Was this a steal?

[Aman619]

for the record, I would have bought that 9.6 for the price it closed at. Why not since it did not close at a huge 9.6-like multiple of guide. My post earlier was saying that I just wouldnt want the book at the usual 9.6 multiple....though SURE, I'd love to own it. Had I seen the auction, I may still have hesitated to bid since, in my collecting style, I would probably be embarking on a quest to get them ALL in 9.4 and 9.6, which, again, I just dont think would be worth the oney necessary to achieve.

[batman_fan]

Being a big batman fan and collector (Finished the complete run of Batmans, but given up all hope of a Detective run), I can say in 28 years of collecting Batman and Detective comics, books like this rarely come up. In 1989 I was able to buy a Detective 292 for $100 that was graded NM/M. Now it would probably go 9.4/9.6. This has been the only copy in this range a saw from about this same time period so I would say they are extremely scare. Maybe a few more issues exist is collections someplace, but I can't imagine too many. My Detective collection from this period is in the FN/VFN range, but I can say without a doubt, sticking a 9.6 next to a ungraded fine wouldn't bother me in the least. Sure for what the 9.6 went for, I could pick up 2 or 3 solid fines, but a 9.6 would be better to look at even given the goofy cover.

 

Just my opinion and we know what that is worth...

 

[tth2]

Thanks, I was hoping some of the Batman collectors here would provide their input. Too bad you didn't spot this auction, then, although of course we have no idea how big a bid the winner actually put in, it might have taken a lot more to beat him. I guess I should have made a run at it, though.

 

-Tim

[Aman619]

well, you know what they say about Bat and Tec runs, they're not so hard unless you go for grade!

seriously, I wouldnt kick that 9.6 out of bed. Im also not going to sink the money into them it would take to build the run, so why start just to have ONE copy.... but nice books are always nice to look at at home.

[jbud73]

Ok heres the other side of the Batman collector story. I'm probably not in the same league as Batman fan, but I'm getting lower and lower in both runs - I'm also probably a little younger. For example I have decided to stop the Batman run at 171 in HG (1st SA Riddler). Pre that the cost for the Horrible thought bubble covers and corney books is just not worth the $$$ especially in HG. I will probably get a few key books pre-171 in HG (1st penguin etc). Its true these books are harder to find about VF - however I don't think the demand is there either. If I get into the completionist mode over a long period of time the thought bubble books in Batman and 'Tec - I would be very satisfied with copies in the Fine range

 

The Baby Boomers probably have their copies locked up already. In Detective the Infantino break point is the same for me as the 171 in Bats. Then lets think about the next generation of comic book back issue collectors for a moment - I mean the Gen X'ers here. As a generalization I bet they were weaned more on Marvel than DC for starters. Add to that the generation gap as a whole - think about how many fans of the medium in their early 30s hold an appreciation for GA or early SA. Further, those with an appreciation who are willing to shell out the big $$$ for HG books. Then think about a non-key 'Detective Book from a creative down period (of the eras that preceeded it and would come after) how much demand is there for this book even in HG???

 

So if you look at COI post objectively it makes alot of sense.

 

On a related note looks like Timetrapper was the winner, I would expect to see this up for auction again if that was the case.

[COI]

COI, regarding your second point, I really don't follow your reasoning. First, surely there are some high grade Detective completists out there? Or people aspiring to have a high grade run? If not, at this kind of price, there should be! Second, there seem to be plenty of GA collectors who as a matter of being practical buy Fs or VFs, but when they get an opportunity to snap up a 9.4 or higher at a decent price, they'll pull the trigger.

 

Are there Detective completionists out there aiming for 9.4/9.6 copies from this era? If so, it must be a really frustrating hobby, seeing as how they're looking for books that may be non-existant. And considering the fact that you're a high end DC collector who is unsure as to whether or not there are high grade Tec completionists out there, is a good indication that these collectors may not exist. In any event, I do think auction prices speak for themselves. It's much more likely that there just isn't demand for these books, as I find it hard to believe that all these phantom collectors were asleep at the wheel, along with the top dealers who should be falling all over themselves to get such a rare book.

 

What is with the bias against "filler" issues?

 

No bias. It's just more likely that you'll see people pull away from filler issues, inorder to save their money for the keys that come up. For the majority of us who don't have unlimited resources, it just makes more sense to spend more on Keys.

 

There's plenty of Marvel fillers, but I don't see this same kind of offhand dismissal when owners put up their nice "filler" copies on display here.

 

Marvels and DC's are apples and oranges, and I don't know why people always feel the need to draw comparisons.

[JohnBull]

Marvels and DC's are apples and oranges, and I don't know why people always feel the need to draw comparisons.

 

Apples and oranges are sold in the same shop and are bought by the same people. I don't think the disimillarity between their styles is enough to assume 100% mutually exclusive collector bases.

[Mephisto]

I was making a different argument. Basically, I think the immediately pre-327 issues of Detective and immediately pre-164 issues of Batman are drastically over-valued in Overstreet. That's a period that relatively few collectors are chasing, IMHO. And as noted above, these are all pre-Infantino covers, so even the eye-appeal of the slabbed books is I think less than the contemporary Flash, GL, JLA issues.

 

I'd go so far as to say that the pre-New Look Bat-books ought to be priced similarly to the pre-Doom Patrol issues of My Greatest Adventure, or the pre-Thor JIMS: roughly 1/2 of the price of the later, more collectible issues.

 

Feel free to correct me if there is sales data to the contrary-- I'm just offering a possible explanation for this particular auction based on my own DC collecting bias!

 

I agree those 60's Batman issues are cornier than the show was and these issues came out before the show aired. Just look at the cover of the book it isn't very appealing. If you hvae Joker, Penguin, or Catwoman on the cover a 9.6 from that time will fetch a better percentage over guide, and of course the Joker was the only one of these characters not to disappear for a significant amount of time in the late 50's and early 60's.