A question: What's the market for high grade ECs, really?

[shrunkenhead]

So I am giving serious thought about parting with several of my highgrade ECs. I have already put some feelers out there, but I am thinking about being more aggressive. They are among some of the first HG slabs that I purchased, and I'm wondering if maybe the time is ripe to sell a few of them. Also, the likelihood of my completing a run on any but the short impact titles is just about nil. They are cool books to have, but my collecting goals are constantly mutating, and I could stand to free up a little dough.

 

So my question is, what's the market for these books, really? I've heard response as varied as "these are the blue chips of 50's books" to "they're not selling as well as they used to" and everything in between. We've talked about how the usual suspects constantly bid up these books on ebay (mamanook, jhalpe, etc.), and how many of these folks have a vested interest in keeping prices high (i.e. they're stockpiling). So what sort of multiples can one expect on these in the fair marketplace? Is it best to let loose with these on ebay or take them to a consignment house? Any thoughts? Also, if anybody's sold any of these books as of late, I'd be curious to hear about it. My feeling is, I'd be willing to sell a few of my EC slabs for a modest profit (say 10 to 15 percent over my purchase price), but if I'd just break even (or take a loss) then I'm content to keep them, as they are super cool. Though I won't sell my NM Tales from the Crypt #33 under any circumstances.

 

Looking forward to some discussion,

 

--Tom

[Aman619]

Are they Gaines copies? Seems to me that the EC market is solely Gaines copies and low grade. With up to 12 HG copies of each issue, is there enough demand for the rest of the mid-HG copies out there?

[tth2]

I don't have any input, as I'm not familiar with the EC market at all, but I'll look forward to hearing what some of the experts have to say. HG has become such a relative term when it comes to ECs because of the incredible quality and quantity of the Gaines file copies, I've often wondered what their impact has been on the rest of the EC market.

[shrunkenhead]

Are they Gaines copies? Seems to me that the EC market is solely Gaines copies and low grade. With up to 12 HG copies of each issue, is there enough demand for the rest of the mid-HG copies out there?

 

I've got nine books that I'm thinking about putting on the block. Four of the books are Gaines Files, three are from other pedigrees, and two aren't from any pedigree. They are all "new trend" ECs, almost all horror stuff (except for one issue of Panic, and one issue of Crime Suspenstories that I will probably end up keeping). All of 'em are slabbed in the 9.4 to 9.8 zone (only one of them is a 9.8, average grade is a 9.6). Many of them feature Ingels' covers, as he's my favorite artist to come out of the EC stable.

 

 

I also have some lower graded ECs, but I'm not interested in selling those.

[october]

You have any scans handy Shrunk? It's always a treat seeing HG ECs.

[shrunkenhead]

Don't really have too many scans put together at the moment, but I'm working on it and will post shortly.

[JohnBull]

I'd consign them somewhere with a suitable reserve. I would have thought that these books will continue to make their yearly OS price rises, without ever making a significant jump. They're hardly unrecognised and there are so many reprints around that I can't see a sudden price spike around the corner. Pretty much as blue chip as you can get.

[shrunkenhead]

I'd consign them somewhere with a suitable reserve. I would have thought that these books will continue to make their yearly OS price rises, without ever making a significant jump. They're hardly unrecognised and there are so many reprints around that I can't see a sudden price spike around the corner. Pretty much as blue chip as you can get.

 

Sound advice, thanks. I just listed one of my "unpedigreed" copies on ebay, so we'll see how it goes.

[shrunkenhead]

Here's the HG EC crime book in my collection that I will probably end up not selling. The cover is just too amazing.

 

 

I'm also not gonna sell this one, which is a slabbed 6.0. I've had no luck in getting a better copy.

 

[tth2]

Nice ECs. They really pushed the envelope with their covers, didn't they?

[shrunkenhead]

Nice ECs. They really pushed the envelope with their covers, didn't they?

 

Definitely. Pushed far enough to get the government involved, whose interventions subsequently forced Gaines & Co. to close shop on the horror and crime books.

[JohnBull]

Looks like a play for a "Show us your gruesome axe murder covers" thread to me.

[october]

Awesome books Shrunk...though I can't see the Crime 22 too well. You should take it out of that stupid plastic holder. Coincidentally, Crime 22 and 24 are my two favorite EC covers, so I now hate you.

[Bonds25]

Tom,

 

I am interested if you're selling, so please PM or email me!

[shrunkenhead]

Crime 22 and 24 are my two favorite EC covers, so I now hate you.

 

[october]

Crime 22 and 24 are my two favorite EC covers, so I now hate you.

 

 

[FlyingDonut]

I'd be interested as well in some of them. Slabbed ECs under 9.2 generally sell for UNDER guide - I've gotten 9.0s for right at guide slabbed, which means the book is selling for $60 under guide (subtract the slabbing price and shipping). There's just too many high grade copies floating around - ECs have been actively collected since they came out.

[PedigreeMan]

Four of the books are Gaines Files, three are from other pedigrees, and two aren't from any pedigree.

 

What are the other pedigrees, if I may ask?

[shrunkenhead]

I just double-checked 'em, and the three are actually all from the same "other pedigree." They're all Northford books, which I gather was a collection of mostly pre-code horror and sci-fi that surfaced a few years back. Great cover gloss on 'em, the inks look like they're dripping on my northford copy of Haunt of Fear #16 (it's the "2nd" #16).