People who sell off big books to finance a grail. Happy you did it?

[oakman29]

For me, a "grail" seems to be whatever I want next.

 

Buddy, you've got alot of grails in that awesome Sig line.

[ttfitz]

Love this idea....

I have 2 young kids (9 and 15)...my goal is to teach them that comics are more fun than iPads. Really don't want to leave them 3000 random books. It'd be overwhelming.

Decided this year to sell and buy 2 major keys (relative term) and hang on to a few solid high grade books. But I'm afraid giving them a 15 or 20,000.00 book each may be worse .

Limits the buyers and using a secure venue will probably cost them.. not to mention capital gains (assuming they don't get taken to the cleaners buy some low baller).

 

Maybe buying 30 lower grade solid books is the way: always a market ..easy to sell...not going to draw attention with sale price...more fun..easy to manage logistically. Everyone's motivation is different, but for me, this sounds like a great plan.

 

I don't see how receiving a handful of slabbed books would be any fun at all for two young kids. Give them 3000 raw books flip through and read and you've got a chance of getting them into the hobby.

 

Yes super..you're right ..if I gave it to them now. But I don't plan on dropping dead anytime soon. I figure in about 15/20 years they may get them. I didn't think they'd want 3000 books starting a family and career and possibly moving around and if in the next 5 years they decide they love reading them and want a ton of books I figure it'd be easier to grab 500 readers for them instead of trying to grab keys at twice the price of today.

I was just thinking of a way to give them something that was such a big part of my life since childhood that they wouldn't feel burdened by, but still had some value . Also, they could build on 20 or 30 solid books in their own way.

 

Just thought I'd point out if you are talking about giving your kids these books when you are dead, you don't have to worry about capital gains if you are seeing them selling upon your death, since the cost basis gets stepped up for your heirs when you die.

[Buzzetta]

People should only have 1 grail book. It's the holy grail - there can't be 10 of them. So although I've never done it myself I'd say it would be easy to sell a bunch of books you like for the 1 book you will love.

 

Correct. My grail is the Allentown Tec 27. Wish me luck! Maybe I will get it before I die.

 

Hopefully you or Peter get it.

[eastbayrudy]

I think this is a good strategy. Have not done this with comics, but I have done this to acquire a pair of shoes. I love collecting shoes (Jordan's, Curry, etc.) and I sold off a bunch of my lower end shoes to help me come up with the money to buy a very beautiful pair and extremely limited Air Jordan V. I am very glad I did because it is my favorite shoe in my collection. The ones I sold come around all the time and everyone has them. So I can always buy them back if I want them.

[mar-vell]

I think if i sell off big books for a grail it would be fine as long as I didn't feel any of the books sold off were the perfect copy for me.

 

Like as an example I have a 9.0 spidey 20 that is as nice as I will ever need, and if i sold that off I know I would regret it. I have numerous books that I consider upgradable that I would be fine selling off for a grail if it was necessary.

[namisgr]

I sold off my grail.

 

I'm going to be retiring before I reach 65.

[jimjum12]

I sold off my grail.

 

I'm going to be retiring before I reach 65.

 

 

..........your whole collection was a grail......... GOD BLESS....

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

[namisgr]

It was great fun to build over the years, Jimbo, but all the Silver is now gone. Yes, I'm happy to have done it, as I get to retire beside my wife a couple of years earlier than if I'd kept it.

[mar-vell]

It was great fun to build over the years, Jimbo, but all the Silver is now gone. Yes, I'm happy to have done it, as I get to retire beside my wife a couple of years earlier than if I'd kept it.

 

Wow, Gratz! So you did have one eye on investment all along. Yeah those books you had must have made a nice nest egg. Thats what i want to do supplement my pension with my collection. I'm way ahead on paper right now Lord willing I'll live to cash in like you did- gratz again!

[namisgr]

It was great fun to build over the years, Jimbo, but all the Silver is now gone. Yes, I'm happy to have done it, as I get to retire beside my wife a couple of years earlier than if I'd kept it.

 

Wow, Gratz! So you did have one eye on investment all along. Yeah those books you had must have made a nice nest egg. Thats what i want to do supplement my pension with my collection. I'm way ahead on paper right now Lord willing I'll live to cash in like you did- gratz again!

 

Never had an eye on investment, actually. Just in getting back out at least close to what I sank into the collection. That I started collecting in the days before CGC, and had a few of the bronze keys I bought off the rack grade highly, helped a lot.

[mar-vell]

It was great fun to build over the years, Jimbo, but all the Silver is now gone. Yes, I'm happy to have done it, as I get to retire beside my wife a couple of years earlier than if I'd kept it.

 

Wow, Gratz! So you did have one eye on investment all along. Yeah those books you had must have made a nice nest egg. Thats what i want to do supplement my pension with my collection. I'm way ahead on paper right now Lord willing I'll live to cash in like you did- gratz again!

 

Never had an eye on investment, actually. Just in getting back out at least close to what I sank into the collection. That I started collecting in the days before CGC, and had a few of the bronze keys I bought off the rack grade highly, helped a lot.

 

Well i collect for the love of the books first and foremost but my desire to collect the entire marvel age run of superhero books left me with the realization early on that I would need to move them someday unless my financial situation improved along the way. I moved a couple big books a few years ago and it was a nice shot in the arm but I am still not fond of selling off the entire run of books i spent years putting together. In an ideal situation I will be leaving these books to my heirs.

[ss5rmp]

ive done it a few times and have few regrets...

 

i got me a FF 5 cgc 6.0 and a gl 7 cgc 7.0 doing this.

 

To some of the boards these are nothing but to me theyre books i can normally not afford.

[AnkurJ]

I did so recently. Have a few regrets? Sure. But made good money on selling the books and the majority of them are replaceable. The book I purchased is one I had been dreaming of since I was 12, and it completes a mini-run.

[AnkurJ]

For me, a "grail" seems to be whatever I want next.

 

You need more focus.

[shadroch]

Starting in June, I'll be consigning about$600 a month for the next few years, netting about 500.

[01TheDude]

I did so recently. Have a few regrets? Sure. But made good money on selling the books and the majority of them are replaceable. The book I purchased is one I had been dreaming of since I was 12, and it completes a mini-run.

 

don't leave us hanging-- what book was it?

[AnkurJ]

I did so recently. Have a few regrets? Sure. But made good money on selling the books and the majority of them are replaceable. The book I purchased is one I had been dreaming of since I was 12, and it completes a mini-run.

 

don't leave us hanging-- what book was it?

 

Some things are better kept under wraps.

[zuulioso]

Leaving books to my heirs is a burden. I would rather leave them cash.

 

I love the books. They don't.

 

I have sold a lot to buy other things I like including more books. The wonderful thing about comics is that in most cases you can just get the thing you sold again if you really wanted it. There are very few books that are truly irreplaceable.

 

Everyone has their own particular love of the hobby. For me it is the actual act of collecting I think that is the biggest appeal. I love wanting a book then hunting for it and then actually getting it. Once I have it I am ready for the next thing. Sometimes the next thing means I want to part with something I already have.

[Jacey]

Thanks for all the responses everyone. I wrote that post under the influence of sleeping pills so I'm glad it was in any way intelligible.

 

Meaning for me, that I use the time payment plan with ComicConnect, or HA, to buy a grail, than within the 3 or 6 months, sell off other pieces, to "finance" the larger purchase.

 

I'm trying to decide what to do, the time payment possibility isn't something I've really considered, but depending what I go for I may have to go for it.

 

if they had a short box that included Spiderman 1, you were dating a a man.

 

pssh. my spiderman 1 is so good it came in a polybag.

 

I try not to put all my eggs into one basket, by doing so you are actually gambling for capital gains and you could end up getting burned.

 

I think it all depends on personal preference. Some people would sell everything and get a grail in a decent grade. I'd rather have multiple keys I've always wanted in a little lower grade instead of one book.

 

One thing to keep I mind is your risk profile. If any of it is money you "cannot afford to lose" I would think twice about keeping any of it in comics other than the most absolute "blue chip books" and even that comes with risk.

 

I'm thinking of this strictly for the books. Money doesn't play a part in it, I'm not trying to go for a big score profit-wise, but collecting-wise. I've owned an AF15, and I own a TMNT 1, there are a few big items.

 

I'm investing a lot (not in comics) and I do go to local cons, buy fairly low grade 12 centers, nothing to be graded. That stuff isn't to be touched, I'm really just considering my CGC collection or high grade books. I really feel like I have 3 different collections. The pull list/new stuff I get weekly, the older books that don't have much value but I can't read without worrying about pulling down the value, and the CGC graded stuff.

 

Because I'm investing in other areas, I don't want to pull significant funds from that to pay for CGC books, so that's one reason I'm thinking of trading up

 

Thanks for everyone's input.

 

[s14roller]

I agree it depends on personal preference. Someone might want a bunch of various pieces for their collection or a more narrow approach.

 

I'd probably get overwhemled if I had more than 2 short boxes full of slabs.