Looking at a Silver Age Collection tomorrow

[Diamonddave]

Got a buddy of mine to go w/me, so I'm feeling better about this already. I'm taking some cash, but I'm not going to be carrying around 10K or anything. What I would like to do is get a sense of what is there, make an offer if it is a good collection and use the cash as a retainer and take the equivalent in books today. Then return for the rest of the books tomorrow or Sunday. Anyone think this is out of line?

[miraclemet]

... use the cash as a retainer and take the equivalent in books today. Then return for the rest of the books tomorrow or Sunday.

 

I think this is a good route to go. Worst case scenario is the guy has someone else show up before you can with full cash in hand and buys the remainder.

 

You still got some books.

 

You could also have someone ready to deliver the rest of the $$ if the lead works out at the time of the initial visit.

 

Does the seller have a dollar amount in mind (was there an asking price?)

[thehumantorch]

Got a buddy of mine to go w/me, so I'm feeling better about this already. I'm taking some cash, but I'm not going to be carrying around 10K or anything. What I would like to do is get a sense of what is there, make an offer if it is a good collection and use the cash as a retainer and take the equivalent in books today. Then return for the rest of the books tomorrow or Sunday. Anyone think this is out of line?

 

Take the cash and leave most of it in your car or tell the guy you'll be back in 30 minutes with the cash and go to the bank. If the guy's willing to sell and you agree on a price you want to close the deal and grab the books as soon as possible.

[Diamonddave]

... use the cash as a retainer and take the equivalent in books today. Then return for the rest of the books tomorrow or Sunday.

 

I think this is a good route to go. Worst case scenario is the guy has someone else show up before you can with full cash in hand and buys the remainder.

 

You still got some books.

 

You could also have someone ready to deliver the rest of the $$ if the lead works out at the time of the initial visit.

 

Does the seller have a dollar amount in mind (was there an asking price?)

 

He does not, his ad is only asking for cash and a fair offer. Very torn here, as there is a branch of my bank on the way.

[Diamonddave]

Ok, saw the books and it was drek. Not 1100 books, more like 150 from the 1950's to the 1990's. Runs of Wildcats, Spawn and Deathstroke complete with water damage and yellowed bags n boards. Highlights were some House of Secrets and Weird War, coverless Dells and some battered Whitman Disney books.

[oakman29]

Ok, saw the books and it was drek. Not 1100 books, more like 150 from the 1950's to the 1990's. Runs of Wildcats, Spawn and Deathstroke complete with water damage and yellowed bags n boards. Highlights were some House of Secrets and Weird War, coverless Dells and some battered Whitman Disney books.

[trmoore54]

Ok, saw the books and it was drek. Not 1100 books, more like 150 from the 1950's to the 1990's. Runs of Wildcats, Spawn and Deathstroke complete with water damage and yellowed bags n boards. Highlights were some House of Secrets and Weird War, coverless Dells and some battered Whitman Disney books.

 

[Comicdey]

The usual high grade ga find of a non comic collector. Maybe next time.

[thehumantorch]

Ok, saw the books and it was drek. Not 1100 books, more like 150 from the 1950's to the 1990's. Runs of Wildcats, Spawn and Deathstroke complete with water damage and yellowed bags n boards. Highlights were some House of Secrets and Weird War, coverless Dells and some battered Whitman Disney books.

 

[catrick339]

Don't be too upset. 19 out of 20 offers are going to end up just like this one.

 

It's the 20th that makes up for it all. Keep on plugging, get your name out there wherever you visit, dig around in odd places and something great will eventually fall into your lap.

 

Good luck!

[youmechooz]

Don't be too upset. 19 out of 20 offers are going to end up just like this one.

 

It's the 20th that makes up for it all. Keep on plugging, get your name out there wherever you visit, dig around in odd places and something great will eventually fall into your lap.

 

Good luck!

+1 it will take a lot of viewings to get something fantastic. keep at it. i had jason(dr.balls) do my logo and business cards. they look so good and every collection i view, 2-3 a week, i hand out the cards and let them know i am always looking.

[amatta]

Question for the more experienced: how do you go about finding collections? Craigslist ads that you post? eBay?

 

(obviously, if you're an established dealer things are much easier - especially if you're in a mid-sized city without a lot of competition, but still enough folks around for a good number of expected collections)

 

 

[catrick339]

Howdy Amatta,

 

I pursue stuff through many different means.

 

First off, I go to garage sales. A LOT of garage sales. If people have any paper for sale at all, even a few paperbacks, I ask if they have any comics.

 

Second, I go to estate auctions and consignment auctions. Check for a local advertising newspaper or website.

 

Third, I go to antique shows, card shows, comic shows, toy shows, etc and dig around at every booth, especially underneath the tables at noncomic shows. While I'm doing that I wear my "I BUY COMIC BOOKS" tee shirt, which I had printed up specially. Sometimes folks come up to ME and offer stuff, especially at the antique shows. As long as you don't mind making yourself look like a dorkus this works pretty well.

 

Fourth, I check Craigslist regularly. Most of the stuff offered is drek, but once in a while something interesting pops up.

 

Fifth, I'm friendly with the local brick and mortars, and they sometimes offer me material that they're not interested in trying to retail.

 

Sixth, I talk to everyone I meet, and make sure that they know that I am actively pursuing old comics and related items, and remind folks that I haven't seen in a while of the same thing.

 

Seventh, I have a "WANT TO BUY" flyer that I occasionally post at the local library bookstore, grocery, sub shop, any other venue that has a bulletin board.

 

Eighth, I go to any and all antique stores, resale shops, Goodwill and Salvation Army, etc etc where something might be lurking.

 

Obviously I don't do these all at once, but I try to mix things up every time I go hunting, and leave a business card everywhere that I can.

 

Every so often something comes around to me.

 

Best scores over the last 20 years?

 

Detective 37 from an antique store

60+ GA coverless comics (Including Detective Comics 2!!!) from a craigslist ad.

A nice stack of EC's from an antique show.

Hundreds of Bronze and Modern, including Cerebus 1 thru 162, Miracleman 1 thru 16, Not one, not two, but THREE New Mutants 98 and a half dozen Spidey 300 and who knows what-all else from various estate and consignment auctions.

 

The stuff is out there, and the more often and harder you look, the more cool stuff you find.

 

And don't forget to check right here on the Boards daily, there's always SOMETHING cool for sale, and I've picked up hundreds of swell books at bargain prices just by sitting at the computer for an hour a day.

[amatta]

Thanks for revealing your "tricks of the trade"! Always great to get a more experienced viewpoint...