Suggestions for Overstreet #35

[ArnoldTBlumberg]

"Why do you list the Power Records comics in the promo section?"

 

I have no answer for that as I honestly can't figure out how they ended up in there and why. They should be switched back into the main section, but it's one of those things you think of and forget and then another edition goes by. Hopefully we'll get it sorted out.

 

Arnold

[ArnoldTBlumberg]

"So whens the graduation party,Doc?"

 

Missed this one. If all goes well, January.

 

Arnold

[ArnoldTBlumberg]

As we've only just gone to the larger format a couple years ago, it's unlikely we'll be making any further changes in size at any point in the near future. Besides, we still publish the BIG BIG spiral-bound version of the annual pricing every year as well, and that's pretty much exactly what you're talking about - big size pages, larger type, spiral-bound, easy to read.

 

Arnold

[Silver Surfer]

Besides, we still publish the BIG BIG spiral-bound version of the annual pricing every year as well, and that's pretty much exactly what you're talking about - big size pages, larger type, spiral-bound, easy to read.

 

Arnold

 

I did not know that.

[ArnoldTBlumberg]

Hey, well there you go! It does seem to be a well-kept secret for some reason, which is a real shame. But yes, THE BIG BIG OVERSTREET COMIC BOOK PRICE GUIDE comes out every year after the regular edition, and it contains all the pricing in a large-format spiral-bound book. By all means check into ordering one if that sounds like something you'd prefer.

 

Arnold

[garthgantu]

can't one add the fn plus the VF prices and divide by 2? Whatever happend to extrapolation?

 

I see your point, and if the FN/VF column will just be an average between the FN and VF then it's not worth it. However, in most cases the FN/VF sale does not equal that amount. For instance if a book guides at $200 in FN and $800 in VF, the FN/VF value is usually around $400-$450 and not $500. I could make the same argument about the VG and VF/NM values if they are just treated as in-between averages.

 

You really need to thank your lucky stars you weren't collecting in the '70s, when GD, FN and Mint (later NM) were the only grades listed, and the formula worked like this:

FN = 2x GD

NM = 3x GD

(even earlier, NM was equal to 2x GD, and FN was 1.5x GD)

 

I'd say the discrepancy in pricing between FN and VF is accurate in most cases - that is, since the difference between a FN book and a VF book is very significant, in terms of both appearance and scarcity (if we're talking pre-Modern books), the difference in value should be significant as well.

 

Overall, I would agree that the level of "granularity" in the OS Guide could stand a little improvement. No question that there are hundreds of books that are still lumped into "issue ranges" that should be called out for various reasons, including relative scarcity. This is very tough to do, however - it would be pretty easy to game the system by inflating a sale price here and there for a particular issue, especially those that may only change hands a few times a year if that.

[fantastic_four]

3.) The last thing I would add to the Overstreet Price Guide (which is already a terrific tool for purchasing books) is an "Availability Factor". This factor would range from 0 to 10. 10 means that the book is very very common, while a zero would mean its non-existent. Since there are so many modern and bronze age books that are extremely common in any grade, a note can be added in the opening remarks stating that if no factor is shown then the book can be considered a '10' (this would save some space). The factors can be determined by the availability of books from all grades over the past 5 or 10 years. I'm sure that the Overstreet consultants would be very knowledgeable in knowing what was sold and how often. This factor would not include private collections that have not seen the light of day for 20 years. If some of these collectors all of a sudden sell 10 copies of a book we haven't seen in ages, the factor would go up the following year for that book. The factor would also take into consideration what condition the book is available in. For instance, if two different books had 100 sales each over the past five years, but one book was mostly in high grade while the other one was mostly in low grade, then the HG one would have a larger factor. What I mean is that since there are so many HG copies available for one book, the low LG ones are probably not moving at all. One book would have a '7' factor, while the other one would be a '5' factor.

 

An "Availability Factor" would really be beneficial if your trying to complete a GA run. For instance, let's just say I want to complete a Wonder Woman run from 11-20 in Fine grade. These books have the same value in the Overstreet price guide. Let's say that I bought issues 11, 15 and 17 for $250 each. All of a sudden I see issue 12 for $350 on Ebay, and I decide not to buy it thinking it's too expensive at that grade. However, maybe that book has only turned up once in the last 5 years and I missed my only chance to buy it. The availability factor for this book would be a 1 or a 2. Many SA DC books would also fall into this category. Now don't get me wrong, I don't think that issue 12 should cost more than 11, but for a collector who's trying to complete a run, this would be valuable information. In another post, Ian Levine made a good statement. He stated that the Bradman/Superman book is listed at $3 in the OS guide, but there are only a handful of copies in existence. However, if you add a '0' factor next to the $3, the book would be worth much more to a few certain people. In closing, all I can say is that scarce and rare don't mean much if the book is never available.

 

This is an EXCELLENT idea. Dozens of the Overstreet advisors know exactly which books are hard to find and which aren't. Coming up with an objectively accurate way to derive the scale would be tough, but hey, coming up with the prices in the first place is also pretty tough.

[Thegoldenage]

A suggestion: Put the top grade in the guide back to 9.4. There was no need for a back door price hike.

 

A question: Why did Geppi buy all the Big Little Books he could get his hands on just prior to them being listed in the Guide?

[Warlord]

As we've only just gone to the larger format a couple years ago, it's unlikely we'll be making any further changes in size at any point in the near future. Besides, we still publish the BIG BIG spiral-bound version of the annual pricing every year as well, and that's pretty much exactly what you're talking about - big size pages, larger type, spiral-bound, easy to read.

 

Arnold

 

Here's my suggestion -- PUT THE MARKET REPORTS IN THE BIG BIG OPG, NOT JUST THE REGULAR SIZED OPG!

 

Sorry to yell but I have yet to see the 2004 OPG market reports thanks to the decision to publish the Big Big without them...

[THE_BEYONDER]

A suggestion: Put the top grade in the guide back to 9.4. There was no need for a back door price hike.

 

A question: Why did Geppi buy all the Big Little Books he could get his hands on just prior to them being listed in the Guide?

 

 

Advisor ?

[garthgantu]

You're suggesting someone - even someone with pockets like Geppi's, would somehow conduct in "insider trading" around BLBs ? I love it. I hope you're right, 'cause I've got about 25 of the damned things that have been sitting around for decades, with seemingly zero appreciation.

 

In fact, the prices for BLBs in the OS Guide didn't seem much higher than prices I've seen in BLB-specific price guides over the years...

 

BLBs are (sadly) just a cut above platinum age comics in the minds of 99.99% of the public at large....nobody's interested, nobody cares.

[Forbush-Man]

can't one add the fn plus the VF prices and divide by 2? Whatever happend to extrapolation?

 

I see your point, and if the FN/VF column will just be an average between the FN and VF then it's not worth it. However, in most cases the FN/VF sale does not equal that amount. For instance if a book guides at $200 in FN and $800 in VF, the FN/VF value is usually around $400-$450 and not $500. I could make the same argument about the VG and VF/NM values if they are just treated as in-between averages.

 

You really need to thank your lucky stars you weren't collecting in the '70s, when GD, FN and Mint (later NM) were the only grades listed, and the formula worked like this:

FN = 2x GD

NM = 3x GD

(even earlier, NM was equal to 2x GD, and FN was 1.5x GD)

 

I believe one of the big innovations of the original Overstreet Price Guide, the very first one, was the fact that it used the grade "Fine". I don't believe it was used at all in earlier attempts at a price guide.

 

The Argosy Comic Book Price Guide, 1965, just gave a price for each issue or run of issues. No "Good", "Fine", ect. (I have a reproduction of the price guide FYI). I think the Argosy guide is the closest example of an attempt made. Overstreet was the first accepted guide and that took awhile too. Got my copy from Quasar Comics, P.O. Box 2227, Louisville, KY. 40201 if anyone is interested.

[Forbush-Man]

As we've only just gone to the larger format a couple years ago, it's unlikely we'll be making any further changes in size at any point in the near future. Besides, we still publish the BIG BIG spiral-bound version of the annual pricing every year as well, and that's pretty much exactly what you're talking about - big size pages, larger type, spiral-bound, easy to read.

 

Arnold

 

Here's my suggestion -- PUT THE MARKET REPORTS IN THE BIG BIG OPG, NOT JUST THE REGULAR SIZED OPG!

 

Sorry to yell but I have yet to see the 2004 OPG market reports thanks to the decision to publish the Big Big without them...

 

Yeah! Please do include the Market Report in the Big Big Book.

Good point!

[Forbush-Man]

Hey Arnold,

 

How about doing something about the values for books that are rare? A Gerber 9 book changes hands rarely, and if you base the values according to recorded sales, the book doesn't gain in value due to lack of sales reports. Am I right?

 

Case in point: Motion Picture Funnies Weekly, 8 know copies with 1 "suspected" copy (still suspected ?). This book will not be sold very often. Will the Guide Value continue at the present price until one sells?

 

It's a major key in the Timely line due to the very first printed apperance of the Sub-Mariner, before Marvel Comics # 1.

 

[Aman619]

a lack of comic sales in any given year has never prohibited Overstreet from increasing prices.....

[shadroch]

If the Market Reports and the ads were included in the big big book,I'd most likely buy one of those as well as the hardcover.

For those of you who've never bought a HC guide,let me say this-In the past,I often ended up buying a second copy around November,as the first one fell apart from overuse. I use the guide several times almost every day and two years in a row now,my HC copy has held up perfectly.Its a little heavier to carry around but I think it is well worth the few extra bucks.

[Forbush-Man]

This is the only price guide you need!

 

 

 

[goldust40]

This is the only price guide you need!

 

 

 

 

I remember reading that the cover art for that catalogue (which contained a large amount of the then uncirculated Church books) was done by Edgar Church himself. I think I'm right here.....

[liam_hails-migration]

I remember reading that the cover art for that catalogue (which contained a large amount of the then uncirculated Church books) was done by Edgar Church himself. I think I'm right here.....

I bet you're a blast at parties.

[goldust40]

I remember reading that the cover art for that catalogue (which contained a large amount of the then uncirculated Church books) was done by Edgar Church himself. I think I'm right here.....

I bet you're a blast at parties.

 

Ah, widdle Liam wants attention.