Silver Age Marvel Prices?

[Silver Surfer]

No chance. The day of the local LCS may go the way of the dodo bird but if anything the internet has replaced it 100 fold and I think it will keep it going for many years to come. How many people on these boards buy key books on a regular basis from their LCS these days? I would venture to guess that it is a very small percentage.

[uclapeterg]

And people can buy their current issues from a subscription service.

[AussieRuss]

Hello Everone.

 

I have read this topic with some intrest & I am not sure everyone is considering this with a worldwide view.

 

In days past "pre E-bay / Internet" I would think that most people would have purchased their comic collection locally. If that collectors town or region had an economic downturn most people in that area would naturally slow or stop collecting as money would be spent elsewhere within the household.

 

Jumping foward to 2005 comic collecting is a worldwide hobby. I can purchase any given key hundreds of times easier today from the other side of the world than I could have 20 years ago from my own city.

 

I find it amusing to constantly hear that EG: "an economic downturn might hit the USA."

 

Have we all ever taken the time to think what impact an American economic downturn would have on Europe, Australia & Asia.

 

I will give you an answer of how a weaker US$ dollar has affected me in Australia now that my dollar is worth 25% more than it was 1 year ago.

 

Simply: I can now afford to spend 25% more on a comic and still get it for the same price in AU$. No negative effect at all, in fact it has been a huge positive for me.

 

This is not meant as an insut to anyone in the USA as the same principle can be used for any country heading into a recession or economic downturn.

 

Please just try to remember that the USA is only one country involved in this hobby. If things go pear shaped many other countries will be willing to spend the money to purchase the items.

 

As many of you already realise. Day by day more & more comics leave the shores of the USA and become part of this wonderful hobby in other parts of this wonderful planet.

 

Feel free to comment on my view on this worldly topic'

 

Regards.

 

Aussie Russ

[Aman619]

while we here in the states are often US-centric to a fault on many things, somehow I hope you can understand that comics are such a tiny non=essential largely shunned activity here, that its hard for us to accept or realize that it might be all THAT popular around the world! And especially that back issues, and HG valuable books could have eager buyers seeking them as strenulously as we here do. I am of late very shocked to hear comments like ypurs, and while I am aware that the demand exists in Australia and elsewhere for our comic heroes, are there really all that many collectors of the vintage comic books out there???

 

If so, thats great for the hobby and the comics industry. But aside from a scattering of people like yourself whose opinions I have read here, and a few individuals at conventions, and the British collectors I have ment and talked to, is it really as widespread as you say? And do you think there's a strong enough demand to counterbalance comics' waning strength here at home??? Will overseas fans of new and vintage comics "save" or suport the failing US comics industries when the time comes???

[AussieRuss]

Are there really all that many collectors of the vintage comic books out there???

 

If so, thats great for the hobby and the comics industry. But aside from a scattering of people like yourself whose opinions I have read here, and a few individuals at conventions, and the British collectors I have ment and talked to, is it really as widespread as you say? And do you think there's a strong enough demand to counterbalance comics' waning strength here at home??? Will overseas fans of new and vintage comics "save" or suport the failing US comics industries when the time comes???

 

Hi Aman619

 

Firstly I must point out that I am by no means a seasoned collector here in Aus. I have only taken this hobby quite seriously for the last few years after briefly getting into it in the mid 90's.

However I will share my opinions & I always listen to other peoples points of view.

( I may not always agree but I do listen)

 

 

My exposure to the comic scene in Aus is quite limited. I have been to a few of the Melbourne comic fairs over the past few years. It may suprise you guy's in the USA that 99.9% of all comic trades at these shows are raw books. In fact I have yet to see a slabbed comic at one of these fairs (Not Joking).

 

However there are lots & lots of serious collectors that do things the old school way. They debate grades, argue...., argue some more & sell some comics.

 

I shave spoken with several of these people and it does appear that a lot of Raw HG comics are shipped to Aus from the USA.

 

It would appear to me that we are still a few years away as a country from accepting slabbed comics as a worthwhile comodity.

 

If I walk into any of my local comic stores and ask questions about CGC archival boxes etc. I am basically told that slabbing is a waste of time and whats the point sealing a comic ETC ETC.

 

However there is a strong undercurrent of people like myself in Aus that don't often go to these fairs but quietly tap away on our keyboards and syphon off some really nice stuff from the USA. In 2 years so far I have imported around 100 slabbed comics mainly from the USA and mainly Pedigree copys. I will even go as far as to say that many of the serious collectors only purchase upper grade & Pedigree comics because to import a mid grade comic just isn't worth the postage costs involved.

 

I believe that it will probably take a few more years of people like myself and many others slowly selling the odd slabbed book in Aus before acceptance is declared by the old school players.

 

Watch this space. When slabbed comics become widely accepted I believe that a CGC franchise will start in Australia and people using E-bay will be amazed at the newly slabbed High grade Gold / Silver books that come out of this country.

 

To a certain point the rifling through Aunt Bessy's & Uncle Tom's closet for the hidden comic stash has not occured in this country as yet. Why?? because as a collecting country we are still at the pre CGC stage. The potential value of whats lying around may not be fully understood.

 

Here is something that you may note during your next E-bay stint.

3 -5 years ago how many E-bay ads for Marvel comics were from outside the USA.

 

Today I think that you would find a lot more & the ones that you see will probably be for would likely be quite sought after, high grade or pedigree comics.

 

Well I must go now as I need to attend my local comic fair wearing a CGC T-shirt. It took 5 minutes before rocks were thrown at me last time. I may last 30 this time.

 

Thanks again for your feedback.

 

Regards,

 

Aussie Russ.

 

P.S. Did you guys know that the greatest CGC pricing database in the world GPAnalysis is an Aussie product?

 

George & the team have their office right here in Melbourne.

[Aman619]

great info. thanx!

 

Even here the biggest detractors of CGC slabbing are the LCSs. I just think its cause they hardly ever deal in the HG stuff that CGC is geared to favor. As for an Aussie CGC franchie? interesting idea. Like having a Starbucks everywhere. But, I kinds doubt it will ever come to that. But that would be cool I admit, for the continued growth of the hobby and collecting such that there were enough comics out there worth grading...

[That Ron Dude]

A lot of interesting points have been brought up.

 

I too see the local comic stores on the wain. I rarely buy expensive books from them. The books I most often buy are in the $5.00 to $20.00 range, books that are difficult to purchase on Ebay because the cost of postage becomes disproportionate. It also seems to me that the local comic stores either can't, or don't want to compete with Ebay on price. They have to pay for heating, tax, employees, electricity, upkeep etc. so there prices must be higher. At the same time their mark-up on collectors comics is obscene. I don't know why anyone would sell them back issues. I do see the local comic stores with some high priced key issues but I believe many are consigned. This is the situation in many of the stores in Toronto anyway, I don't know how it is elsewhere.

 

I do see key issues at conventions but they are often overprices. I saw an Amazing Fantasy #15 in Toronto at a convention recently for about $1500 US with the corner eaten away by a rat. I bought one on Ebay a year ago in better condition for under a thousand. I think the convention dealer was fishing for easy profits. I know one deal is not a survey of the field but I still see Ebay as having the best deals. At that same convention, I did purchase several Ditko Spider-Man comics, not key issues though, at just above Ebay prices (I have been keeping close track). For a few dollars more I avoided the hastles of the post office and waiting and the chance of bum deals. Mind you, these were the best deals at the convention. I can get Ebay deals on virtually any silver age Marvel I want in any condition, if I have the money.

 

As for the world view, it is easier for me to buy from the US in Canada then it was a year or two ago. Our dollar is at a ten year high.

 

In spite of a few sarcastic words about my pessimism, it hasn't changed my view. Other collecting hobbies have had huge downturns and ours could experience one too. I am a school teacher. Most of my students have never held a comic book in their hands. Most of the ones who like comics like Manga. Neither of my sons cares a wit for comic books though our home has been visited by all sorts of professionals, collectors and dealers. I have a room in our home devoted to the stuff. I still have to assume that when I "shuffle off this mortal coil" they will put my [#@$%!!!] up on Ebay if it's all organized for them or truck it down to the local comic store if it is not. My former comic room will then be rented out to a student probably from the U of T for about $500.00 per month and they will make more money with that room in a couple of years then they make selling off my huge load of comics.

 

Here is the real key. Buy the comics because you love them, not because of what you think they are worth to someone else. If you do this and they go down in price, that Fantastic Four #1 is still worth it for you. Actually I assume that most of the people on this message board are of that mind.

[the blob]

personally, other than the occasional large lot purchase or poorly described auction that turns out well, I get better prices on non-slabbed books at my various LCSes and at conventions. All of those ebay books advertised as VFs that come back as VGs tend to avergae out the great "deals" I get elsewhere. Of course, in the last couple of years I haven't been devoted 1-2 hours a day to searching auctions like a lot of people on these chat boards do, so perhaps I could do better on ebay.

 

Granted, other than slabs purchased on ebay (I don't buy those live), I haven't purchased an individual comic for more than $25 in a long while. But I do spend about $10-$20 a week at my LCSes (I go to a few here in NYC) for back issues and the 2-3 monthly titles I buy. Just picked up a nice stack of Eerie and Warren horror mags from my LCS at prices competitive to ebay, particularly after shipping, waiting and ebay overgrading are factored in.

 

Would I/do I buy keys at my LCS? If it's something I really want, yes. Almost snagged a nice VF - VF+ DD 131 the other day, decided to come back the next day and buy it and someone else beat me to the punch! I guess someone is buying those back issues! Slowly but surely the SA back issues disappear from my LCS. What many people forget is that some shops are willing to work with you on price if you spend enough. If you just pay sticker for everything then you probably will overpay.

[That Ron Dude]

Thanks for the information. I get into NYC every once in a while. What comic stores will give the best deals?

[lou_fine]

I will give you an answer of how a weaker US$ dollar has affected me in Australia now that my dollar is worth 25% more than it was 1 year ago.

 

Simply: I can now afford to spend 25% more on a comic and still get it for the same price in AU$. No negative effect at all, in fact it has been a huge positive for me.

 

 

I have always heard this theory about the benefit of a falling U.S. dollar. To me, this only makes sense if you view comics from a pure consumption point of view with no potential resale value in mind. If you are approaching comics with some type of investment or future resale point of view, then falling exchange rates also could have a significant negative effect on your collection.

 

While it's true that your purchases are now 25% cheaper than what they were a year ago, you also have to remember that the value of your entire comic collection has also dropped by this same 25% figure. Especially since collectible or investment quality comics are usually brought and sold in terms of U.S. dollars no matter what part of the world you live in. As a result, a falling dollar only works out if your purchases are large enough to offset the holding loss you are incurring from the rest of your collection.

 

For long-term collectors, however, the advantage is that they may possibly be able to time the exchange rates by buying when the dollar is down and selling when the dollar is up. This only works for real long-term collectors, however, not speculators and flippers and also only if the U.S. dollar gets back close to its high of a few years ago.

[Calamerica]

Hi Aman619

 

Firstly I must point out that I am by no means a seasoned collector here in Aus. I have only taken this hobby quite seriously for the last few years after briefly getting into it in the mid 90's.

However I will share my opinions & I always listen to other peoples points of view.

( I may not always agree but I do listen)

 

 

My exposure to the comic scene in Aus is quite limited. I have been to a few of the Melbourne comic fairs over the past few years. It may suprise you guy's in the USA that 99.9% of all comic trades at these shows are raw books. In fact I have yet to see a slabbed comic at one of these fairs (Not Joking).

 

However there are lots & lots of serious collectors that do things the old school way. They debate grades, argue...., argue some more & sell some comics.

 

I shave spoken with several of these people and it does appear that a lot of Raw HG comics are shipped to Aus from the USA.

 

It would appear to me that we are still a few years away as a country from accepting slabbed comics as a worthwhile comodity.

 

If I walk into any of my local comic stores and ask questions about CGC archival boxes etc. I am basically told that slabbing is a waste of time and whats the point sealing a comic ETC ETC.

 

However there is a strong undercurrent of people like myself in Aus that don't often go to these fairs but quietly tap away on our keyboards and syphon off some really nice stuff from the USA. In 2 years so far I have imported around 100 slabbed comics mainly from the USA and mainly Pedigree copys. I will even go as far as to say that many of the serious collectors only purchase upper grade & Pedigree comics because to import a mid grade comic just isn't worth the postage costs involved.

 

I believe that it will probably take a few more years of people like myself and many others slowly selling the odd slabbed book in Aus before acceptance is declared by the old school players.

 

Watch this space. When slabbed comics become widely accepted I believe that a CGC franchise will start in Australia and people using E-bay will be amazed at the newly slabbed High grade Gold / Silver books that come out of this country.

 

To a certain point the rifling through Aunt Bessy's & Uncle Tom's closet for the hidden comic stash has not occured in this country as yet. Why?? because as a collecting country we are still at the pre CGC stage. The potential value of whats lying around may not be fully understood.

 

Here is something that you may note during your next E-bay stint.

3 -5 years ago how many E-bay ads for Marvel comics were from outside the USA.

 

Today I think that you would find a lot more & the ones that you see will probably be for would likely be quite sought after, high grade or pedigree comics.

 

Well I must go now as I need to attend my local comic fair wearing a CGC T-shirt. It took 5 minutes before rocks were thrown at me last time. I may last 30 this time.

 

Thanks again for your feedback.

 

Regards,

 

Aussie Russ.

 

P.S. Did you guys know that the greatest CGC pricing database in the world GPAnalysis is an Aussie product?

 

George & the team have their office right here in Melbourne.

 

Very interesting info about Australia collectors - good to see others join the hobby!

 

CAL

[Sharkey]

great info. thanx!

 

Even here the biggest detractors of CGC slabbing are the LCSs. I just think its cause they hardly ever deal in the HG stuff that CGC is geared to favor.

 

I live in the north suburbs of Chicago. The two closest comic shops do not deal in CGC comics. In addition, neither has any sort of back issue selection older than 1995, which is understandable when you think about the space and how many back issues they'd need to sell to justify stocking a lot. They've told me on multiple occasions that they just don't have many Silver Age collectors coming into the shop, so they don't even try to stock Silver. In fact, on several occasions they've purchased small collections of Silver Age and then turned around and offered them to me at a very slight markup, because they don't want to take the time and effort to try to grade, price, and stock books that will likely take up space for a long period of time. That's good for me, so I'm not complaining!

 

For LCS, if they know what their market and audience wants, and they focus on that, they'll probably be more successful than the shop that tries to cater to everyone. Unless you're located in a super high-traffic area in a major metropolitan area, having a huge store with lots of genres may not be the best way to go. Hence the reluctance to get into CGC areas. Many may see it as a fad, or they don't want to try to out-CGC ebay and other outlets.

[the blob]

"Hence the reluctance to get into CGC areas."

 

CGC is too expensive a service, and involves waiting too long, for this to make sense for most comic shops unless they're also selling their back issues on ebay/c-link, etc. (which plenty of shops do). Let's face it, if a shop buys a collection of 100 high grade SA books, how many of them then have another $2500-4000 to have them slabbed (and then wait a month or three to get them back)?? if they paid any real money for the books, most likely not. $2500-$4000 might be what, 3 - 6 months rent? most shops, even ones that aren't going under, barely make enough money for the owner to get by and live ok.

[Sharkey]

"Hence the reluctance to get into CGC areas."

 

CGC is too expensive a service, and involves waiting too long, for this to make sense for most comic shops unless they're also selling their back issues on ebay/c-link, etc. (which plenty of shops do). Let's face it, if a shop buys a collection of 100 high grade SA books, how many of them then have another $2500-4000 to have them slabbed (and then wait a month or three to get them back)?? if they paid any real money for the books, most likely not. $2500-$4000 might be what, 3 - 6 months rent? most shops, even ones that aren't going under, barely make enough money for the owner to get by and live ok.

 

That's true. I guess I'm more surprised that the LCS that deals almost exclusively in Moderns and "hot" books doesn't send overstock in for slabbing. For a while they had copies of Ultimate Spider-Man 1 on the wall raw, and I was tempted to buy them just to get them slabbed because the 9.6 and 9.8 copies were going for crazy money on ebay. Maybe they just don't want to gamble on it, or as you note, spend money and time on books. If I owned a shop and wanted to move back issues, I'd be selling on ebay, CLink, or other venues to move anything that didn't normally get picked up by my regulars. But maybe that's why I have a desk job and don't own a shop.

 

Any shop owners want to offer their insights? Do you carry CGC books in your shop, and why or why not?

[the blob]

yeah, they probably have/had their 9.6s and 9.8s up on ebay and the unslabbed stuff is what didn't make the cut.

 

why stick something up on the wall for $100 when some lunatic in topeka may bid it up to $500?