9.6 and above range, but anything below that and I won't be leaving any marks that would reduce grade. I've got a few 9.6 Bronze age books that I'll eventually want to read, but instead I'll probably end up getting a cheapie G/VG of them from a dollar box somewhere.

[Bugaboo-migration]

It's my understanding that blowout was talking about the rare, ultra high grade, expensive older books and he was just expressing his concerns with doing something other than leaving them in a climate controlled droor somewhere.

 

Even when holding them in the bags or while wearing gloves, you still take the chance of doing something (like accidentally dropping it)....no matter how careful you are.

 

If there's no traffic going through a room.....that kind of defeats the purpose of displaying them.....doesn't it? Might as well just bury them somewhere.

 

And you said, "I don't like to read books worth more than $50 if they're in the 9.6 and above range".

 

Uhh....I think that blowout was specifically talking about books in the over $50 category and 9.6 and above range (or at least the highest grade you could get).

 

[fantastic_four]

Even when holding them in the bags or while wearing gloves, you still take the chance of doing something (like accidentally dropping it)....no matter how careful you are.

Well...I'll qualify it by saying the extraordinarily clumsy or anyone with epilepsy shouldn't attempt this. But if you can safely drive a car, you should be able to safely handle a comic book with some focus and practice.

 

If there's no traffic going through a room.....that kind of defeats the purpose of displaying them.....doesn't it? Might as well just bury them somewhere.

Not really. I'd rather have my comics sitting on the wall of my comic room than in the boxes, even if I'm not in there 99% of the time.

 

I think that blowout was specifically talking about books in the over $50 category and 9.6 and above range (or at least the highest grade you could get).

Over $50 and 9.6 and above aren't necessarily the same books. I'd say the vast majority of comics worth more than $50 probably aren't in 9.6 or better shape, except for Modern and Bronze 9.6 and above. Most Silver and Gold comics between VF and NM are worth more than $50, and you can read those carefully without knocking the price down.

 

You don't have to be able to open the ultra-rare books to enjoy them. They look great in a slab, and you can always read the reprints or reading copies.

[Bugaboo-migration]

But if you can safely drive a car, you should be able to safely handle a comic book with some focus and practice.

I've wrecked my car three times in the last ten years.

 

Not really. I'd rather have my comics sitting on the wall of my comic room than in the boxes, even if I'm not in there 99% of the time.

But they are still exposed to the elements (sunlight isn't the only thing bad for a comic). The reason some of the pedigrees survived in such amazing shape is that they were virtually "cut off" from the effects of oxygen reaching them. Once you take them out of this "pristine environment" to start enjoying them.....they DO start to degrade slowly.....whether you can see it or want to admit admit that it's happening.....it is.

 

Over $50 and 9.6 and above aren't necessarily the same books. I'd say the vast majority of comics worth more than $50 probably aren't in 9.6 or better shape, except for Modern and Bronze 9.6 and above.

Which is why I added: "or at least the highest grade you could get".......my point is.....he was talking about the higher grade....more expensive....older books. We're not really talking about the measly $50 and under books you keep mentioning.

 

[COI]

Keep your books double-boarded in mylars when viewing them, and keep them in closed boxes when you're not. Or if you insist on displaying them, do what FF said and keep them in a room where the lights aren't on unless the display is being viewed.

 

As for reading, low grades come cheap, and that's what they're there for. But if you like reading your high grades(?) just be careful. It takes a minimum amount of skill to handle books without damaging them.

 

There are only 3 instances where I handle high grades with my bare hands: When I'm grading them, taking a picture/scan, or showing them to someone(usually someone interested in buying it). Otherwise, I have no reason to handle high grade books.

 

 

[COI]

"Once you take them out of this "pristine environment" to start enjoying them.....they DO start to degrade slowly.....whether you can see it or want to admit admit that it's happening.....it is. "

 

True, but you would have to do this repeatedly for years to start to cause noticable damage, and why would you?

[FlComicFan]

always be careful putting them back into those damned mylars too nothing like snagging a piece of the cover while sliding one into a snug

[fantastic_four]

But they are still exposed to the elements (sunlight isn't the only thing bad for a comic). The reason some of the pedigrees survived in such amazing shape is that they were virtually "cut off" from the effects of oxygen reaching them. Once you take them out of this "pristine environment" to start enjoying them.....they DO start to degrade slowly.....whether you can see it or want to admit admit that it's happening.....it is.

Oxygen gets to every collection unless it's stored in a vacuum, which none of the pedigrees have been. Edgar Church's Mile High collection was stored in huge stacks, and the books from the middle to the bottom were largely cut off from it, but I haven't heard of other collections stored that way. Since the comics on the bottom of the pile almost certainly got all fricked up whenever the pile shifted, and since I haven't ever heard of anybody sticking their comics in any kind of pressing device for long-term storage, I dunno how you'd safely achieve that. The main elements which affect page whiteness are high or constantly changing temperature and humidity, and that can be controlled whether the comics are on your wall or in a box. Where is it that you think you can put a comic that it won't degrade?

 

Which is why I added: "or at least the highest grade you could get".......my point is.....he was talking about the higher grade....more expensive....older books. We're not really talking about the measly $50 and under books you keep mentioning.

I don't think I did refer to under-$50 books more than once. Point is moot, because mostly what I buy is 9.0 or better Silver which are mostly way over $50, and I stick em up on my wall all the time. If they're not exposed to sunlight, very rarely exposed to 60-watt incandescent light, the temperature is kept below 72 and humidity is kept around 35%, how am I doing harm to those books, and how could I store them better?

[COI]

" Edgar Church's Mile High collection was stored in huge stacks, and the books from the middle to the bottom were largely cut off from it, "

 

Looking at pics of the collection in stacks all over his tiny apartment make me cringe.

[Bugaboo-migration]

True, but you would have to do this repeatedly for years to start to cause noticable damage, and why would you?

Most people don't have the capacity to store their books in conditions similar to the condiditions that some of the pedigrees were stored in.......or do they? I don't care how careful you store your books.....odds are that they aren't stored in an environment where oxygen isn't reaching them and doing some damage. Some of the pedigree books are so nice because they were stored in an area of the country that had lower oxygen levels (higher altitude) or in large stacks that compressed them and blocked most of the oxygen from reaching them.

 

And you said "why would you?"..........because that's the nature and focus of this thread.......are you guys even reading blowouts first post???

 

Here.....let me repeat a piece of it:

 

How do we keep them so well preserved yet still enjoy owning the books?

Can we maintain the high grade quality but still enjoy holding/looking at/displaying/reading them.....and......How do we keep them so well preserved yet still enjoy owning the books?

 

If your answer is to buy cheap reader copies....that's fine......but blowout was specifcally asking about holding/looking at/dispaying/and reading the expensive high grade copies. Why not focus on that instead of telling me what I allready know???

 

Saying that you only handle them when grading them, taking a picture/scan, or showing them to someone, otherwise, you have no reason to handle high grade books.........is not answering the questions and concerns from the first post.

 

[BachelorOfComix]

Looking at pics of the collection in stacks all over his tiny apartment make me cringe.

Me too, but those pictures are of Chuck AFTER he bought the collection.

 

Cheers,

 

Bachelor of Comics

[fantastic_four]

Most people don't have the capacity to store their books in conditions similar to the condiditions that some of the pedigrees were stored in. I don't care how careful you store your books.....odds are that they aren't stored in an environment where oxygen isn't reaching them and doing some damage.

You mean like the surface of Mars? Where are these oxygen-free areas on Earth these pedigrees were stored in?

 

Lower temperatures and low humidity is how the white-paged pedigrees were stored.

[PovertyRow]

Me too, but those pictures are of Chuck AFTER he bought the collection.

 

That jives with my memory of tyhe Church Collection being stored in a garage.

[Bugaboo-migration]

Where is it that you think you can put a comic that it won't degrade?

I think that's what blowout was asking. We all know the common knowledge stuff.......I think he was looking for some further deeper insight from people.

 

If they're not exposed to sunlight, very rarely exposed to 60-watt incandescent light, the temperature is kept below 72 and humidity is kept around 35%, how am I doing harm to those books, and how could I store them better?

Very good question.......and I think that's the type of question that blowout is hoping to get an answer to in here......or at least a further understanding of.

[FlComicFan]

there was a company who sold air tight cases with a pump that would supposedly create a vacuum for you to store your best books. Kind of like cryogenics for collectables. I think Michael Jackson sleeps in one maybe he'll sell you his old one and you can put your collection in it?

 

 

Jokes aside I live in Florida humidity capital of America. I store my books in boxes myllars, mylites and cheap bags for books under $20 or so. I've had a lot of the books for 15-20 years. I've seen no change in paper quality or anything else. I keep them away from light in the air conditoning and away from any possibility of them getting wet. I also try not to move them unless I really need to. I dont expect any problems for 30-40 years at which time if I still have them I will sell them off for the next person to keep and enjoy.

[BachelorOfComix]

 

Cheers,

 

Bachelor of Comics