What's that 'one that got away' or that 'one you can't believe you did'? 2 2

[divad]

OK, here is my story.

 

I was working at a public relations firm in DC that went tits-up December 31, 2001.

 

I didn't think Americans knew that phrase.

 

They don't!

[goldust40]

OK, here is my story.

 

I was working at a public relations firm in DC that went tits-up December 31, 2001.

 

I didn't think Americans knew that phrase.

 

They don't!

 

Well, since comics like Hellblazer and Transmetropolitan came out, some do.

[divad]

Before June 2002, I never paid more than cover price for a single comic book - just never looked at the hobby that way - never sold a book either.

 

Then the wife says, "We've got to redo Chloe's (my daughter) bedroom - why don't you start selling some of those damn comic books in the basement!" So, I pull up the boxes, do a little research, and list my first book on eBay - one of my Hulk #181's from the tomato boxes.

 

The book's as fine a copy as you have ever seen - I list it raw with an $1800 reserve. It sells for $1850 (the guy bid $2,200). We take the coin over to Ikea and buy my daughter a new bedroom set, rug, curtains - you name it. One book - one sale.

 

If only they could all be like that

 

The only downside, was that the book was an easy 9.6 and would have brought in about $4,500 if I had had it slabbed.

[burntboy]

well i've told this before but just in case there is still a single solitary soul that hasn't heard it yet;

 

it's the beginning of winter 1964 - JFK was shot just weeks earlier. little local kid has been pestering me to but my Spidey's. i keep refusing. finally his insistance gets to me and i demand the princely sum of $10 for ASM #'s 1-5 (yup, the first 5 issues).

 

now if you've seen my many scans, you'll know that despite my lack of good intentions, my books came through the past 40 years quite amazingly well. so i'm guessing that they were all in the 7.0 to 9.0 range. (for example, my #6 graded at 8.0 and the #'s 7,8 & 9 all graded 9.0).

 

so i made an amazing little profit in just a couple of years - thank god i stood firm on the AF 15 and kept it

 

so, Mario (you little %$#@) i hope your mom threw them all out........

[divad]

it's the beginning of winter 1964 - JFK was shot just weeks earlier.

 

On my 8th birthday

 

so, Mario (you little %$#@) i hope your mom threw them all out........

 

Friggin' Mario!

 

[chrisco37]

so, Mario (you little %$#@) i hope your mom threw them all out........

 

[SUPREMO]

Here's my story...I purchased gorgeous NM copies of House of Mystery 174 and House of Secrets 81 from a John Hauser ad in a CBG in 1991 or 1992 for something like 10.00 for each. I turned around and sold them to Harley Yee in 1995 for about the same price. I liquidated 95% of my collection at that time to buy an engagement ring and pay for my honeymoon. Thankfully, I'm still married and love my wife...it was worth it...or was it?

 

Oh yeah, how could I forget this one...I traded a NM- X-men 94 for a Fish Police #1 during the first "independent speculation" period in the late 80's. I was definitely stupid and regularly admit I acted foolishly...

[shrunkenhead]

Ha, ha! Fish Police!! That's a great one!!

[Stronguy]

it's the beginning of winter 1964 - JFK was shot just weeks earlier.

 

Dude, that was 1963 -- Spider-Man was probably on issue #8 or #9. You totally ripped that kid off.

[PovertyRow]

Told it before and will tell it again. A nice unrestored VG Action #1. Bought. Sold some time later.

[Forbush-Man]

Told it before and will tell it again. A nice unrestored VG Action #1. Bought. Sold some time later.

 

Bad POV ! Bad, Bad POV !!!

[Artboy99]

The one that got away:

There was a comicshop in my home town that started bringing in high grade comics, and the owner brought in an Ironman #1 that was priced at 40$ ( mint price in overstreet that year was 40 dollars. I asked to see the book and agreed it was Mint as I literally couldnt find a thing wrong with it. it was perfectly centered and looked never touched.

I paid him 20 dollars and asked him to put it on hold for me until I got my paper money ( i was 16 at the time ).

I finally got the copy and took it home and opened the bag to take it out. I began to open the front but the front page had that "static stick to the cover like it has never been opened before feel" so Iput it back into the bag.

2 weeks later I brought it with me to a comic convention that was in town and had many interested parties that wanted to buy it. They all offered me top guide..which I of course turned down. One savy dealer offered me double guide for it. OMG what a quick turn around profit I thought and sold it.

What a dope I am. It now sits in a 9.8 cgc slab.

 

Just bought my first CGC comic tho..you guessed it Ironman #1..only 9.2. But I will take it

 

Artboy99

[divad]

it's the beginning of winter 1964 - JFK was shot just weeks earlier.

 

Dude, that was 1963 -- Spider-Man was probably on issue #8 or #9. You totally ripped that kid off.

 

BB, meant 1963, many people refer to the Winters of the following year, as they don't start until December 21.

 

p.s. I was still eight

[PovertyRow]

Told it before and will tell it again. A nice unrestored VG Action #1. Bought. Sold some time later.

 

Bad POV ! Bad, Bad POV !!!

 

I know! I KNOW!!!

[jduran1]

Back about 15 years ago I was at the Mile High Comics store in south Denver. Jim Shooter, et al were at the store signing autographs and selling their art work. Piles of it. Covers, splash pages etc etc. Valiant art work /issues, Star Wars on and on. The average price was 10 to 25 bucks. I didn't know tits about cover art and thought why not . I had 20 bucks in my pocket and bought two star wars spash pages for 10 bucks. . I couldn't afford to buy covers since they were 25 bucks. To this day that still knaws at me how I stupid I was to have not bought all the covers they had. Even writing this report and remembering is [#@$%!!!] me off.

[tth2]

OK, here is my story.

 

I was working at a public relations firm in DC that went tits-up December 31, 2001.

 

I didn't think Americans knew that phrase.

 

They don't!

 

Well, since comics like Hellblazer and Transmetropolitan came out, some do.

 

It was commonly used in the US Army as early as the mid-80s!

[nearmint]

About 20 years ago, I was offered the Church copy of Batman #20 for $600, but couldn't come up with the cash.

[tth2]

Back in 1998 or so Vintage Investments was offering the Bethlehem copy of TOS 39 for $7000. I dithered about whether to buy it and by the time I pulled the trigger, it was already sold (to Mark Arrand aka Colmore Comics as I've subsequently discovered). They offered me a replacement NM TOS 39 for $6000, which I bought. The Bethlehem copy subsequently graded out as a 9.4 and the copy I bought only graded out as a 9.2.

[Norrin_Radd]

Back in 1998 or so Vintage Investments was offering the Bethlehem copy of TOS 39 for $7000. I dithered about whether to buy it and by the time I pulled the trigger, it was already sold (to Mark Arrand aka Colmore Comics as I've subsequently discovered). They offered me a replacement NM TOS 39 for $6000, which I bought. The Bethlehem copy subsequently graded out as a 9.4 and the copy I bought only graded out as a 9.2.

 

Boo frickin' hoo. "I only have 9.2 copy of TOS 39!"

 

Still, I can understand your loss at the Bethlehem copy.

[drbanner]

Back in '02 we were buying a new house, so I liquidated many books and downgraded many others. I sent a slew of books to CGC, including 9.4 copies of Marvel Spotlight 2, Batman 227/232/234, Hulk 181, etc.,. Amongst these were several high-grade DC horror books, including what was then the only 9.4 copy of DC 100 Page Superspectacular #4.

 

Anyhow, I sold most of the books, and was planning on selling them all (or I wouldn't have had them slabbed in the 1st place), but the horror books weren't really selling for all that much and I was reluctant to let them go. However, a collector I had done a good bit of business with offered me silly money for the DC 4, so I sold it. To this day, that's the only book I've really regretted selling. Fortunately, about a year later the guy emails me and says he wants to get out of collecting and would I like to buy back some of the books. I said sure, and "Hey, do you still have the DC-4?". Long story short...I bought it back at the same silly money price I sold it for and the book made my "grail list" in the Holy Grail thread...and here it is.