Strategies in collecting runs: Keys first or non-keys first? 1 1

[F For Fake]

Someone always seems to be selling sets, so you might be able to put together chunks of a run, and upgrade as needed. But otherwise, I'd chase the keys first, because as has been noted, in the current collecting climate, all keys are going up up up, and won't be getting cheaper anytime soon. 

Of course, it will all crash eventually, so you could always wait for the bubble to pop, then scoop them all up.

[01TheDude]

I bid on what I think a book is worth and if I don't get it at that price, I try again another time. So mostly I end up filling in the non-key stuff. It has left me with several runs where the only ones missing are keys or expensive early books. Typically, I find a TPB that covers those books or reprints (for DD 2-7 found in MSH 22-27). I would love to have the real deal but paying for even mid grade copies of some books gets very expensive. So I keep putting in my bids for DD 131 and 168 to finish my DD 8-204 run while occasionally throwing in a bid on some low grade readers of 1-7. I am in similar situations with Thor, Strange Tales, and other runs I have worked on over the past few years. Finding some large lots of books at cheap prices (even if you get some doubles out of it) is fun in its own right. Those doubles often upgrade your existing books too.

Bear in mind, I am not collecting as an investment but mostly just for fun. If I were more concerned with investment type collecting, I would ONLY buy key books in as high a grade as possible (quality over quantity). Currently though I am just trying to complete sections of runs I find interesting. And that is the biggest point-- collect what you like and don't worry about what others think is the right thing to collect. Also-- take your time. Rushing to collect a run is much more expensive. Let the opportunities present themselves.

[the blob]

Ignore all this bad advice. Spend all your money as quickly as possible.  Preferably with me.

[NoMan]

9 minutes ago, the blob said:

Ignore all this bad advice. Spend all your money as quickly as possible.  Preferably with me.

What's your PayPal address? I'm looking to put together the greatest Miller newstand DD run in existence. CGC 10.0 WP only. 

Anything else will be cracked open and ripped in half. 

[the blob]

1 minute ago, NoMan said:

What's your PayPal address? I'm looking to put together the greatest Miller newstand DD run in existence. CGC 10.0 WP only. 

Anything else will be cracked open and ripped in half. 

6.0 is much better than 10.0, and i can get those for you raw!

[NoMan]

2 minutes ago, the blob said:

6.0 is much better than 10.0, and i can get those for you raw!

I have 2 long boxes full of lower grade stuff. You're making me so angry right now I'm going to rip them all in half

[the blob]

Just now, NoMan said:

I have 2 long boxes full of lower grade stuff. You're making me so angry right now I'm going to rip them all in half

Good, you will make those books much rarer in the marketplace.  just another 3 million long boxes to go.

 

[NoMan]

4 minutes ago, the blob said:

Good, you will make those books much rarer in the marketplace.  just another 3 million long boxes to go.

 

Are you saying the epic run I'm putting together will be essentially worthless?

I'm this close to humping the button on you. 

[the blob]

15 minutes ago, NoMan said:

Are you saying the epic run I'm putting together will be essentially worthless?

I'm this close to humping the button on you. 

In 6.10 condition they will be unique and highly valuable.

It's all treasure to me, otherwise i have a lifetime of accumulated worthless paper and i don't want to think about that right now.

[NoMan]

11 minutes ago, the blob said:

In 6.10 condition they will be unique and highly valuable.

It's all treasure to me, otherwise i have a lifetime of accumulated worthless paper and i don't want to think about that right now.

In all seriousness Blob what's the contact info for your shop if you do mail order? Not seeing it on your profile. 

[speedcake]

I definitely went about my UXM run backwards and wish I hadn't. I wish I had focused more on keys from the start and filled in the regular issues as good deals popped up. I have grabbed a key here and there, but now I'm kind of stuck on the big keys and all the silver age stuff.

At this point I'm just looking for the best deal possible on any issue I'm missing from the run.  I know better for when I start on Spidey, I reckon.

[90sChild]

My first thought was always go keys first, but then I realized I did exactly the opposite of that with the biggest focus of my collection right now.  Doctor Strange vol 1.  Compared to the #169 'big premiere issue' all the others cost about 80-90% less.  It could be that I just don't value those 1968 title reboots as big keys.  With no first appearances, people seem to be liquidating them to spend money on other books right now.  In CGC 9.4 this book has dropped off quite a bit in the last six months from 1200 down to 1000 or so.  Is it wrong I still think it is too high?

Perhaps if I was collecting the whole strange tales run, getting the #110 would take priority over everything else.  

[Hudson]

On ‎6‎/‎4‎/‎2017 at 11:31 AM, NoMan said:

Strategies in collecting runs: Keys first or non-keys first?

I'm curious as to collector's strategies in putting runs together. Do you go for the higher dollar keys first or grab the less costly non-keys first? For our hypothetical lets say all the books in the run are not rare and can be found easily. 

I'm putting two runs together at the moment and finding it hard to lock down on one strategy or the other. Curious as to how some of you go about it.

As always, thanks for input and responses.

Years ago, as I was putting together my run of Action Comics, a guy said to me, "People who buy a complete run of Actions, buy Action 1 as their first book or the last book." (paraphrased).

I thought, this guy has no clue what he is talking about.

I went on collecting, many times turning down #1s that came across my path (that I could afford), as I continued to fill out my collection.  THIS WAS A COSTLY MISTAKE.

Perhaps the old guy was right.  I eventually put together the entire run from #2 on up (yes every one of them) and yet still I do not have a #1 (and regrettably I doubt I ever will, as the investor money has flooded the game and made such key books equal to owning a home).

I would recommend two things.  Going for the keys first and buying the best you can afford (unless you just want to read them and have no interest in their value moving forward).

Maybe I am off base here, however, those are my thoughts, for what it is worth.

[jcjames]

As so many others have said, the keys will most likely be disproportionately much more expensive years from now compared to the filler which will always be around and always be affordable.

Keys first, filler as you go.

 

[01TheDude]

1 hour ago, jcjames said:

As so many others have said, the keys will most likely be disproportionately much more expensive years from now compared to the filler which will always be around and always be affordable.

Keys first, filler as you go.

 

great advice if your budget allows for that type of purchase.

If I did that, I would be buying one or two (possibly none) comics a year. That would not be a lot of fun.

[shadroch]

1 hour ago, 01TheDude said:

great advice if your budget allows for that type of purchase.

If I did that, I would be buying one or two (possibly none) comics a year. That would not be a lot of fun.

I find buying a couple books a month much more enjoyable than buying hundreds as I did for many years.  If I buy 50 this year, it will be a lot.

Edited June 6, 2017 by shadroch

[Comicdey]

Buy what presents itself in the best grade possible. Be selective and only buy a filler if you think you won't find or can't afford a better copy.  

I'm sure it sucks to find out that common issue you passed at $2 now sells as a semi key for $100.

 

[ComicConnoisseur]

On 6/4/2017 at 7:51 PM, NoMan said:

Not necessarily. I've seen GPA's of Keys that fall in value. Lots in fact.

True,but most people pick quality over quantity.  That is the universal advice all the old-school collectors gave me,not just in comics,but coins and sportscards as well. 

Edited June 6, 2017 by ComicConnoisseur

[FineCollector]

4 hours ago, shadroch said:

I find buying a couple books a month much more enjoyable than buying hundreds as I did for many years.  If I buy 50 this year, it will be a lot.

All due respect, there's a difference between buying long boxes of bulk indiscriminately, and coming home with a box of cheap books you picked individually because you like them and want them.

I tried buying only one or two high end books when I was younger, but you'd get home, read it, bag it, and ten minutes later say... okay... that's done then.  When you're down to the last few comics to finish your collection, I'm sure it's a great joy, but when you still have many wants as I do, it's not rewarding.

"Quality over quantity" is the worst thing I've heard since joining the boards.  That logic says that you should buy a third copy of Captain America 117 before picking up your first set of Cap 118-125, and you'd be wrong.  Cap 122 is a fantastic example of Gene Colan's art, where Cap is trudging back to his apartment over several pages, questioning his place in the world, but the way it's presented is moving and brilliant.  It hasn't been broken out in the guide, so that's just "quantity" to many of you, but if they put that scene in a movie, and the price spiked, suddenly it would be a "quality" book.  Please stop equating cost to quality.

[oakman29]

5 hours ago, shadroch said:

I find buying a couple books a month much more enjoyable than buying hundreds as I did for many years.  If I buy 50 this year, it will be a lot.

I am the same way.