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Perceived rarity of newsstand editions?

Started by The-Collector,

86 posts in this topic

The-Collector

The-Collector

Posted
Posted

Hi guys

 

I have often heard it said that newsstand editions are rarer and hence should command a premium. Does anyone know if sales figures from the period differentiate between newsstand and direct copies? Does anyone have a way of justifying the conclusion that they are rarer? Or maybe they are just harder to find in grade because of the greater shelf wear?

 

Thanks

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HarveySwick

HarveySwick

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I could be wrong, but I don't think the rarity has anything to do with actual publication numbers.

 

I think it is, as Hado said, more difficult to find higher grade copies of newsstand editions than it is direct market editions.

 

Direct Market editions were sent to comic and hobby shops. For the most part, they were handled with care by individuals who understood the hobby, displayed correctly and stored properly.

 

Newsstand editions were sold at book stores, convenience stores, supermarkets and, well, newsstands. They were handled by many more people just passing through and flipping through the books. They were thrown out on shelves and treated like magazines with minimal amount of care put towards preservation of condition.

 

They're just much harder to find in super high grade. (shrug) I don't think the print run of newsstands is x,000 and the print run of direct is x,000 is the answer. But I know someone with data will hopefully show up with concrete evidence (cue RMA).

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The-Collector

The-Collector

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I could be wrong, but I don't think the rarity has anything to do with actual publication numbers.

 

I think it is, as Hado said, more difficult to find higher grade copies of newsstand editions than it is direct market editions.

 

Direct Market editions were sent to comic and hobby shops. For the most part, they were handled with care by individuals who understood the hobby, displayed correctly and stored properly.

 

Newsstand editions were sold at book stores, convenience stores, supermarkets and, well, newsstands. They were handled by many more people just passing through and flipping through the books. They were thrown out on shelves and treated like magazines with minimal amount of care put towards preservation of condition.

 

They're just much harder to find in super high grade. (shrug) I don't think the print run of newsstands is x,000 and the print run of direct is x,000 is the answer. But I know someone with data will hopefully show up with concrete evidence (cue RMA).

 

It must have some correlation. Taking the extreme ends of the spectrum, if zero copies are printed then no copies would ever appear. Conversely if 1 billion copies were printed then it seems logical there would be more extant copies now.

 

I think publication numbers would be a good place to start. and we can then factor in other considerations like shelf wear, returns policies etc.

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r100comics

r100comics

Posted
Posted
I could be wrong, but I don't think the rarity has anything to do with actual publication numbers.

 

I think it is, as Hado said, more difficult to find higher grade copies of newsstand editions than it is direct market editions.

 

Direct Market editions were sent to comic and hobby shops. For the most part, they were handled with care by individuals who understood the hobby, displayed correctly and stored properly.

 

Newsstand editions were sold at book stores, convenience stores, supermarkets and, well, newsstands. They were handled by many more people just passing through and flipping through the books. They were thrown out on shelves and treated like magazines with minimal amount of care put towards preservation of condition.

 

They're just much harder to find in super high grade. (shrug) I don't think the print run of newsstands is x,000 and the print run of direct is x,000 is the answer. But I know someone with data will hopefully show up with concrete evidence (cue RMA).

 

Agreed on much of this but at different stages of the direct market evolution the proportion of newsstand versus DM copies has varied.

 

Someone (probably RMA) once produced a really useful guide that showed how these percentages altered over the years, but there were definitely periods where far fewer newsstand copies were printed than DM.

 

 

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comix4fun

comix4fun

Posted
Posted
I could be wrong, but I don't think the rarity has anything to do with actual publication numbers.

 

I think it is, as Hado said, more difficult to find higher grade copies of newsstand editions than it is direct market editions.

 

Direct Market editions were sent to comic and hobby shops. For the most part, they were handled with care by individuals who understood the hobby, displayed correctly and stored properly.

 

Newsstand editions were sold at book stores, convenience stores, supermarkets and, well, newsstands. They were handled by many more people just passing through and flipping through the books. They were thrown out on shelves and treated like magazines with minimal amount of care put towards preservation of condition.

 

They're just much harder to find in super high grade. (shrug) I don't think the print run of newsstands is x,000 and the print run of direct is x,000 is the answer. But I know someone with data will hopefully show up with concrete evidence (cue RMA).

 

 

 

When I was a early teen and starting to order new books. I would order them ahead of time from the dad of a friend of mine who had a comic shop account. I would intentionally order a newsstand and a direct of most of the issues I was buying. I continued that through when I had my own account. So I know you could be a comic shop and order newsstand copies.

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slym2none

slym2none

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Folks, don't forget - newsstand copies were returnable, and returned copies were destroyed. So even if the DM v/s NS copies were printed in the same numbers, there are less of the NS copies on average because not all survived the experience.

 

For that reason, I have noticed a small premium attached to newsstand copies. It might not be anything of significance, but newsstand copies can & do sell for (again) a small premium over DM copies for the hotter books.

 

(thumbs u

 

 

 

-slym

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Jaydogrules

Jaydogrules

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Folks, don't forget - newsstand copies were returnable, and returned copies were destroyed. So even if the DM v/s NS copies were printed in the same numbers, there are less of the NS copies on average because not all survived the experience.

 

For that reason, I have noticed a small premium attached to newsstand copies. It might not be anything of significance, but newsstand copies can & do sell for (again) a small premium over DM copies for the hotter books.

 

(thumbs u

 

 

 

-slym

 

hm

 

NM 98:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Mutants-98-CGC-9-8-First-app-of-Deadpool-/161686158451?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item25a53efc73&nma=true&si=ESVWMJNvXgebvopo3p97VILnUCs%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Marvel-New-Mutants-98-CGC-9-8-RARE-Newsstand-Variant-1st-App-of-DEADPOOL-/151666579982?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2350085a0e&nma=true&si=ESVWMJNvXgebvopo3p97VILnUCs%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

 

ASM 300:

http://item.ebay.co.uk/331130676709?item_hash4=c55e880f&LH_Complete=1&LH_BIN=1&LH_BO=1&_ipg=200&_pgn=1&rc=nt&rmvSB=true

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/AMAZING-SPIDER-MAN-300-CGC-9-8-SCARCE-NEWSTAND-VARIANT-ORIGIN-1ST-FULL-VENOM-/201315326922?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2edf541bca

 

-J.

 

 

 

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slym2none

slym2none

Posted
Posted
Folks, don't forget - newsstand copies were returnable, and returned copies were destroyed. So even if the DM v/s NS copies were printed in the same numbers, there are less of the NS copies on average because not all survived the experience.

 

For that reason, I have noticed a small premium attached to newsstand copies. It might not be anything of significance, but newsstand copies can & do sell for (again) a small premium over DM copies for the hotter books.

 

(thumbs u

 

hm

 

NM 98:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Mutants-98-CGC-9-8-First-app-of-Deadpool-/161686158451?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item25a53efc73&nma=true&si=ESVWMJNvXgebvopo3p97VILnUCs%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Marvel-New-Mutants-98-CGC-9-8-RARE-Newsstand-Variant-1st-App-of-DEADPOOL-/151666579982?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2350085a0e&nma=true&si=ESVWMJNvXgebvopo3p97VILnUCs%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

 

ASM 300:

http://item.ebay.co.uk/331130676709?item_hash4=c55e880f&LH_Complete=1&LH_BIN=1&LH_BO=1&_ipg=200&_pgn=1&rc=nt&rmvSB=true

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/AMAZING-SPIDER-MAN-300-CGC-9-8-SCARCE-NEWSTAND-VARIANT-ORIGIN-1ST-FULL-VENOM-/201315326922?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2edf541bca

 

-J.

 

Take a look at all the past sales over the years. I mean, I can cherry-pick examples if I want.

 

As I stated, I have noticed a small premium being paid for the hot books from the newsstand. That includes raw as well as graded copies. If you have not, that is fine. My anectdotal evidence is just that, but I believe what I see.

 

:)

 

 

 

-slym

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HarveySwick

HarveySwick

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You can find any small sample example if you look for it. ;)

 

You've been very open in the past with your opinion that you don't believe newsstand editions sell for a higher premium than direct market editions. It's wrong. I don't know what else to say. (shrug)

 

Batman Adventures #12 Newsstands are much more desired than direct market editions and premiums are paid for them.

 

Just following Frank Miller's Daredevil run in the registry, there is an obvious premium paid for Newsstands vs Direct market editions.

 

It's alright if you personally don't buy into newsstands being more desirable than direct market editions. That's your opinion. But there really isn't a niche collecting group dedicated to paying a premium for direct market editions. There IS a group of collectors who DO pay a premium for newsstand editions.

 

I know it's futile to convince you otherwise though so we'll just agree to disagree. :foryou:

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revat

revat

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The short answer is: No newsstand books are "rare" and they don't sell for more than DM copies. (thumbs u

 

-J.

 

MrWrong.jpg:banana:

 

Funny pictures aside, no, I am not. See post for four recent examples above. :sorry:

 

-J.

 

that's a pretty serious all-encompassing blanket you're tossing there. They don't ALWAYS sell for more. And certainly SOME are comparatively rare vs direct copies, especially in high grade (for the reasons stated before). Whether or not anyone wants those or wants to pay more for those is another story.

 

Comics that were especially popular even back then are IMO less likely to be rare (superman 75, ASM 300), and/or comics that have broader general appeal (NM 98), because people either took care of them or there's so much appeal from a large market that doesn't know the difference. BUT if you look for comics that are either became desirable later or are chaseable only by collector's 'in the know', then I think the differences are more likely to be evident, especially evident in comics where there is a 'completionist' element, think Knightsend/Fall/Quest or the rest of the death of superman stuff.

 

I know about a month ago I saw a fairly priced comic which I already own. I wouldn't have bought it, BUT it was newsstand, so I decided to buy it. I doubt I'm the only person who has done this.

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