So is this board mainly full of high end collectors?

[oakman29]

The truth is that I have recently been informed by my Fiancee that the collection I have had since I was a kid is a little too massive for the two bedroom apartment that we have just moved into.

 

Don't you mean ex-fiancee?

 

Really! You had the comics before her. Let her know they were there first!

 

 

 

 

-slym

Amen! Tell her if she don't like em,there is the door.I assure you she will let you keep your collection.Keep your balls my friend,and don't let her get the upper hand.Or else you will be cowering for just about everything.I get 50/50 relationships,but don't let her control you.

Best way to get a girl to cheat on you is lose your balls.

 

They will lose respect for you.

[kav]

The truth is that I have recently been informed by my Fiancee that the collection I have had since I was a kid is a little too massive for the two bedroom apartment that we have just moved into.

 

Don't you mean ex-fiancee?

 

Really! You had the comics before her. Let her know they were there first!

 

 

 

 

-slym

Amen! Tell her if she don't like em,there is the door.I assure you she will let you keep your collection.Keep your balls my friend,and don't let her get the upper hand.Or else you will be cowering for just about everything.I get 50/50 relationships,but don't let her control you.

Best way to get a girl to cheat on you is lose your balls.

 

They will lose respect for you.

I don't care if it sounds sexist women are looking for someone emotionally stronger than them. Show weakness and they start looking around....it's mammalian biology.

[mintcollector]

I am trying to get a sense of the environment here. I could be wrong but it seem like most of the people here are really high end collectors and I feel really out of my element.

 

I have not collected in years and to be honest back when I collected I just would pick up anything that I thought had a good story or artwork. I am wanting to get back into collecting again but I have a very limited budget and if this truly is a high end collectors board I would not really want to waste your time because I really do not have the money to be a high end collector.

 

I would like to gain some real knowledge about this hobby and become a real collector instead of a guy that just walks around buying comics. With my budget issues really high end collecting is most likely out for the time being but

Where are the best sites or books I can pick up to get a general idea about really collecting and would you guys even want me to stick around because I really do not want to get in anyone's way.

 

Hello and welcome to the forums,

 

I have not had time to read this full thread, but you raise several good questions.

 

Point #1: I don't think this board is full of 'high end collectors' per se, but normally all internet based collecting forums are going to contain much more dedicated collectors by nature. This may mean that you will see some books and corresponding budgets not commonly seen at your average collecting club or flea market.

 

Point #2: The best advice I can give a new collector is to learn the high end market first and then take a top down approach to any collecting field. While some will disagree with this method how does one recognize a true rare piece if one has never seen a similar object before? In the antiques business reproductions abound and the best way to teach a newbie is to show them what to look for; not what to avoid. Looking at books and relevant prices of books you may never own is good to get an overall feel for the market.

 

Point #3: I would advise any newbie to set a budget and a focus of set standards before collecting anything. This should include a maximum price you can afford and a minimum grade and page quality you are willing to accept. Do not under any circumstances deviate from this and you will be fine. If your circumstances improve or you become more comfortable with the overall market then by all means slowly begin to adjust your standards to reflect that. Personally, I only buy CGC graded books in 9.2 or better that sell for $2,000 or less. It doesn't matter what I can afford. I am not comfortable spending more than that on most books. These standards have helped me well.

 

Point #4: This is the most controversial point I am going to make. Most collecting forums have a biased view of the market as a whole. Understand that speculation can run rampant on most collecting forums. To some collectors the grass is always green and markets (based on rapidly changing tastes) never change. To some everything is 'undervalued' and everyone should love what they love.

 

On the other hand you also have collectors who think that the sky is falling and this next year is going to signal the beginning of the end of the market as a whole. Understand that neither point of view is ever correct in its truest form. You want to be somewhere in the middle. Investing in comic books is not a well planned retirement strategy. it is however a great collecting field that you can make money, friends, and gain a lot of satisfaction with. And if those last two things are not worth pursuing I do not know what is.

 

Enjoy!

 

Kind Regards,

 

'mint'

 

 

[Arkham]

I am trying to get a sense of the environment here. I could be wrong but it seem like most of the people here are really high end collectors and I feel really out of my element.

 

I have not collected in years and to be honest back when I collected I just would pick up anything that I thought had a good story or artwork. I am wanting to get back into collecting again but I have a very limited budget and if this truly is a high end collectors board I would not really want to waste your time because I really do not have the money to be a high end collector.

 

I would like to gain some real knowledge about this hobby and become a real collector instead of a guy that just walks around buying comics. With my budget issues really high end collecting is most likely out for the time being but

Where are the best sites or books I can pick up to get a general idea about really collecting and would you guys even want me to stick around because I really do not want to get in anyone's way.

 

We aren't all high end collectors. Some are, many aren't. There are plenty of people here on budgets, and some that aren't (or at least it seems that way). Some people collect moderns in 9.8 and that can run you $50/book or less (until the book gets hot). If you are looking at older books, consider mid or low grades depending on your budget.

 

What most of us are is passionate. About comics, past and/or present. About the medium, about the art and about the history.

 

Collect what interests you. Collect it with a passion. If you are on a budget start with a narrow focus. And maybe not high end. And then later expand.

 

Participate in conversations. Listen far more than you talk (or in the case of the message board read far more than you post). Find the subforum that lines up with your passion. Spend time there, but also spend time checking out the other sub-forums (modern comics, signature series, restoration, etc) to learn more.

 

So what were you thinking about collecting?

 

 

Nice post Miraclemet.

 

LK, welcome to the boards! I am in no way high end, but have always got a lot of value from the boards.