Should I consider trying this trade? 0

[drotto]

My LCS just ran across a fairly nice collection that has several books I may be interested in.  All are solid BA and CA keys all raws, several are books I have wanted for awhile.  I am not sure of the condition at this point, but I have know the owner for years, and his prices are fair, his grading is good, and I trust him.  He has a very good handle on the market, so his values are close to market value, maybe slightly below.  I am more than likely going to get at least 2 or 3 books off of him, but was also considering doing a trade.  I have a 0.5 PLOD AF 15, but the book is complete, but trimmed (I know the death of books). I have almost nothing into the book. I know from recent eBay searches that coverless copies are selling for $2500 or more.  There was even a recent CGC PLOD 0.5 sold that was incomplete with facsimile cover that sold for around $3200.  He knows I have the book, and has offered previously to set me up with a buyer. I may be way off, but figure the books has a market value of about $4000 or so (I had at one point seen the sale price for my exact book on eBay as a best offer that was listed at $5000 when it sold).  I know he needs to make money reselling the book.

 

So I had the thought of trading it to him somewhere between $3000 and $3500 for my book, which would allow me to take basically all the books I would want out of the collection he just purchased.  I know it is under value, potentially, but leavings him room to make money. Is this idea stupid?  What would you do?

[Readcomix]

Based on what you have said above, I'd still be inclined against, but I don't know your preferences and collecting goals.

if the book is complete but labeled purple due to trim, is that the worst of it, or does it not present well? Worst case, you've got a complete low-grade copy of the third most desired comic, generally speaking, on the planet. I would think you could get more in cash for it and buy what you want, I'd there's approx. $4k of books in that collection you would rather have.

Also, do you know it was trimmed, or was that identified in the grading process? If so, I would want to know how they are certain since so many say trimming is the toughest resto to detect accurately. There's a pretty broad variance in size among SA books from the same print run; I'm just saying I'd want high confidence with a key of that prominence.

That aside, a good litmus for you -- if you converted your AF 15 purple point-five to cash, is there a book you'd rather have for the $$ than what is in the collection you are considering trading for?

That's my 2 cents; hope it helps you in the way you were looking for. Can you post your book, and/or say more about your target books from the collection and your collecting goals in general? 

[drotto]

It was graded and marked trimmed by CGC.  It is an older case and label, I do not know when it was graded, but I have had it for 18 months.  It is a fairly beat copy that would be worthless if it as not a mega key, it presents OK at best, but there are no major stains, missing chunks.  There is some annoying scribbling on the cover, tape around the edges, a tapped rip through the center which is sealed, and general wrinkling (moister damage) over the entire cover. I basically won the copy in a raffle, and it was already slabbed when I got it.  I suspect it was trimmed as it is a low grade book with little to no Marvel chipping.  I am at work and having trouble grabbing a picture.  I will later.

 

As for other books I would like.  For me there are several that I would prefer over a low grade copy of AF 15.  Based on the way I got it, I am still thrilled, but have thought from day 1 about selling it or trading it for higher grade more desirable to me books.  My LCS just happens to have 3 or 4 in this buy that I want, and a few keys in multiple copies. Some of the books he has are 2 copies of Hulk 181, WWBN 2 copies, ASM 121, as well as a few others, but those are the ones that caught my eye. I was hoping to maybe scoop all those books up.

Edited February 14, 2017 by drotto

[Comicdey]

If you don't love the AF and prefer higher grade BA keys, follow your collecting instinct.  Remember the entry level to AF15 continues to rise though.

[drotto]

21 minutes ago, Comicdey said:

If you don't love the AF and prefer higher grade BA keys, follow your collecting instinct.  Remember the entry level to AF15 continues to rise though.

Which is why I still own the copy I have.  It is unlikely I would have purchased a AF 15 outright without my wife killing me. 

[Philflound]

I'd go for trade. Did he come up with a trade price or are you figuring that's what you'd get? Chances are combined value of what you'd take would rise higher than your AF15 over the years. But I'd be looking at it more that you'd fill in lots of gaps in your collection.

[Readcomix]

22 minutes ago, drotto said:

Which is why I still own the copy I have.  It is unlikely I would have purchased a AF 15 outright without my wife killing me. 

Thx for more info, drotto. I agree with what comicdey said above, but I'd want both 181's from that sampling. I guess I wonder if you couldn't get more from him with the AF15 converted to cash in hand, is all.

Make yourself happy as a collector; I just wouldn't want to see you regret giving up upside (which is no guarantee though it looks like a No-brainer from today's vantage point -- but then again Marvel Comics #1 was once top GA dog after all).

Just because you got it as a bargain/stroke of luck, don't undervalue what you have. But if it doesn't make you happy the way other books do, it is just a valuable possession. So go get what you want; it's a major piece of firepower whether in trade or converted to cash.

[drotto]

 

The book in question.

[miraclemet]

usually when trading, the guy getting the best book wins (or trading a quarter for 2 dimes and a nickel) . But with the AF15 being so low grade, and trimmed, and (in my opinion) pretty low on the "presentable" scale I think getting some BA keys, especially if it includes the BA icon IH181. 

Im actually surprised that the dealer would make the trade since moving one big book is likely to take longer than multiple nice BA keys. But maybe he has a buyer who's told him in the past "if you can ever get an AF15, let me know". 

I'd definitely want to be sure to get a good total value for the book so that it makes sense for you (as opposed to just selling the book and getting the cash and buying the books you want).  If you told me it was a BA lot that included a nice condition  IH181 and an ASM129 I'd say go for it.  The other ones you mentioned are tier 2 to me (WWBN, ASM121), very nice, but not key-keys. 

[Readcomix]

1 hour ago, miraclemet said:

usually when trading, the guy getting the best book wins (or trading a quarter for 2 dimes and a nickel) . But with the AF15 being so low grade, and trimmed, and (in my opinion) pretty low on the "presentable" scale I think getting some BA keys, especially if it includes the BA icon IH181. 

Im actually surprised that the dealer would make the trade since moving one big book is likely to take longer than multiple nice BA keys. But maybe he has a buyer who's told him in the past "if you can ever get an AF15, let me know". 

I'd definitely want to be sure to get a good total value for the book so that it makes sense for you (as opposed to just selling the book and getting the cash and buying the books you want).  If you told me it was a BA lot that included a nice condition  IH181 and an ASM129 I'd say go for it.  The other ones you mentioned are tier 2 to me (WWBN, ASM121), very nice, but not key-keys. 

This is what I was thinking, as well. Usually, when I trade with an LCS, it's generally easier, I find, to get one big book for several smaller hot keys. Surprised your guy is willing to go reverse. Then again, maybe if he's deep, he just wants one in the shop. Cracked out, in Mylar on a wLl, it would look even better as an LCS showpiece.

I agree on the trade elements too. 181 great, but I'd want top bronze keys across the trade. (129 as Miraclemet said, or very sharp HOS 92 or X-Men 94. Maybe something else is also acceptable, but it's a short list. WWBN 32 is cool but scares me as it has heated so long for so little reason. MK is a cool bit character but he's a bit character to tie up a quarter to a third of this trade's value. If I wanted a spec book in the lot, maybe a sharp GL 87 for a much smaller percentage of the total trade?)

[drotto]

I have seen a quick picture of several of the books.  He has the Hulk 181's priced at $1000 and $1500, and like I said his grading is very close to market. There was also a X-Men 94 and 101 in the short video.  They were lower priced so I am not expecting much on the grade, but I have not seen any of the books in hand at this point.

[Readcomix]

Congrats, Drotto! From the pair of 181's you posted in the club, I'm guessing you got the trade you wanted. Do you mind us asking what all you landed? 

Edited February 16, 2017 by Readcomix
Typo

[drotto]

43 minutes ago, Readcomix said:

Congrats, Drotto! From the pair of 181's you posted in the club, I'm guessing you got the trade you wanted. Do you mind us asking what all you landed? 

Actually ended up just buying them.  I had set aside some money to help me buy some keys, although I am planning to sell some other stuff in the near future.  I just could not pass up on the opportunity to get my hands on two decent copies of pretty much an iron clad book.  I am guessing the one book is about a 5.5 to 6 and the other is a 7.5 or 8.0.  I could be way off however.

[Readcomix]

22 minutes ago, drotto said:

Actually ended up just buying them.  I had set aside some money to help me buy some keys, although I am planning to sell some other stuff in the near future.  I just could not pass up on the opportunity to get my hands on two decent copies of pretty much an iron clad book.  I am guessing the one book is about a 5.5 to 6 and the other is a 7.5 or 8.0.  I could be way off however.

Bravo! I thought that might be the other possibility. So you bought the two 181's, kept the AF15, and passed on the other items? From the other books you named in the collection he acquired, I think that was the best move, for what my two cents are worth. An even bigger congrats, I say!