Does anyone know how many collectors there are for comics over $1,000?

[skybolt]

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why not do both!!

 

 

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We're not as rich as you are.

 

Who say?

 

Right now, the availablity of books that fit in either of my categories is thin, so I guess I don't have to worry right now.

 

I know what you mean. A year ago when I was primarily collecting semi-HG Marvel SA books, there were plenty of GA books around. Now that I'm mostly collecting GA, some of these books are not showing up anymore. I almost wish I'd started with GA first and then moved on to SA.

[Rob]

Most of us can't afford to take the Ultra HG CGC SA key route.

 

I'm an eclectic. I can't afford $20K for an Avengers 1, so I concentrate on key books that I like (ie TOS 52, FF 52, ASM 39) that are within my means (ie VF/NM to NM-).

 

I understand, I was just addressing my comments to sfilosa, who had spent $20K in small increments and I was just asking whether he had ever considered not buying the smaller ticket books and saving up instead to buy a smaller number of big ticket books.

 

That's relative for everyone. I've adopted that philosophy recently as well. So I'm selling off, and not buying more $50 comics, so I can buy fewer but nicer $200-$300 comics.

[sfilosa]

The thing with buying CGC books, is:

 

Does it really make a lot of sense to pay $50 for CGC book, knowing that $25 went to the grading fee?

 

I don't buy many CGC for less than $100, unless it's a 9.4 Silver-Age book that just happens to sell for less.

 

Basically, as the value of the book goes up, the lower grade I accept. If I can get a 9.4 for less than $1K, that's what I'm going to shoot for. Now if a 9.4 book goes for $20K, I'll probably look for something in the 8.0 range for a grand or two.

 

While I'm not looking to have a HUGE COLLECTION (i.e. thousands of CGC books, like those Marvel Completionist), I also don't want to have only 20-30 (all in super high grade that are worth thousands of dollars a piece). I spend a lot more time, laying out runs of books on my floor, then looking at the books in my safe (which are mostly key issues that are worth more than $1K).

[skybolt]

The thing with buying CGC books, is:

 

Does it really make a lot of sense to pay $50 for CGC book, knowing that $25 went to the grading fee?

 

I don't buy many CGC for less than $100, unless it's a 9.4 Silver-Age book that just happens to sell for less.

 

Basically, as the value of the book goes up, the lower grade I accept. If I can get a 9.4 for less than $1K, that's what I'm going to shoot for. Now if a 9.4 book goes for $20K, I'll probably look for something in the 8.0 range for a grand or two.

 

While I'm not looking to have a HUGE COLLECTION (i.e. thousands of CGC books, like those Marvel Completionist), I also don't want to have only 20-30 (all in super high grade that are worth thousands of dollars a piece). I spend a lot more time, laying out runs of books on my floor, then looking at the books in my safe (which are mostly key issues that are worth more than $1K).

 

I agree with all your points 100%.

 

If I'm spending over $100 on an SA, BA or MA book then I'd prefer it was already graded by CGC. However, since most GA issues are fairly scarce, I do make the exception of paying $400-$500 for a raw book when it shows up. I mostly buy these books from Metro or other reputable dealers that are good graders and can vouch for the book not being restored.

[skybolt]

The thing with buying CGC books, is:

 

Does it really make a lot of sense to pay $50 for CGC book, knowing that $25 went to the grading fee?

 

I don't buy many CGC for less than $100, unless it's a 9.4 Silver-Age book that just happens to sell for less.

 

Basically, as the value of the book goes up, the lower grade I accept. If I can get a 9.4 for less than $1K, that's what I'm going to shoot for. Now if a 9.4 book goes for $20K, I'll probably look for something in the 8.0 range for a grand or two.

 

While I'm not looking to have a HUGE COLLECTION (i.e. thousands of CGC books, like those Marvel Completionist), I also don't want to have only 20-30 (all in super high grade that are worth thousands of dollars a piece). I spend a lot more time, laying out runs of books on my floor, then looking at the books in my safe (which are mostly key issues that are worth more than $1K).

 

I agree with all your points 100%.

 

If I'm spending over $100 on an SA, BA or MA book then I'd prefer it was already graded by CGC. However, since most GA issues are fairly scarce, I do make the exception of paying $400-$500 for a raw book when it shows up. I mostly

[Rob]

Restoration is so common now (especially trimming), I'm not paying $500+ on a comic unless it's graded by CGC. Even for a VG, just to confirm it's not restored.

[skybolt]

Restoration is so common now (especially trimming), I'm not paying $500+ on a comic unless it's graded by CGC. Even for a VG, just to confirm it's not restored.

 

I agree that buying valuable raw books from eBay is a [#@$%!!!] shoot. However, if I see a book listed on Metro's site that hasn't shown up for a couple of years, then I'll probably pay a little extra for it since they've done their own restoration check.

[Ajax]

my limit is around 300 maybe 500 if it was a good book

[ComicBookGuy]

Count me in as one who will pay more than a grand for a comic. I've done it plenty of times and look forward to doing it again!

Most I ever paid for a comic was my Fantastic Four #1, cgc'd at 6.0, for $3K. When the Dennis the Menace Bethlehem collection was put on ebay about four years back I put a max bid of $5500 and won it for $1200. That could have been my biggest purchase ever although it's more than one book. Thank God no one else wanted that as much as I did.

Joe

[Rob]

Count me in as one who will pay more than a grand for a comic. I've done it plenty of times and look forward to doing it again!

Most I ever paid for a comic was my Fantastic Four #1, cgc'd at 6.0, for $3K. When the Dennis the Menace Bethlehem collection was put on ebay about four years back I put a max bid of $5500 and won it for $1200. That could have been my biggest purchase ever although it's more than one book. Thank God no one else wanted that as much as I did.

Joe

 

Don't tell the seller that! Wonder if he knew how much he could have gotten!

[tth2]

When the Dennis the Menace Bethlehem collection was put on ebay about four years back I put a max bid of $5500 and won it for $1200. That could have been my biggest purchase ever although it's more than one book. Thank God no one else wanted that as much as I did.

Joe

 

Joe, was it advertised as the Bethlehem run? I remember a seller on eBay listing a massive high grade Dennis collection about that time frame, but I know it wasn't advertised as Bethlehem, otherwise I definitely would have gone after it. But I'd never heard of the seller, and at that point I was so gunshy of overgrading sellers and total scam sellers, that I never bid.

[esquirecomics]

I am willing to spend tens of thousands of dollars on the right comic book properly graded, particularly for investment purposes. However, I am far more inclined to do so for a GA book than a SA book. I think the prices on even key high grade SA books are out of control, particularly when any given day someone might come forward with yet again another ASM #1 CGC 9.4 thereby reducing the value of the one you just bought. It is very unlikely this will happen with a More Fun #52 so at least you know your investment is likely protected.

 

Mark

www.esquirecomics.com (set to go online April 2005)

[skybolt]

I am willing to spend tens of thousands of dollars on the right comic book properly graded, particularly for investment purposes. However, I am far more inclined to do so for a GA book than a SA book. I think the prices on even key high grade SA books are out of control, particularly when any given day someone might come forward with yet again another ASM #1 CGC 9.4 thereby reducing the value of the one you just bought. It is very unlikely this will happen with a More Fun #52 so at least you know your investment is likely protected.

 

Mark

www.esquirecomics.com (set to go online April 2005)

 

I know what you mean. The CGC census hardly ever changes for most Timely's.

[ComicBookGuy]

When the Dennis the Menace Bethlehem collection was put on ebay about four years back I put a max bid of $5500 and won it for $1200. That could have been my biggest purchase ever although it's more than one book. Thank God no one else wanted that as much as I did.

Joe

 

Joe, was it advertised as the Bethlehem run? I remember a seller on eBay listing a massive high grade Dennis collection about that time frame, but I know it wasn't advertised as Bethlehem, otherwise I definitely would have gone after it. But I'd never heard of the seller, and at that point I was so gunshy of overgrading sellers and total scam sellers, that I never bid.

 

The Dennis books actually were listed as Bethlehems. To answer your question satisfactorily, I got a print-out of the auction out, and the ebay auction description reads exactly like this:

Bethlehem. Dennis the Menace. High Grade.

Auction ended May 13, 2001. The seller was auction22, which is actually Phillip Weiss, the founder of the Bethlehem collection.

I haven't forgotten my promise to post these on the forums some time soon.

Joe

[asmfan]

I have paid over $1k multiple times for both individual books and lots. A few examples:

 

Paid over $3k recently for a FF1 cgc 5.0

 

have paid nearly $2k for a JIM 83

 

have paid close to $1k for a TOS 39

 

have paid over $3.5k for a complete set of Spidey 1-12

 

And the list continues!

[VintageComics]

I'll pay several $1000 to own the book for a while until another catches my fancy. Can't do it too often though.

[the blob]

personally, i think for the investor/collector with a fat income looking for a nice item that will be worth the bother if they decide to sell it, $1K is the starting point. but i suppose that $1K book had better be worth at least $1050 - 1100 next year otherwise you'll see some dumping among the investor class!

 

seriously, if you're some banker or whatever and comics are the "fun" part of your "portfolio" why would you mess around with $100 books? $100 is the bar tab at a power lunch.

 

Heck, $1K isn't much money either, but at least it's a starting point.

 

Of course, how many books out there are really "rare" enough to justify that... I don't know, which I suppose is why 9.8s can get so much excitement.

 

Compared to some collectibles/hobbies, comics are really expensive (how many vintage magazines from the 40s can you buy for $2-5 each? plenty. how many comics? not so many.)... but compare them to some other stuff, let's say collecting (some) art, and they're not so expensive.

[FFB]

Not counting books that I've returned due to suspected or proven restoration, in the last couple of years, I have probably purchased anywhere from 20-25 books that were $1,000 or more.

[Harvey Dude]

I have about 30 books in my collection that I've paid over $1K for. I'd say that there are at least 2,000 people out there who will pay over 1k for a single book.

 

Hard to estimate but I would go with Skybolt's estimates. I am far from rich but I have no problem dropping 1k on a book I like. I would say I have at least twenty books that exceed this threshold.

[tilleycs]

Since I've only been back into collecting for a little over a year, I haven't had to worry about thousand-dollar books just yet. But, as I get closer to my goal of completing full runs of titles like the FF, it will be an issue I'll have to deal with. Hopefully by that time, I'll be able to afford it.

 

If I spent a thousand dollars on one comic for my personal collection now, I wouldn't be able to get anything else for a long time. If it's something I knew I could resell and make some money on, that's a different story and would be a lot easier to justify.