Tips on buying comic book collections

[uchiha101]

I'm new to comics and I would like tips on buying comic books collections any advice would help

 

 

[bababooey]

Here's an older thread on this topic with good responses.

 

Unfortunately, in Ontario you need to get a Ontario numbered company established & get the proper permits to seek out & buy collections.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, the last part was BS

[jhutton2]

I have purchased a number of collections in Ontario. You can find some decent collections, but its very competitive as there are lots of individuals running around purchasing collections and reselling.

 

Get ready to see lots of junk though. I probably only made offers on 1 in 5 collections that I actually went to view. Be patient and don't overpay is my 2 cents.

[blazingbob]

Roy has dibs on Ontario, Montreal might be open

[comicdonna]

Roy has dibs on Ontario, Montreal might be open

St Catherine St?

[uchiha101]

I have purchased a number of collections in Ontario. You can find some decent collections, but its very competitive as there are lots of individuals running around purchasing collections and reselling.

 

Get ready to see lots of junk though. I probably only made offers on 1 in 5 collections that I actually went to view. Be patient and don't overpay is my 2 cents.

 

Thanks I've noticed that on kijiji and craigslist

[uchiha101]

Here's an older thread on this topic with good responses.

 

Unfortunately, in Ontario you need to get a Ontario numbered company established & get the proper permits to seek out & buy collections.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, the last part was BS

 

 

 

ok cause I don't remember needing to get a license

[VintageComics]

Roy has dibs on Ontario, Montreal might be open

Actually, a certain lawyer seems to have dibs to both.

[JollyComics]

Only in Canada?

[uchiha101]

Only in Canada?

 

[Dr. Balls]

Buy high, sell low.

[uchiha101]

Buy high, sell low.

 

haha thanks I already know that I'm just asking for more tips on how to increase my profit margins and anything else that may help me

[chrisco37]

Patience, patience, patience.

 

You've got a lot of learning to do before you start going around buying collections for profit.

[Davenport]

Is there anyone buying collections and moving them quick-quick? By 'quick' I mean a week, maybe two, primarily feeding full-time dealers?

 

I just wonder if that's possible. Anyway, I would think churning everything as fast as humanly possible would be the ideal. Small fast profits and back on the hunt, over slowly walling yourself in one collection at a time.

[chrisco37]

Of course that would be ideal. Problem is being able to do it.

 

You buy a collection, list the keys and sell them. Then you're "stuck" with the rest of them. So, you really need to break even or best your initial purchase price with the keys so you can blow out the rest.

 

(If you're looking to burn through the collection selling them)

[kav]

I sometimes buy lots on ebay silver age mainly then pull out the high grade books and list them as high grade and sell seperately I've managed to come out ahead every time.

[eccomic]

Interesting... I just purchased an original owner Golden Age collection with books spanning from 1946-1954, comprising of some 500 books, that include over 100 Pre-Code Atlas horror books and another couple of hundred pre-code horror books from other publishers. There are also roughly 100 glossy Fiction House Fights and Jumbos and Planet and Wings and there are key books like Eerie # 1 and Phantom Lady # 1. All books are glossy and complete and unrestored and the OO put them away in boxes where they have been stored since back in the day.

 

So, collections can be found. The trick is to have good negotiating skills and be prepared the have immediate cash funds on hands so that you will be able to position yourself to walk away with the books right there and then.

 

Also, NEVER disparage the offerings. Compliment the seller on the good stuff and work out a price that is amenable to both of you so that you both walk away happy. IMMEDIATELY leave with the books to avoid seller's remorse, as they may "suddenly" change their minds.

 

Good luck! (thumbs u

[CBT]

Thanks I've noticed that on kijiji and craigslist

 

kijiji is mostly overrun with wanna be dealers who flood it with they are selling. Buying collections requires patience, the ability to be able to react fast and a willingness to drive to see stuff. You need to have substantial liquid cash.

 

The more money you can afford to spend, the more money you will be able to make. Most of the collections people offer are drek, and 90% of people selling on there overvalue their books by orders of magnitude (OSPG valuations and comicpriceguide.com valuations, etc).

 

Being willing to spend 4-5 figures on stuff, knowing what is worth doing so on, and then taking the time to separate it, catalog it, slab it(for what little is worth slabbing) and sell it, is not something for the casual person to just jump into.

 

For anything newer than '75 I would just pay an average price per book, for 90s drek, its essentially not worth purchasing unless you have some way of running 50 cent bins (shop, small conventions, etc) and are willing to store and hold on to the for a long time.

 

The stuff earlier than 75 is where people can really make money, and thats where the experienced guys will be buying it as soon as its available, and with more money then you likely have on hand to spend on collections.

 

Realistically, until interest rates finally rise, its going to be cut throat with little available and lots of people trying to do the same thing. Once the other shoe from 2008 falls, and free debt goes away, then it will be good times for those with capital to spend.

[CBT]

oh, and a lot of times when there is a decent collection that hasnt sold, its because the people responding are mostly d-bags who just want to go through the collection, pull out the keys, and just buy those.

 

Generally its better to take a big load of books you dont want, in order to get the ones you do want.

[Dr. Balls]

Of course that would be ideal. Problem is being able to do it.

 

You buy a collection, list the keys and sell them. Then you're "stuck" with the rest of them. So, you really need to break even or best your initial purchase price with the keys so you can blow out the rest.

 

+1

 

I probably bought 15-20 collections (smaller ones) when I had my comic shop, and I basically looked at the books I could sell immediately to come up with my valuation. That's the part you have to know: what you can sell and for how much. You are not going to get that information in a thread - it comes with observing, dealing and delving into the hobby.