Get ready for the 90s all over again - comic book speculators are on their way

[JazzMan]

I just read an article and it looks like with the hype in superhero movies and their success there may be a glut of speculators coming in to get a piece of the action. They quote Heritage/Comic Connect and specifically talk about professional grading and encapsulation. One statement bothered, though - "By far, the overwhelming majority of comics from the mid-70s and earlier are between 3.0 and 5.0 in grade," Stephen said. "This is why we see so many record prices for books grading in 9.2 and above because they are so rare."

 

That is a bit misleading, in my opinion and can artificially inflate the prices for bronze age 5.0 and above.

 

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/rich-comic-books-fantasy-investing-090000717.html

[WEBHEAD]

[Gatsby77]

Misleading? Maybe, but not inaccurate.

 

I'd wager not the average, but the _majority_ of comics from even 1966-1974 are in 5.0 or so shape. When you extend the timeline back to the 1930s that average skews closer to 3.0-3.5.

 

Heck--folks are finding out now that--even with bags and boards, the average condition of comics from 1980-1985 is more like 9.0-9.2 than 9.6-9.8. There's a huge gulf between true NM (9.2) and the "Pristine Mint" of yore (9.8-9.9).

[Comicopolis]

Speculators have been here a while.

[Waylander]

Speculators have been here a while.

 

Damn them

[Mmanick]

Misleading? Maybe, but not inaccurate.

 

I'd wager not the average, but the _majority_ of comics from even 1966-1974 are in 5.0 or so shape. When you extend the timeline back to the 1930s that average skews closer to 3.0-3.5.

 

Heck--folks are finding out now that--even with bags and boards, the average condition of comics from 1980-1985 is more like 9.0-9.2 than 9.6-9.8. There's a huge gulf between true NM (9.2) and the "Pristine Mint" of yore (9.8-9.9).

 

 

I agree with your assessment but how does our silver age/ga/ba compare to the books to the disgusting huge print runs and over saturated market that was the 90s? when Their isn't a lot of books left from that era 50,60.70s? Are they going to try and make reprints I don't really see the connection to the 90s

[JazzMan]

I can't say for what is raw, but for what is CGC graded, the average grades for the:

70s is 8.89,

for the 60s is 7.59 and

for the 50s is 7.11.

(Thanks Greg Holland).

 

 

[Mmanick]

I can't say for what is raw, but for what is CGC graded, the average grades for the:

70s is 8.89,

for the 60s is 7.59 and

for the 50s is 7.11.

(Thanks Greg Holland).

 

 

So by this it would be better not to get your book graded? I don't have many graded book but I was thinking of getting a few done but in the long term if it's not going to,increase value I'd rather not and just keep my books in mylars.

[JazzMan]

I can't say for what is raw, but for what is CGC graded, the average grades for the:

70s is 8.89,

for the 60s is 7.59 and

for the 50s is 7.11.

(Thanks Greg Holland).

 

 

So by this it would be better not to get your book graded? I don't have many graded book but I was thinking of getting a few done but in the long term if it's not going to,increase value I'd rather not and just keep my books in mylars.

 

It's ridiculous to make a blanket statement like that. It's also a ridiculous statement that the average grade are X for a time period without researching. It's a savvy business move to get your low value comics to be bought by speculators who know nothing about the business and artificially inflate prices.

[buttock]

I think 9.2 bronze & copper is a great investment.

[gyro-1]

So there must be 2 groups of speculators

Those that buy expensive books to flip in the near future thus driving up prices

and those that buy 20 copies of cheep books hoping to cash in on ebay

I don't think the first group hurts the hobby as much as the second because the second group hurts new collectors and send them running

Wasn't that what happened in the 90s?

[Mmanick]

I can't say for what is raw, but for what is CGC graded, the average grades for the:

70s is 8.89,

for the 60s is 7.59 and

for the 50s is 7.11.

(Thanks Greg Holland).

 

 

So by this it would be better not to get your book graded? I don't have many graded book but I was thinking of getting a few done but in the long term if it's not going to,increase value I'd rather not and just keep my books in mylars.

 

It's ridiculous to make a blanket statement like that. It's also a ridiculous statement that the average grade are X for a time period without researching. It's a savvy business move to get your low value comics to be bought by speculators who know nothing about the business and artificially inflate prices.

 

Most comics I collect right now I'd rather keep for a while however I want them to keep value to so I try and keep my finger on the pulse to see what's going on at that point in time. Most of my books fall into the category of 3-6 all SA/BA. I collect what I like no one if I'm paying a few hundred books or more for the book I'd hope it keeps going up in value rather then depreciate like a brand new car that I just drove off the lot if that makes sense. In short I'm not wanting to sell now I'd rather keep my books for the long haul and maybe some day they're be worth a lot more then why I paid for them.

[Mmanick]

So there must be 2 groups of speculators

Those that buy expensive books to flip in the near future thus driving up prices

and those that buy 20 copies of cheep books hoping to cash in on ebay

I don't think the first group hurts the hobby as much as the second because the second group hurts new collectors and send them running

Wasn't that what happened in the 90s?

 

The first group are the guys that go to flea markets, garage sales old collectors house and pay next to nothing to someone for their collection of SA/GA/BA and then flip it for three times what they paid for it usually more then three times....yup the 20 copies guys are kind of one in the same though because they hold out until it becomes popular and then boom all those books hit at once and it kills the demand for the book because their is so much supply the only thing is how many GA/SA/BA book are still out there? The years haven't been so kind to the funny book in most cases I don't think a 90s situation is correct with the older books. Now Modern books is another story. I won't even touch one.

[Dr. Balls]

I liked the 90's, so I'm ok with this.

[comix4fun]

Speculators have been here a while.

 

 

That sounds like pure speculation.

[Jeffro.]

Speculators have been here a while.

 

Well, there's the "I'll buy 5 copies of Revival # 1 and see what happens" and then there's not_in_tune_with_social_norms crazy, "I'll buy two cases of X-Force # 1 and use it to put my kids through college"

[Mike's Rack]

Speculators have been here a while.

Exactly, this is news? I thought most of them ran for the hills when the Sixth Gun collapsed and Image announced that their books would be returnable. I'm sure this will bring in another wave, maybe I can convince them to buy 100 copies of Bedlam #1

[1Cool]

Speculators have been here a while.

 

Well, there's the "I'll buy 5 copies of Revival # 1 and see what happens" and then there's not_in_tune_with_social_norms crazy, "I'll buy two cases of X-Force # 1 and use it to put my kids through college"

 

My thoughts exactly. The 90s were the 90s because people were actually buying 50 copies of a semi-hot book since Wizard said it could double over the next couple months. I see some aspects of the 90s with modern books since people are buying multiple copies in hopes of getting the next Saga or Walking Dead but nothing like the 90s. Speculators drive almost every hobby and are good to a point but lets hopefully not get anywhere close to the 90s anytime soon.

 

And by the way - the 90's made a lot of people very rich as long as they got out at or near the right time. Comic book artists became famous and some shops owners became rich. Most lost all of it in the later 90s when things crashes but what a decade it was

[jools&jim]

 

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/rich-comic-books-fantasy-investing-090000717.html

 

"There's a sucker born every minute..."

[Emory_roux]

Of course I re-entered comic collecting in another speculation era...just like the first time I collected in the late 80's