Do Date Stamps make keys less desirable?

[catrick339]

Unless it's in a really hideous spot a date STAMP (as opposed to big ol' grease pencil scrawl) is an important part of the book's history, and I greatly enjoy having it in my collection.

 

In fact, just late last year, I finally found a comic with my birthday (August 24) as the date stamp. Wrong year by a bit, but I'm delighted to have any book with the August 24 date.

[BlowUpTheMoon]

[zosocane]

 

Those stamps are great -- that book was an exhibit in federal civil litigation. Maybe used in the infamous National Periodicals v. Fawcett lawsuit?

[kav]

I'd like more information on that Action #1

[october]

I would pay a little more for a nice 40s or 50s book with a well placed date stamp. I think they are cool.

[deadleg]

I'd like more information on that Action #1

 

+1. Seems like there some interesting history behind it.

[01TheDude]

I bought this BECAUSE of the date stamp- it is perfect! I can imagine the stock boy unboxing the months supply of comics on that Monday, and stamping them all with an apparently freshly inked stamp.

 

 

 

I was under the impression that the date stamp was usually just put on the top copy of a bundle showing the date it was delivered. I don't think someone went through all the books and stamped every one of them. If this were true-- wouldn't there been tons of these books and/or many similar books with the same stamp on them. I have yet to ever see a similar stamp (at least this version-- not one for say a new stand address etc).

 

can someone with more experience looking them chime in?

[Wally's Comics]

I recently picked up this jewel from DavidtheDavid...

 

This was perfect for me because it's a bicentennial birthday stamp for me!

 

I loved old '76 and I haven't been able to get my birthday stamp in my birthday year of '69, so this will definitely due. Old Durham Parkwood was such a cool place to grow up in the 70's.

 

 

 

 

[namisgr]

The Green River pedigree is an example of a collection in which multiple copies of some issues were purchased at a single store. Each copy of an issue has the characteristic date stamp on the cover.

 

Certain comic selling venues would stamp every one of their comics in order to keep track of which ones hadn't sold after a few months, and so were due to be returned/remaindered for a refund.

[Wally's Comics]

The Green River Ped has a Hell of a story behind it too!

[Crimebuster]

I love date stamps. Unless it's in a really egregious place, I would always rather have a book with a date stamp than without one. I'm not quite as keen on arrival dates that have been written in with a pen or pencil, but I don't mind them.

 

As for this:

 

 

I bought this BECAUSE of the date stamp- it is perfect! I can imagine the stock boy unboxing the months supply of comics on that Monday, and stamping them all with an apparently freshly inked stamp.

 

 

 

I was under the impression that the date stamp was usually just put on the top copy of a bundle showing the date it was delivered. I don't think someone went through all the books and stamped every one of them. If this were true-- wouldn't there been tons of these books and/or many similar books with the same stamp on them. I have yet to ever see a similar stamp (at least this version-- not one for say a new stand address etc).

 

It depends on the distributor. I think that most distributors did just stamp the top book or books in a bundle, rather than every book in the bundle. But as has been said, some vendors would stamp each copy themselves.

 

Regardless, though, if a book does have a date stamp, other copies of that book are in fact more likely to have them as well. This is because, while orders might vary from vendor to vendor, leading to some randomness, for the most part distributors would be creating bundles in the same way for each vendor. So if Yogi Bear was at the top of the bundle for one vendor, it was likely at the top of the stack for a lot of other vendors as well, meaning copies of Yogi Bear are more likely to have date stamps compared to the other titles down in the middle of the bundle.

 

I've spent a fair amount of time looking for date stamps specific to my birthday. I have a list of which titles came out the week before I was born. In my searches, there are a number of titles from DC and Marvel that I know came out that week, but which I have never found any copies with date stamps. On the other hand, every title that I have found with a date stamp, I have found multiple copies with a date stamp. For example, I haven't found any copies of Iron Man from that week that have date stamps, but I have seen several copies of Daredevil that do have a date stamp. I have to assume that most vendors had Daredevil at the top of their bundle, while Iron Man was down in the middle, and therefore a lot less likely to get a stamp.

[jimbo_707]

Was wondering the opinions from everyone on how they feel about date stamps that are placed in the middle of the cover of a key book. Would collectors tend to shy away from them because the stamps look too distracting or unappealing (especially if right next to the characters face)? Have you ever noticed key books selling below market due to unsightly date stamps?

I have personally passed on books because of date stamps that affect the artwork. I don't mind them if they're out of the way, say in or above the logo.

[kav]

Date stamped double cover double mark jewelers insert cover misprint-that's what I'm lookin for....

[01TheDude]

here an example where it is on the character but you almost don't notice it.

 

"JUL 17 1953"

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/3RD-APP-OF-UNCLE-SCROOGE-FOUR-COLOR-495-SEP-1953-DELL-WITH-DATE-STAMP-/151549236089?pt=US_Comic_Books&hash=item234909d379

[Jaylam]

Where I grew up buying new comics in Indiana in the 60's and 70's, none of the retailers in my home town used date stamps. I was surprised to find out it was such a common practice in other markets once I started seeing books at out of down comic shops and conventions as I got older.

 

[zosocane]

 

 

 

 

At the risk of going off-topic, Gil Kane was a Jedi master. Look at the Iron Man face helmet which -- instead of being a stoic mask -- conveys an expression of struggle.

[Jeffro.]

 

That's the comic book equivalent of the sharp knees guy.

[Jeffro.]

The Green River pedigree is an example of a collection in which multiple copies of some issues were purchased at a single store. Each copy of an issue has the characteristic date stamp on the cover.

 

Certain comic selling venues would stamp every one of their comics in order to keep track of which ones hadn't sold after a few months, and so were due to be returned/remaindered for a refund.

 

The Green River Ped has a Hell of a story behind it too!

 

And without those date stamps, that pedigree might not even exist.

[Dr. Balls]

Was wondering the opinions from everyone on how they feel about date stamps that are placed in the middle of the cover of a key book. Would collectors tend to shy away from them because the stamps look too distracting or unappealing (especially if right next to the characters face)? Have you ever noticed key books selling below market due to unsightly date stamps?

I have personally passed on books because of date stamps that affect the artwork. I don't mind them if they're out of the way, say in or above the logo.

 

Looking at your sig line reminded me of the time I passed up a decent Planet because it had a date stamp - which I normally love - plastered right onto the leg of some scantily clad GGA girl. It totally detracted your eye from appreciating the cover to focusing right on it.

[drbanner]

Was wondering the opinions from everyone on how they feel about date stamps that are placed in the middle of the cover of a key book. Would collectors tend to shy away from them because the stamps look too distracting or unappealing (especially if right next to the characters face)? Have you ever noticed key books selling below market due to unsightly date stamps?

I hate date stamps and arrival dates, won't buy any Silver Age or newer book with one. More flexible on older books as you can't be as picky...but would still prefer copies without any such defects.