Scarcity of Actions

[SteveLRoberts5]

Most collectors believe that pre-Supergirl Actions are very scarce. I know they're scarce in 8.0 or above. But what about Fine (6.0) copies? Are they scarce in the mid-grades as well? What do others think? Usually I can find 4.5 or lower, but starting at 5.0 or 5.5, they become progressively more difficulty to locate. That's why I've settled on 5.5 or higher as my collecting goals.

[comicdonna]

Early Action Comics are hard to find higher than 5.0 Here is a #29 4.0

A #28 4.0

A #27 6.5 which, I purchased as Unrestored, and came back Restored slight A with a small amount of glue on the cover

Just click on the image for a larger picture. My goal is for a collection of 4.0 or better Unrestored.

[action1kid]

personally ive found action # 3 to be the hardest to find in any condition..

[thedude]

I agree that, depending on which issues you are searching for, early Actions are tough to find in mid-high grade,, which I also factor in that the higher grade issues are owned by collectors who just aren't selling them...... and some issues like # 3 (for Action1kid) or # 43 for me, seldom are seen for sale in any condition.... HOWEVER if you want Action Comics # 87 (you know, the safe falling on Supes head cover),,, those are everywhere... at least it seems to me...

 

eBay (one just ended)

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...ssPageName=WDVW

 

or Metro - (they've got 4 of 'em)

 

http://search.tias.com/cgi-bin/sqlsearch...=&search=Search

 

a few past auctions on Heritage -

 

http://www.heritagecomics.com/common/auc...=True&txtLotNo=

 

has anyone else noticed this ?? or is it just me ??

[SteveLRoberts5]

What about Actions from 185-251? This seems to be a tough era in which find them in 5.5 or higher. I look for 5.5 to 7.0. Higher grades--when they can be found--are usually very expensive. Has anyone had luck locating decent-looking copies within this numerical range?

[comicdonna]

There is a 210 6.0 on ebay, also, a 112 8.0 Do you buy raw books, and send them in yourself? They are much easier to find that way.

[comicdonna]

Do you have some pictures of your books action1kid?

[action1kid]

my scanner does not work,but i have a digital camera,if you like,i can show you stuff that way but the pics wont be as good as a scanner...

[comicdonna]

If it's not too much trouble, I would be very interested in seeing some of them.

[SteveLRoberts5]

I saw that one on eBay; it's a Qualified 6.0. I just bought a raw 211 that was correctly graded a 6.0 or Fine. I compared it with the 210 now on eBay and it's in a little bit better condition. If I trust or am familair with the seller, then I'll certainly but these books raw. But I still find them overall hard to find.

[comicdonna]

It is in all of our dreams, to come across a whole closet full someday.

[HouseofComics.Com]

Most collectors believe that pre-Supergirl Actions are very scarce. I know they're scarce in 8.0 or above. But what about Fine (6.0) copies?

 

 

In CBM years ago Michelle Nolan devoted a whole column to the title with the claim that it was a lot easier to find issues 1-100 than issues 101-200. She is not an "in-grade" collector (far from it) so she's just talking about finding any copy. As I recall she even gave her own take using Gerber scarcity numbers and even broke that down into which few issues out of each 20 issue batch was hardest.

 

So yeah, I'd say those are hard to find, especially in grade!

 

Or to put it another way, without the internet you'd have a hard time finding them in any grade...

 

Marc

[Timely]

Actions from #1-100 are easier to find than Actions from #101-210, however demand for 1-100 is far greater, with a few notable exceptions like #101, 102 and 158. Most GA collectors prefer the larger and thicker WWII books and early Superman renditions to the latter.

 

West

[thedude]

Most collectors believe that pre-Supergirl Actions are very scarce. I know they're scarce in 8.0 or above. But what about Fine (6.0) copies?

 

 

In CBM years ago Michelle Nolan devoted a whole column to the title with the claim that it was a lot easier to find issues 1-100 than issues 101-200. She is not an "in-grade" collector (far from it) so she's just talking about finding any copy. As I recall she even gave her own take using Gerber scarcity numbers and even broke that down into which few issues out of each 20 issue batch was hardest.

 

So yeah, I'd say those are hard to find, especially in grade!

 

Or to put it another way, without the internet you'd have a hard time finding them in any grade...

 

Marc

 

I have that issue of CBM with Michelle's article in it, I will try to bring it to work tomorrow and list her top 10 or 20 "hard to find" Action issues from #186 ? I think to #240.

[nearmint]

Actions from #1-100 are easier to find than Actions from #101-210, however demand for 1-100 is far greater, with a few notable exceptions like #101, 102 and 158. Most GA collectors prefer the larger and thicker WWII books and early Superman renditions to the latter.

 

West

 

That's very true. I have a real passion for Golden Age Actions, especially the war covers, but once the large logo goes away(with #99), I really couldn't care less about what follows.

[thedude]

Actions from #1-100 are easier to find than Actions from #101-210, however demand for 1-100 is far greater, with a few notable exceptions like #101, 102 and 158. Most GA collectors prefer the larger and thicker WWII books and early Superman renditions to the latter.

 

West

 

That's very true. I have a real passion for Golden Age Actions, especially the war covers, but once the large logo goes away(with #99), I really couldn't care less about what follows.

 

I SO agree with you there NearMint.. the big old Action Logos from 1-98 are great !

[SteveLRoberts5]

Could you please tell me what issue of CBM contains the article by Michelle Nolan. I, too, recall reading it and I have almost every issue of the magazine. I would sure like to read the article again. BTW, I love those early Actions as well and have a few, but I also like the pre-Supergirl Actions as well--especially from 200-250.

[oneeyedtom-migration]

nearmint and thedude are right about the big logos with any dc book from gold era!!!! wonder why they went to smaller logos because they have no eye appeal at all!!! and isn't the cover soppose to be eye catching?

[thedude]

Could you please tell me what issue of CBM contains the article by Michelle Nolan. I, too, recall reading it and I have almost every issue of the magazine. I would sure like to read the article again. BTW, I love those early Actions as well and have a few, but I also like the pre-Supergirl Actions as well--especially from 200-250.

 

Yes SLR5, the article is in Comic Book Marketplace #63, with the Superman #14 image on the cover,,

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=3971&item=6544517847&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

 

In the 70's DC went back to the BIG Action logos, (starting with issue #422) but it wasn't the same..maybe because the books themselves were reduced in size... that's another thing I love about Golden Age books, the size of them is a lot nicer to hold in your hand or display... while todays books, even with great cover art by someone like Alex Ross isn't as striking due to the smaller size of current comics....

 

I'd also like to say how great it is to hear others who like and collect Action Comics. .. that and Superman (1st series), has been my favorite titles since I bought Action # 500 off the newstand....don't get me wrong I also love Batman, Detective, Timely's, Fiction House, all Good Girl Art covers ....but Action is my favorite...

[HouseofComics.Com]

In the 70's DC went back to the BIG Action logos, (starting with issue #422) but it wasn't the same..maybe because the books themselves were reduced in size... that's another thing I love about Golden Age books, the size of them is a lot nicer to hold in your hand or display... while todays books, even with great cover art by someone like Alex Ross isn't as striking due to the smaller size of current comics....

 

And for someone whose first "golden age" comics were the Famous First Editions (treasuries) in the mid-70s, let me agree: Golden Age always means Big and Bold to me.

 

So are we saying that even though demand is much higher for issues 1-99 and more are socked away in collections, they are still more plentiful than 100-200? That's kind of amazing. Or do the high prices keep them available? Ie, you see them because they are priced beyond the means of most of the market?

 

Marc