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ComicConnect Event Auction!

Started by nearmint,

794 posts in this topic

batman_fan

batman_fan

Posted
Posted
I'm as surprised as anyone by Tec 31 rocketing to infinity and beyond, but I got to thinking, is this the greatest GA cover?

 

I'm voting "yes" (although I can probably be talked out of it! :D )

 

Here are my criteria:

 

1. Importance of the character counts (for instance, MF 54 is a great cover and one of my favorites, but Spectre isn't a front rank hero). A lot of terrific covers are ruled out by this criterion.

 

2. No excessive weight to a first issue or first appearance (so Action 1 doesn't win just for being Action 1).

 

Not that aren't a lot of great candidates, but I would put Tec 31 first and CA 1 second. Tec 31 is striking, brilliantly captures the essence of the character, and, of course, features a key GA hero.

 

Thoughts?

 

I don't agree with your criteria. The greatest GA cover is the greatest GA cover, regardless of the popularity of the title character.

 

Sounds like you're looking for the greatest GA cover of an important character. Those are two different things.

 

True, but the importance of the character is relevant, I think, in the context of explaining what's happened to prices of Tec 31.

 

Do you have a nomination for greatest GA cover (irrespective of the hero portrayed)? hm

Tec 31, Suspense 3, and All Select 1 come to mind with respect to character, subject matter, or artist.

 

You missed probably the most iconic, Fantastic 3

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Primetime

Primetime

Posted
Posted
I'm as surprised as anyone by Tec 31 rocketing to infinity and beyond, but I got to thinking, is this the greatest GA cover?

 

I'm voting "yes" (although I can probably be talked out of it! :D )

 

Here are my criteria:

 

1. Importance of the character counts (for instance, MF 54 is a great cover and one of my favorites, but Spectre isn't a front rank hero). A lot of terrific covers are ruled out by this criterion.

 

2. No excessive weight to a first issue or first appearance (so Action 1 doesn't win just for being Action 1).

 

Not that aren't a lot of great candidates, but I would put Tec 31 first and CA 1 second. Tec 31 is striking, brilliantly captures the essence of the character, and, of course, features a key GA hero.

 

Thoughts?

 

I don't agree with your criteria. The greatest GA cover is the greatest GA cover, regardless of the popularity of the title character.

 

Sounds like you're looking for the greatest GA cover of an important character. Those are two different things.

 

True, but the importance of the character is relevant, I think, in the context of explaining what's happened to prices of Tec 31.

 

Do you have a nomination for greatest GA cover (irrespective of the hero portrayed)? hm

Tec 31, Suspense 3, and All Select 1 come to mind with respect to character, subject matter, or artist.

 

You missed probably the most iconic, Fantastic 3

with all due respect, I never thought too high of it.
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MrBedrock

MrBedrock

Posted
Posted

 

You missed probably the most iconic, Fantastic 3

with all due respect, I never thought too high of it.

+1

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Buzzetta

Buzzetta

Posted
Posted
what were we talking about?

 

 

Something about you and Gator and a few others getting together all next week, every day, between 8-11 EST without electronic devices to distract you from deep conversations.

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Gotham Kid

Gotham Kid

Posted
Posted

 

You missed probably the most iconic, Fantastic 3

with all due respect, I never thought too high of it.

+1

 

get the torches boys, we got ourselves some blasphemers

 

lol

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jimbo_707

jimbo_707

Posted
Posted
Glad I picked up a Tec 31 before the CC auction started :banana: What I see, a few have mentioned already is that the mid to higher graded copies are getting priced out for most buyers now and that lower graded copies will generate the biggest demands. This book just skyrocketed tremendously every year the past 5 years with perhaps no signs of stopping. It's truly an iconic classic cover that most collectors like myself would want to have in their collection. I'm just fortunate to be back in the club. I've said almost every year after selling my set that I want to be back, but didn't want to overpay for a copy. Look now at what happened, I ended paying more for my copy where I could have had a higher graded copy 2-3 years ago. If one truly wants the book, just bite the bullet and pay the price (at least for GA keys). SA, BA, and so forth, you can probably sit on it and see what happens.

 

And seeing where the 0.5 is now, I wish I would have pursued this copy harder, but I was in the process of acquiring my 2.5 so my focus was elsewhere. In retrospect, I would've been happy with 2 copies! Kudos to you though!

 

One of the best lessons I've learned over the years is to get away from the mentality of stopping myself from acquiring a book now because I paid so much less for a higher graded copy years ago. The market for these key books continues to move forward.

 

Thanks! I'm glad I didn't get another bid because I believe I was one or two bids away from being outbidded lol

 

I wouldn't be surprised if that 0.5 copy sells for around $25k. Front cover has strong eye appeal regardless of it not having an original back cover. I'm curious to see how high the 4.5 will sell for though :popcorn:

the classic covers and GA keys will continue to increase in value as demand is relentless and supply is so few. Biting the bullet now and holding will realize in time the price paid was perhaps silly at the time, but worth it long term.

 

Maybe, but since this is clearly the majority view, I guess I will put on again my Debbie Downer hat: It's always dangerous to assume that prices can go in only one direction.

sure, nothing's guaranteed but we can only look at history of the marketplace which suggests an upward swing. Price resistance and downward cycles are bound to possibly happen

It would be helpful to know who's buying these books at these sky-high prices. If the people spending the big money are older collectors, say in their 40s and 50s, and there's limited interest from 20-somethings, then the bull market for some of these books definitely has an expiration date.

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bluechip

bluechip

Posted
Posted
Glad I picked up a Tec 31 before the CC auction started :banana: What I see, a few have mentioned already is that the mid to higher graded copies are getting priced out for most buyers now and that lower graded copies will generate the biggest demands. This book just skyrocketed tremendously every year the past 5 years with perhaps no signs of stopping. It's truly an iconic classic cover that most collectors like myself would want to have in their collection. I'm just fortunate to be back in the club. I've said almost every year after selling my set that I want to be back, but didn't want to overpay for a copy. Look now at what happened, I ended paying more for my copy where I could have had a higher graded copy 2-3 years ago. If one truly wants the book, just bite the bullet and pay the price (at least for GA keys). SA, BA, and so forth, you can probably sit on it and see what happens.

 

And seeing where the 0.5 is now, I wish I would have pursued this copy harder, but I was in the process of acquiring my 2.5 so my focus was elsewhere. In retrospect, I would've been happy with 2 copies! Kudos to you though!

 

One of the best lessons I've learned over the years is to get away from the mentality of stopping myself from acquiring a book now because I paid so much less for a higher graded copy years ago. The market for these key books continues to move forward.

 

Thanks! I'm glad I didn't get another bid because I believe I was one or two bids away from being outbidded lol

 

I wouldn't be surprised if that 0.5 copy sells for around $25k. Front cover has strong eye appeal regardless of it not having an original back cover. I'm curious to see how high the 4.5 will sell for though :popcorn:

the classic covers and GA keys will continue to increase in value as demand is relentless and supply is so few. Biting the bullet now and holding will realize in time the price paid was perhaps silly at the time, but worth it long term.

 

Maybe, but since this is clearly the majority view, I guess I will put on again my Debbie Downer hat: It's always dangerous to assume that prices can go in only one direction.

sure, nothing's guaranteed but we can only look at history of the marketplace which suggests an upward swing. Price resistance and downward cycles are bound to possibly happen

It would be helpful to know who's buying these books at these sky-high prices. If the people spending the big money are older collectors, say in their 40s and 50s, and there's limited interest from 20-somethings, then the bull market for some of these books definitely has an expiration date.

 

Depends on which books you're referring to. If you see "older collectors in their 40s and 50s" paying "sky high" prices for books published 30 or 40 years ago (when they were kids) and those books don't have much going for them which would interest people in their 20s, then I would agree on the notion of an "expiration date."

 

But if you are talking about people in their 40s and 50s who are buying books published 60 or 70 or 75 years ago (meaning decades before they were born) then perhaps those books have already demonstrated they appeal to people beyond those who remember buying them off the newsstand. And, perhaps, some of those books will continue to do so.

 

And you need to consider what there is about a book or a cover that makes it appeal to one generation after another. Is it a book that people in their 20s are familiar with and consider cool to have? Is it a book that features an iconic character that still means something today and which will likely mean something in the coming generations, too? Or is it a book that has retained values because collectors heard about it from older collectors? Some books have all those factors going for them. And some sky high books have just a few, or just one, of those things going for it. So to answer the question of whether a book's interest from collectors will stand the test of the coming decades,or have an "expiration date," you may have to ask another question, such as "is it a classic cover Batman or a classic cover Catman?"

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Dr Carl

Dr Carl

Posted
Posted
I'm thinking the Action 2 will close at around 50k and the Marvel 1 should hit 100k

 

Wow, Peter, you're very bullish on Marvel 1 - $100K for the 0.5! And I thought the Tec 31 0.5 was selling for a lot! :insane:

 

I wonder what you think the Marvel 1 9.4 will go for!...

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jimbo_707

jimbo_707

Posted
Posted
Glad I picked up a Tec 31 before the CC auction started :banana: What I see, a few have mentioned already is that the mid to higher graded copies are getting priced out for most buyers now and that lower graded copies will generate the biggest demands. This book just skyrocketed tremendously every year the past 5 years with perhaps no signs of stopping. It's truly an iconic classic cover that most collectors like myself would want to have in their collection. I'm just fortunate to be back in the club. I've said almost every year after selling my set that I want to be back, but didn't want to overpay for a copy. Look now at what happened, I ended paying more for my copy where I could have had a higher graded copy 2-3 years ago. If one truly wants the book, just bite the bullet and pay the price (at least for GA keys). SA, BA, and so forth, you can probably sit on it and see what happens.

 

And seeing where the 0.5 is now, I wish I would have pursued this copy harder, but I was in the process of acquiring my 2.5 so my focus was elsewhere. In retrospect, I would've been happy with 2 copies! Kudos to you though!

 

One of the best lessons I've learned over the years is to get away from the mentality of stopping myself from acquiring a book now because I paid so much less for a higher graded copy years ago. The market for these key books continues to move forward.

 

Thanks! I'm glad I didn't get another bid because I believe I was one or two bids away from being outbidded lol

 

I wouldn't be surprised if that 0.5 copy sells for around $25k. Front cover has strong eye appeal regardless of it not having an original back cover. I'm curious to see how high the 4.5 will sell for though :popcorn:

the classic covers and GA keys will continue to increase in value as demand is relentless and supply is so few. Biting the bullet now and holding will realize in time the price paid was perhaps silly at the time, but worth it long term.

 

Maybe, but since this is clearly the majority view, I guess I will put on again my Debbie Downer hat: It's always dangerous to assume that prices can go in only one direction.

sure, nothing's guaranteed but we can only look at history of the marketplace which suggests an upward swing. Price resistance and downward cycles are bound to possibly happen

It would be helpful to know who's buying these books at these sky-high prices. If the people spending the big money are older collectors, say in their 40s and 50s, and there's limited interest from 20-somethings, then the bull market for some of these books definitely has an expiration date.

 

Depends on which books you're referring to. If you see "older collectors in their 40s and 50s" paying "sky high" prices for books published 30 or 40 years ago (when they were kids) and those books don't have much going for them which would interest people in their 20s, then I would agree on the notion of an "expiration date."

 

But if you are talking about people in their 40s and 50s who are buying books published 60 or 70 or 75 years ago (meaning decades before they were born) then perhaps those books have already demonstrated they appeal to people beyond those who remember buying them off the newsstand. And, perhaps, some of those books will continue to do so.

 

And you need to consider what there is about a book or a cover that makes it appeal to one generation after another. Is it a book that people in their 20s are familiar with and consider cool to have? Is it a book that features an iconic character that still means something today and which will likely mean something in the coming generations, too? Or is it a book that has retained values because collectors heard about it from older collectors? Some books have all those factors going for them. And some sky high books have just a few, or just one, of those things going for it. So to answer the question of whether a book's interest from collectors will stand the test of the coming decades,or have an "expiration date," you may have to ask another question, such as "is it a classic cover Batman or a classic cover Catman?"

True, Catman's (which I like) will probably spiral to zero in my lifetime; Tecs with Batman covers will not. The book I had in mind was the Tec 31 that someone said would sell for $25K even though it's a 0.5 copy. That amount of money could have purchased a 6.0 copy 5 or 6 years ago. Whenever anything rockets up in price that much, I'm suspicious of whether those prices are sustainable. If they are, I guess I missed my chance at a Tec 31, because I wouldn't spend $25K on a 0.5 copy of anything.

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sagii

sagii

Posted
Posted

Well, while i don't collect them i don't see Cat-Man's necessarily dropping in value(especially WW II covers, for any golden age comic book, obscure character or not) because i feel they still have not met their 'true' potential as i see outside collectors of WW II memorabilia (medals, uniforms, weapons, documents, photographs, posters(propaganda) coming into that area and competing with 'us' once they realize these are legitimate 'time capsule' pieces of the 'attitude' of the era.

And the natural 'progression' of most collectors (collecting)is the more knowledge and 'coin' you gain, you eventually move into playing with bigger toys. Are the people paying big money for 'Dracula', 'Frankenstein', 'The Mummy' and other Universal Pictures monster posters people who saw the movies back when they were released in the 30's? Same can be asked for people who pay big money for 'Gone With the Wind' or 'Wizard of Oz' items. Or folks who pay big money for cars from the 1920's. While it's safe to say they are probably not mall rats, are all of them children from the 40's? Probably not. And while 'Batman' is a bad example for the argument i'm making because he has stood the test of time, it's still reasonable to believe there will ALWAYS be a collector who moves from what was his 'modern age' (for me it was bronze, then i discovered silver, and eventually gold, and i am hooked!)and move up, as his knowledge, income, and passion for the hobby continues.

 

I think the bigger question with this particular Tec copy is is it an 'investor'? Someone with little to no interest in comic books and just wants a 'safe' place for his money for a while, or is this a collector who love this hobby and book so much, he'd pay a 'crazy' price for even the most low of copies because a better copy will cost him even more? I think the latter because i think an investor would be advised to buy the best and only the best. So it's safe to say if i'm right, and it's true collector driven, the price will continue to climb for a while.

If it was a higher graded copy, i'd say collectors, investors, and dealers looking to preserve records and store their money was at play :D (LOVE you Metro <3 )

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G.A.tor

G.A.tor

Posted
Posted

2 years ago I sold a copy of tec 31 in 6.5 for 80K and thought it was a crazy price....resold the same comic last year for $100K and thought it was a crazy price....hearing that a 4.5 might push 70K+, I guess nothing is crazy anymore

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