Newsstand date stamp question 0

[NoMan]

Back in the day (we'll say the 60s for this example), a book has a date stamp on it. Obviously every book didn't get a date stamp, so I'm assuming the books were bundled together (?) and the top book got the date stamp(?). Was this the receiving day the bundle of comics arrived or the date the books were to be returned? Was this date-stamped book put aside at the newsstand so the owner knew when this particular title arrived? If the date-stamped book was sold would the dealer not lose track of when the book arrived?

 

Thanks! Any date-stamp info would be appreciated!

[namisgr]

Some selling venues stamped the comics on the day of arrival. It helped them keep track of how long they had each issue for sale, and presumably helped with tracking when to return unsold copies. All copies were stamped.

[NoMan]

Every copy of the book was stamped. It seems like there would be lots more copies of books date stamped. It seems that date stamped books are in the minority.

[namisgr]

Every copy of the book was stamped. It seems like there would be lots more copies of books date stamped. It seems that date stamped books are in the minority.

 

Most selling venues didn't stamp their books (which is why I wrote 'some selling venues').

 

I bought comics off the rack for five years in the 1970s, and only a tiny handful of places put date stamps on their comics for sale.

[NoMan]

Every copy of the book was stamped. It seems like there would be lots more copies of books date stamped. It seems that date stamped books are in the minority.

 

Most selling venues didn't stamp their books (which is why I wrote 'some selling venues').

 

I bought comics off the rack for five years in the 1970s, and only a tiny handful of places put date stamps on their comics for sale.

 

Thanks. Wonder what the other newsstands that didn't date stamp did to ckkp track of inventory.

Edited February 2, 2017 by NoMan

[Sqeggs]

Every copy of the book was stamped. It seems like there would be lots more copies of books date stamped. It seems that date stamped books are in the minority.

 

Most selling venues didn't stamp their books (which is why I wrote 'some selling venues').

 

I bought comics off the rack for five years in the 1970s, and only a tiny handful of places put date stamps on their comics for sale.

 

Thanks. Wonder what the other newsstands that didn't date stamp did to ckkp track of inventory.

 

Yeah. I think the date usually was an arrival date. Every book would be stamped -- or would have the arrival date written on it pencil or pen. As a kid growing up in San Francisco in the 1960s, I bought comics from probably six or seven places.

 

I don't remember any of them bothering to stamp or pencil in arrival dates. Not sure why that would have been unless their sell-through rates were high enough that keeping track of unsold inventory wasn't much of an issue.

[NoMan]

Every copy of the book was stamped. It seems like there would be lots more copies of books date stamped. It seems that date stamped books are in the minority.

 

Most selling venues didn't stamp their books (which is why I wrote 'some selling venues').

 

I bought comics off the rack for five years in the 1970s, and only a tiny handful of places put date stamps on their comics for sale.

 

Thanks. Wonder what the other newsstands that didn't date stamp did to ckkp track of inventory.

 

Yeah. I think the date usually was an arrival date. Every book would be stamped -- or would have the arrival date written on it pencil or pen. As a kid growing up in San Francisco in the 1960s, I bought comics from probably six or seven places.

 

I don't remember any of them bothering to stamp or pencil in arrival dates. Not sure why that would have been unless their sell-through rates were high enough that keeping track of unsold inventory wasn't much of an issue.

 

good thought

[Sqeggs]

A further thought: None of the stores I bought from were comic book stores -- they hardly existed in those days. Comics were sold in general newsstands, drug stores, candy stores, soda shops, and misc. other stores. I remember one guy had racks of new comics for sale in his shoe repair store. I guess he figured he would pick up sales to kids while their parents were waiting around for their shoes.

 

I remember often seeing at least two monthly issues of many books; sometimes I think there may have been three months. So, clearly these places weren't much bothered about asserting their right to return unsold inventory. Maybe doing so would have been more trouble than it was worth given that selling comics was typically a very small part of their business. Even on newsstands, I would guess that magazines were typically much more important than comics as a source of revenue.

[B2D327]

Every copy of the book was stamped. It seems like there would be lots more copies of books date stamped. It seems that date stamped books are in the minority.

 

Most selling venues didn't stamp their books (which is why I wrote 'some selling venues').

 

I bought comics off the rack for five years in the 1970s, and only a tiny handful of places put date stamps on their comics for sale.

 

Thanks. Wonder what the other newsstands that didn't date stamp did to ckkp track of inventory.

 

Yeah. I think the date usually was an arrival date. Every book would be stamped -- or would have the arrival date written on it pencil or pen. As a kid growing up in San Francisco in the 1960s, I bought comics from probably six or seven places.

 

I don't remember any of them bothering to stamp or pencil in arrival dates. Not sure why that would have been unless their sell-through rates were high enough that keeping track of unsold inventory wasn't much of an issue.

That would make sense because I remember as a kid, the subway station where I lived had a newsstand with a comic rack and that thing would be close to empty or the pickens were slim because of all the kids that would buy them up on the way to school.

As a side note, I never bought a date stamped book off the rack but have acquired quite a few of them over the years and they've become welcome additions to my collection because for some odd reason I seem to appreciate them a bit more for the nostalgia

[catman76]

Also back cover stamps seem pretty common too, I have quite a few with dates on the back, but front cover stamps seem pretty common, I have a bunch and see them all the time.

 

The only time I have ever actually bought anything with a date stamp on it and actually saw anything new with one, was at a bookstore in a mall by me in the early and mid 90s. Sometimes I would buy an issue of non-sport update or collectable toys and values and they would have a tiny sticker on it with a number like "3/23" written on it. I don't think every issue had those date stickers on them either.

[NoMan]

So if a book has a date stamp on it, it's a good bet that it made it out into the wild as opposed to remaining in a box or something like that at the distributor/printer?

[Sqeggs]

So if a book has a date stamp on it, it's a good bet that it made it out into the wild as opposed to remaining in a box or something like that at the distributor/printer?

 

Right. It was the retailers who were stamping (or writing) arrival dates on the comics. (Although in the back of my mind is the thought that I've read that sometimes the distributors did that for them, presumably as a service.) When retailers returned books to distributors, the distributors destroyed them. Or, at any rate, that was the way I think it was supposed to work.

 

As you probably know, retailers were sometimes allowed just to return the top of the front cover. These "stripped" books were then supposed to be destroyed by the retailer, but some were resold. I remember as a kid some stores selling for a nickel coverless books with cellophane stapled to the front. Presumably, these were also books that were supposed to have been destroyed.

 

Same thing happened with paperback books. Stores were allowed to tear off the covers and send them back for a refund. Sometimes the stripped books were sold rather than destroyed.

 

So, surviving date stamped books (with intact covers!) were presumably bought off the stands.

[NoMan]

I'm starting to like date-stamped books more and more. To all who responded: Thanks for all the information!

[grebal]

Sqeggs is great, and a lot of good info in this thread.

 

I like clean well place date stamps myself, almost as much as I dislike sigs on the front cover.

[01TheDude]

Thinking about this from a logical standpoint, could retailers have stamped one copy and placed it behind the other copies? That way they could keep track of arrival dates for an issue without stamping or marking every issue (seems a little tedious). Might have even kept one last copy like a file copy of sorts to know exact arrive dates.

 

Just spit balling but seems reasonable

[namisgr]

Thinking about this from a logical standpoint, could retailers have stamped one copy and placed it behind the other copies? That way they could keep track of arrival dates for an issue without stamping or marking every issue (seems a little tedious). Might have even kept one last copy like a file copy of sorts to know exact arrive dates.

 

Just spit balling but seems reasonable

 

It's certainly possible, although I don't know of any examples. On the other hand, there are several well known original owner collections for which just about every SA comic was date-stamped, including the Green River and Bowling Green pedigrees. For many years the Bethlehem pedigree books also were date-stamped. With virtually every issue having an arrival date, it's clear the retailer from whom these books were bought must have stamped every one.

[lizards2]

Thinking about this from a logical standpoint, could retailers have stamped one copy and placed it behind the other copies? That way they could keep track of arrival dates for an issue without stamping or marking every issue (seems a little tedious). Might have even kept one last copy like a file copy of sorts to know exact arrive dates.

 

Just spit balling but seems reasonable

 

It's certainly possible, although I don't know of any examples. On the other hand, there are several well known original owner collections for which just about every SA comic was date-stamped, including the Green River and Bowling Green pedigrees. For many years the Bethlehem pedigree books also were date-stamped. With virtually every issue having an arrival date, it's clear the retailer from whom these books were bought must have stamped every one.

 

What I remember from growing up, if comics had date stamps, all the comics on a display rack or spinner rack were date stamped. I do remember one drug store that told me they could hold books for me behind the counter as they came in, and not stamp them. They never really bothered me that much - now I think they are kind of neat, except when smeared or placed in goofy juxtaposition with the art.

[lizards2]

Thinking about this from a logical standpoint, could retailers have stamped one copy and placed it behind the other copies? That way they could keep track of arrival dates for an issue without stamping or marking every issue (seems a little tedious). Might have even kept one last copy like a file copy of sorts to know exact arrive dates.

 

Just spit balling but seems reasonable

 

When I was buying off the stands like that, the comics in back usually had the least amount of spinner rack damage - so I would have likely defeated that strategy, as even in the 70s I was trying to find the best copy left on the rack.

[telerites]

I know there are who dislike stamps but I am on the other side and like them, even neatly written ones. Finally found one with my birthdate a few years ago.

[Paddy_McShillihan]

Have a date stamp book ASM 122.... really dug the date stamp on it so bought it....

Edited February 4, 2017 by Paddy_McShillihan