Trials and Tribulations of Golden Age Collecting posted by Mad Cop

[CSJournals-migration]

Ok it's not that bad.

 

I will never forget the reaction my local comic shop owner gave me when I first asked to see his collection of golden age Batman and Detective Comics he had for sale. He looked at me as if I had just landed a UFO on his front yard. He proceeded to explain that he had not a one and hadn't had any for quite some time. I asked if he could take my phone number down and call me if he came across any. This was 8 years ago. I have not received a call.

Over the years, the internet has made it easier to find these elusive comics, but the fact remains, there are just not that many out there. The set I spend the most time searching for is my Detective Comics 27 - 200. Currently I have 67 issues. A good start, but it is becoming increasingly harder and harder to fill holes from missing comics. Obviously some of the issues carry a heavy price tag, but others just are never for sale. According to the census, some issues have only single digit numbers certified. As rewarding as collecting is, it is also equally frustrating when I am able and willing to spend money but can't find anyone who will part with a piece of their collection.

Oh well. The hunt is still the most exciting part.

 

See more journals by Mad Cop

[Rockblazer]

I agree. The farther back you collect the harder it gets. I've had the same reaction from shop owners when I've asked about Silver Age books. It almost seems offensive if you ask the question. I am fortunate that there is one shop in my area that does have comics back to the Platinum Age. Another shop I went to a few years back had 4 long boxes of Silver Age hidden under a table with a long table cloth covering them. I called the owner before I left and he remembered them and said he would "dig them out" when I got there. He did so. I bought some issues and another customer saw me and started looking through them. He said he was a long time customer and didn't know he had these. He asked the owner why he never put them out. The owners response was "you never asked". The Internet is still the collevtors best friend.

[Gotham Kid]

I hear you on that. Still, you have a built yourself a great collection thus far (thumbs u

[MacFarlane]

Back-issues and especially older ones are an ongoing problem in LCS's. when you ask to see the older items they are low grade, few, and far between (and they often look at you like you're crazy). Lately I've found the only way to build up a collection pre-1965 is to save up for the shows each year and have the odd very expensive weekend.

 

What I'm always wondering is: have a few large buyers and investment groups bought up large stores of them and they're leaving them in storage waiting for some magical day when suddenly they are going to cash in? I suspect there is a fair amount of that going on.

 

Speculation in our market is not new but the recent levels have proven to be to the detriment of the collector.

[1950's war comics]

It's not even that easy putting together 1950's Atlas war comic runs and they are dirt cheap in comparison to Detective