golden age pricing

[RareHighGrade]

It was the 1996 Guide (26th edition). Prices on Golden Age books went up 30% - 50%, and Silver Age prices went up slightly less.

 

Adamstrange has articulated many of the concepts that I have heard from others. One theory in particular is that dealers need to be able to buy books from the general public for less than they are worth in order to be able to resell them for a profit and stay in business. This is harder to do if the general public relies on a guide that provides full value. If the dealers stop buying and reselling books because they cannot receive the profit margin they need, then the market slows and eventually crashes.

 

I have no opinion one way or the other on the validity of this theory, but I do find it interesting.

[adamstrange]

It was the 1996 Guide (26th edition). Prices on Golden Age books went up 30% - 50%, and Silver Age prices went up slightly less.

 

Crikey!

[lou_fine]

It was the 1996 Guide (26th edition). Prices on Golden Age books went up 30% - 50%, and Silver Age prices went up slightly less.

 

Crikey!

 

Oh yes, those wonderful wonderful years of '94 and '95 when Moderns had fallen through the floor after the Valiant/Image implosion and when SA was taking a breather after humongous percentage gains in the early 90's.

 

A time for the Golden Age to play big time catch-up with dealers falling over each other offering big big multiples to guide for HG GA books. This insanity had basically petered itself out by the end of '95 / beginning of '96 to be followed by a few quiet years until the spectre of CGC loomed its head at the turn of the century.

[HouseofComics.Com]

 

Sidenote: I'd be interested in seeing a list of the top 10 (by price) good girl comics, if anyone wishes to post that. Heck, I'd love to see someone post their top 10 good girl covers regardless of price. And it would be equally nice to see a post of the top 10 good girl interior stories.

 

Speaking of good girl interiors, what the heck is going on with Popular Teen-Agers?!?!? There are those three or four issues with Toni Gay, Butch Dykeman, girls in lingerie floating away in their bed down the canals of Venice, etc. Never seen anything like it.

 

Marc

[HouseofComics.Com]

One theory in particular is that dealers need to be able to buy books from the general public for less than they are worth in order to be able to resell them for a profit and stay in business. This is harder to do if the general public relies on a guide that provides full value. If the dealers stop buying and reselling books because they cannot receive the profit margin they need, then the market slows and eventually crashes.

 

I have no opinion one way or the other on the validity of this theory, but I do find it interesting.

 

 

That's interesting but I'm dubious. Maybe some dealers rely on turning up books from the general public and then selling for over guide but I think the majority of dealer stock is purchased from either other dealers (as in my case for instance) or from collectors who certainly understand the economics of collectibles. Even the collectors who aren't that savvy finally figure it out. That is, after getting an offer or two from their local comic shop, etc. they understand that the wholesale price is some sort of fraction of guide.

 

Btw, in terms of Adamstrange's post about the old lady thinking her books are NM, I think of that as the antique mall syndrome. Ie, comics grading is frankly tough to explain and learn and one can see why the amateurs, even antiques dealers, think their books are NM! Or at least "excellent." Of course this sometimes works the opposite way at the low-end where their "poor" is actually still Overstreet "good."

 

Marc

[Forbush-Man]

Good post, Adamstrange.

 

I'm referring to #760673 - 03/23/05 10:44 PM. Why repeat it when it was said so well the first time (no quote repeat).

[*paull*]

Rangers 3? How about Master Comics #27?? Someone want to explain how this isn't broken out in guide?

[jbcomicbox]

Adam: "Do realize that dealers are the major source of input for the guide and their agenda isn't always served by accurate prices. They do express concerns about prices rising too fast as that will make the books no longer seem like a bargain. Also, it will generally make it more difficult for them to purchase copies of sought-after issues as many owners of books will rely on the guide price. If the price moves up incrementally, then it will make it easier for the dealer to purchase at 50-70% of guide for a "hot" book that they can then flip for a quick, tidy profit."

 

 

That is exactly the agenda of some dealers. Create "excitement" by having people pay over Guide for a book that is "underpriced"....but buy it at a lower percentage.....The Guide since the Vault opening in 1995 corrected GA v. SA price differential....since then it has been "steady' as you go....very conservative. If you factor in that the small percentage increase for higher grade GA, the change for GA (or SA for that matter) in the Fine or Good price is negligible. Overstreet is conservative like Alan Greenspan of the Fed....keep "comicbook inflation" under control and over the long run it will be good for the overall economic health of the hobby......Listen to people wax elegant about Centaurs.....price wise they have changed little if any for many years.......jon

[*paull*]

I expect consistency then. There's no reason why certain books should sell for 3x - 5x guide... and I can name a ton of them.

[adamstrange]

This is post from metropolisent over in the General Forum

 

Just digging into the new Guide. Interesting, so far what has surprised me is that AF #15 and Showcase #4 did not go up at all, even though there were mutliple record sales for high grade copies last year...go figure. Even though I benefit from Guide increases due to the size of my inventory, in general I like to see prices stay low or show slight to moderate price increases as I think it is healthier for the market. An example, years ago Mystery Men was a hot title, then #1 went up a ton (think it was 97) and killed interest in this title. Investors and collectors like to find the deals, the books that are priced modestly. When books go up a great deal, they are no longer seen in this light.

 

http://boards.collectors-society.com/sho...true#Post763546