CGC Comic Collecting After 55

[Immortal Hulk]

Hi guys, wondering if anyone here is a collector over 55 years old and can describe how their hobby of comic collecting has changed or diminished. I know over time love for hobbies can change, just like once I hit around 25 I stopped playing video games completely, a hobby I previously had for almost two decades.

 

[PUNYHUMAN]

I'll be 59 in a few months . Love the hobby even more as I retired early. Been collecting since 1965.Stopped in the mid seventies . Came back in 1987 , been on a roll since then . Golden and Silver age and some Bronze. Just love the hobby , the history, stories , art, just a true passion.

[Immortal Hulk]

I'll be 59 in a few months . Love the hobby even more as I retired early. Been collecting since 1965.Stopped in the mid seventies . Came back in 1987 , been on a roll since then . Golden and Silver age and some Bronze. Just love the hobby , the history, stories , art, just a true passion.

 

That's really awesome! I envy you, I'm trying to retire at 59 as well, early since my pension doesn't start until 63 so I'm going to have to save lots.

 

Are reading and collecting the main leisure for you now? What else do you do during retirement?

[PUNYHUMAN]

Spend more time with my Wife.Playing guitar, yard work, catching up on things around the house , travel a little bit, watching movies . I'm going to start getting back into fishing again. Model building . I'm keeping busy.

[Immortal Hulk]

Spend more time with my Wife.Playing guitar, yard work, catching up on things around the house , travel a little bit, watching movies . I'm going to start getting back into fishing again. Model building . I'm keeping busy.

 

Sounds amazing man, thanks for sharing that!

[jerome34]

I am 82.

I started collecting comics in Sept 1942 with All Star 13.

About 1950, I sold most of my collection (switched to

Science Fiction) and during the next few years my brothers

stole and sold the rest of my collection (all Star 5 - 53

+ Action 6).

I then took a short break from comics and restarted in

the spring of 1983. A couple of years ago, I sold my

convention stock and most books other than DCs. I am

being paid in DC comics that I am missing or are incomplete.

 

Of the newsstand/direct comics published before the

"new 52" (or "52 upchuck" to distinguish from the

"new afterbirth"), I am missing 22 and have 82 that

are incomplete.

Since most of the missing/incomplete are very

expensive or very rare (pre 1940), I doubt I will get

much closer to complete.

 

Enough?

 

 

[Immortal Hulk]

I am 82.

I started collecting comics in Sept 1942 with All Star 13.

About 1950, I sold most of my collection (switched to

Science Fiction) and during the next few years my brothers

stole and sold the rest of my collection (all Star 5 - 53

+ Action 6).

I then took a short break from comics and restarted in

the spring of 1983. A couple of years ago, I sold my

convention stock and most books other than DCs. I am

being paid in DC comics that I am missing or are incomplete.

 

Of the newsstand/direct comics published before the

"new 52" (or "52 upchuck" to distinguish from the

"new afterbirth"), I am missing 22 and have 82 that

are incomplete.

Since most of the missing/incomplete are very

expensive or very rare (pre 1940), I doubt I will get

much closer to complete.

 

Enough?

 

 

Sounds like a pretty huge collection . So what are you reading these days?

[The_SandMan]

I am 82.

I started collecting comics in Sept 1942 with All Star 13.

About 1950, I sold most of my collection (switched to

Science Fiction) and during the next few years my brothers

stole and sold the rest of my collection (all Star 5 - 53

+ Action 6).

I then took a short break from comics and restarted in

the spring of 1983. A couple of years ago, I sold my

convention stock and most books other than DCs. I am

being paid in DC comics that I am missing or are incomplete.

 

Of the newsstand/direct comics published before the

"new 52" (or "52 upchuck" to distinguish from the

"new afterbirth"), I am missing 22 and have 82 that

are incomplete.

Since most of the missing/incomplete are very

expensive or very rare (pre 1940), I doubt I will get

much closer to complete.

 

Enough?

 

 

WoW!! Consider the u had to endure, you have such a positive spirit

[01TheDude]

I'm only 50 and only recently got back into collecting actively. Still have all (most) my books from when I was collecting as a kid with a paper route in the mid 1970s.

 

My guess is there are many collectors on this site who are 50+ and have been doing this a looooong time. We were among the last ones who bought old school pulp books from the "news stand" (or in my case the 7-11 racks) as far as I can tell. That changed the hobby immensely imo from something aimed at kids to focusing on adults.

[Azkaban]

I'm only 50 and only recently got back into collecting actively. Still have all (most) my books from when I was collecting as a kid with a paper route in the mid 1970s.

 

My guess is there are many collectors on this site who are 50+ and have been doing this a looooong time. We were among the last ones who bought old school pulp books from the "news stand" (or in my case the 7-11 racks) as far as I can tell. That changed the hobby immensely imo from something aimed at kids to focusing on adults.

 

 

Same here

[Silver Surfer]

[Silver Surfer]

Collecting when you get older is always fresh and exciting because you forget the books that you have so when you see them again its like reading it for the first time.

[comicjack]

Once a collector always a collector just that your tastes change over the years.I love the art form and hobby and all that goes with it.My interest has been Goldenage in the last twenty years and most likely will be buried with one or two books the my family knows I treasure.You are not alone here on the boards.

[lizards2]

I started back issue collecting when I was about 11. I'm now 55. I had a about a three year hiatus during college, but immediately recouped everything I missed.

 

When we had our third child, I pretty much quit reading - he just turned 19. But I've been actively collecting pretty much since 1972 - earlier if I analyze past purchases. I was buying Mad magazines and paperbacks at about age 6.

 

I'm retiring March 31, 2017, and plan on supplementing my income by reducing my collection.

[lizards2]

Collecting when you get older is always fresh and exciting because you forget the books that you have so when you see them again its like reading it for the first time.

Like hooking up with an old girlfriend...,

[1950's war comics]

Am back collecting after a 40 year hiatus and going after the golden age comics I could only dream about as a kid!

 

[PUNYHUMAN]

[shadroch]

I'll be 58 later this year and am in the process of selling off my collection. I honestly don't enjoy reading even the classic stories much anymore. Am currently reading the Master of Kung Fu Omnibus and am not that thrilled with a series I used to love. I enjoy bargain hunting but the thrill is getting the book at X and selling it for Xplus.

Right now I'm selling the flotsam and jetsam from my hoard, about $500-$1,000 worth a month. At this rate, I figure it will be years before I get to the stuff I really like. I've an almost complete collection of Marvel Omnis of the SA books. They'll be here until the end.

[oakman29]

I'm going on 52, and have been collecting comics since I was 10. Never left collecting,in fact I've found another great aspect of comics besides superhero comics. The great horror mag. What's great about comics is there is so many ways to enjoy it.

[Bomber-Bob]

I have read that it is normal, when reaching your fifties, to purge, only to regret it later. Happened to me. Luckily, I never purged all my books. It formed a nice foundation to start up again. This time around the collection is smaller but smarter.