kav Posted February 24, 2015 Share Posted February 24, 2015 More like almost always. Name one that decreased over a 20 year period. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bio-Rupp Posted February 24, 2015 Share Posted February 24, 2015 Just so everyone has this in their back pocket... EVERYTHING has increased in relation to "cost" but not necessarily "value".... in regards to the aspect of inflation. http://www.usinflationcalculator.com/ (Note... that's not basing it on ANYTHING else though ) xxx ooo Rupp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
He11blazer Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 More like almost always. Name one that decreased over a 20 year period. I can't, but I'll bet there are some. Although you may have to stretch the definition of 'major key'. Surely some of the veterans round here would know some examples? There must be books that were once considered major keys that have fallen from favour. Or perhaps genres, like Westerns or funny animals or something. If I had some really old price guides lying around I'd try to find something, but I don't. If we're just talking A-list Marvel/DC superhero keys, then yeah, I'm sure they've consistently gone up so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kav Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 Well one things for sure-people can name tons of stocks that have gone belly up so saying stocks is the way to go and comics is very very very very etc risky when no one can name a key that dropped like a dead stock seems weird to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vikingreed Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 Well one things for sure-people can name tons of stocks that have gone belly up so saying stocks is the way to go and comics is very very very very etc risky when no one can name a key that dropped like a dead stock seems weird to me. +1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thunsicker Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 Well one things for sure-people can name tons of stocks that have gone belly up so saying stocks is the way to go and comics is very very very very etc risky when no one can name a key that dropped like a dead stock seems weird to me. Four points: 1) This is exactly what people were saying about internet stocks in 1998. 2) This is in hindsight. Yes Marvel and DC keys have had an unprecedented run over the last 15 years. But 15 years ago they weren't the "hot" comics to have that everyone thought would increase like this. 3) As has been pointed out many times there have been certain things that have led to these huge increases, mainly the introduction of the CGC and online auction houses. You would have to show me the major drivers of the prices increasing at this rate going forward to convince me that they are still going to run over the next 15 years. 4) You are right. Buying individual stocks is very risky. However in case you don't follow these things both the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average reached new highs again today. Unless you are an analyst I'd suggest buying a fund that tracks one of those. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kav Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 But stocks had gone belly up before 1998 so no one could say you cant show me a stock thats fallen over a 20 year period the way you can with key books. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doktor Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 I'm really holding my tongue on trying to compare the comic market to the stock market & its fiat-currency-inflated post-2007/2008 status. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MetalPSI Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 Apples and oranges. You want to make money? Buy mutual funds and build a portfolio. You want to go broke? Invest in comics. I am betting over 30 years that having a diverse portfolio and putting in monthly payments into an rrsp will have a better return than comics. Heck, even real estate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kav Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 Name one person who went broke buying key books and selling them 20 years later Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thunsicker Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 But stocks had gone belly up before 1998 so no one could say you cant show me a stock thats fallen over a 20 year period the way you can with key books. So you just want me to show you a comic that has fallen over a 20 year period? e.g. "internet stock" is a part of the market like "key (Marvel and DC) books" are "a stock" is the equivalent of "a comic" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kav Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 Internet stocks crashed key books have never crashed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doktor Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 (edited) this is such an apples an oranges argument. Most of the crashed tech stocks were vaporware or other things that had no method of monetizing itself. People woke up & realized they were investing in cool company names and not future production/dividends & the market tanked. Comics are tangible assets. If you want to make a comparison, compare comics to commodities markets. Edited February 25, 2015 by Doktor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kav Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 All I'm saying is key books are a great investment. I rebut that investing in comics is a loser's game and sure fire fail. Without getting into detailed economics thats what I'm saying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
He11blazer Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 Internet stocks crashed key books have never crashed Never meaning... say 50 years? And 50 years ago, I wonder what comics a would-be investor would have stocked up on? I'm betting it wouldn't be all the same mega keys that spring to mind now. And I bet there were other collectibles that seemed a good bet, like coins or stamps or baseball cards. And I bet some of those really weren't a good bet. Right now it's possible that many of the mega keys are cresting their lifetime peaks. Some books may be horribly inflated and due to drop sharply and never return (recent movie speculation titles spring to mind). I may be that videogames are the place to be if looking to invest for the next 50 years. I basically agree with you on the inescapable fact that the SA and GA mega keys of superhero comics that are popular today have performed flawlessly for several decades, but I also know that fact alone tells us nothing about the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
He11blazer Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 On the other hand, back in the early 80s my family and friends thought I was nuts for spending good money on old comics, and for obsessing over maintaining their condition. I kinda believed them too, and I didn't spend too much on them, and I stopped completely around the early 90s. God damn I wish I'd had the courage of my convictions and spent every spare penny I could on acquiring decent comics and keeping them! I'd probably be able to retire today if I had. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kav Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 Internet stocks crashed key books have never crashed Never meaning... say 50 years? And 50 years ago, I wonder what comics a would-be investor would have stocked up on? I'm betting it wouldn't be all the same mega keys that spring to mind now. And I bet there were other collectibles that seemed a good bet, like coins or stamps or baseball cards. And I bet some of those really weren't a good bet. Right now it's possible that many of the mega keys are cresting their lifetime peaks. Some books may be horribly inflated and due to drop sharply and never return (recent movie speculation titles spring to mind). I may be that videogames are the place to be if looking to invest for the next 50 years. I basically agree with you on the inescapable fact that the SA and GA mega keys of superhero comics that are popular today have performed flawlessly for several decades, but I also know that fact alone tells us nothing about the future. True but the same could be said about any investment-at least comics have never crashed whereas other investments have. So calling the only investment that has performed flawlessly 'very very very very very risky' seems weird to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sundrycollect Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 (edited) Name one person who went broke buying key books and selling them 20 years later For what it's worth...I started collecting in 1985. Bought and sold a lot of books since. I have not made money on every book. But to your point...with Hulk 181, GS XMen1, HOS92, etc...especially right when CGC started...I did rather well. Pretty much every EC book in my collection was bought from the proceeds of a Hulk 181 that got a 9.6 around 2001. Those days are gone though. When CGC first started, it really was a killer arbitrage opportunity. By the way....enjoying a Manhattan made with Noilly vermouth, Luxardo cherries, and Bulleit bourbon tonight (not my regular choice for a Manhattan...but it worked) Edited February 25, 2015 by sundrycollect Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kav Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 How come whenever you order a martini at a bar they automatically make a vodka martini??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darkowl Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 I'm pretty much with Kav on this one. Unlike stocks, real estate, and other investments, it's incredibly difficult to show that there has been a major SA key crash (the naysayers in this thread haven't been successful in proving their point), and that's probably because it's never happened, especially in its entirety. Prices fluctuating a little here and there doesn't cut it. I really would like to see some solid examples of SA keys just completely nose diving, because then I can at least re-evaluate my outlook on key comics being a worthy investment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
