Just cataloged my 1500 comics.Now what? 1 1

[Casablanca]

Ok, finally used a database (Collectz.com) and logged all my books.I turn 50 this year and have been collecting since 1978, Off and on through college,etc. The books i loved back then were the usual suspects of course( X-this and that), Camelot 3000, Watchmen, everything by Miller,Gaimen, Moore. Where do i start? My collection is in excellent condition. I understand CGC grading is standard these days. What books from this "Bronze/Copper Age" even some modern age are worth grading? Especially where i "think" they are near mint or mint.( that used to be the old system i was familiar with). any help suggestions are appreciated. As you can tell i don't want to pay ~25 per book only for the grade to be not worth it. 

Thanks

Robert

[Karl Liebl]

I did the same thing but I only have 150 books.  You can "start" by getting an Overstreet price guide to help identify the high dollar books, the grades only go up to 9.2, though.  You can also subscribe to the pricing service GPA analysis to see the price history of CGC slab sales.  If you poke around the BA/CA forums you can also find out what books are hot.  It is also important to learn how to grade your books to the CGC standard.  It seems Hulk 181 (first wolverine) is the current big buck champion from that generation of books.  Good luck!

[revat]

It also depends what your goals are.  If you love your collection now in its current condition and can preserve the quality as is, there's no reason to slab or press or sell anything. 

Of course, in some cases it depends on the price you might realize, but you have to do your own research on sold prices, shipping costs, grading costs, insurance, taking time to sell, tying up your money for some amount of time, and evaluate the math against your own personal preferences.

Generally, use OSPG, ebay sold prices, and GPA to get an idea of what your raw and graded books are worth.  CGC prices are on their website.  Make sure you factor in all costs, including opportunity cost, time, grade risk, etc into your calculations.  Good luck.

 

Also, CGC is actually only standard for KEYS, and super high grade semi-keys, especially if we're dealing with copper modern.  But it of course depends on the comic and the grade and what your intentions and preferences are for your collection.

[marvelmaniac]

I spent 6 month's re-grading and cataloging 3600 books.

Now you sit back, relax and enjoy the feeling of a job well done.

I also agree with the above statements of learning what you have and considering what you want to do with your collection.

The Overstreet Grading Guide and the Overstreet Price Guide are valuable reference material.

If you want to see current market value then look at eBay sold listings for books in or close to the same grade as yours.

[Bomber-Bob]

17 hours ago, RSS0429 said:

Ok, finally used a database (Collectz.com) and logged all my books.I turn 50 this year and have been collecting since 1978, Off and on through college,etc. The books i loved back then were the usual suspects of course( X-this and that), Camelot 3000, Watchmen, everything by Miller,Gaimen, Moore. Where do i start? My collection is in excellent condition. I understand CGC grading is standard these days. What books from this "Bronze/Copper Age" even some modern age are worth grading? Especially where i "think" they are near mint or mint.( that used to be the old system i was familiar with). any help suggestions are appreciated. As you can tell i don't want to pay ~25 per book only for the grade to be not worth it. 

Thanks

Robert

Unfortunately, the late Bronze/Copper era probably has the least value. However, collectors from this era are all trying to unload their books expecting big money. I don't even think my LCS wants them anymore, too much product. I would think the only books from this era worth getting slabbed are the keys. Maybe some non keys if they are slam dunk 9.8's, I'm talking no visible flaws at all. If you do submit to CGC, becoma a member so you can get the discount, and utilize the prescreen service. 50 seems to be the age where collectors decide to unload. Then at 60 you start to regret it.  

[MetaHuman]

The above advice has been great. You should get an Overstreet Price Guide as it I a great reference tool to see if any comic book you own is significant in any way (1st appearances, significant event, key artist or writer on the issue, etc. …). 

I'm also in the middle of cataloguing my collection. I'm 9 long boxes and 3 short boxes down with 6 more long boxes to go! I was a comic reader and collector in the late 80's to late 90's so I have a lot of runs and lots of "drek". I hate calling them "drek" since I did get a lot of pleasure reading them, but out of a box of 300, there may be only a handful of books worth anything at all.

Another tool I have been using is mycomicshop.com to look up titles I collected to see if there is any issues with value. Their listings will show CGC graded books they have for sale either by them or on consignment. If someone else has sent a specific issue for grading, it probably has some value.  

For grading, the Overstreet Grading Guide is very useful. The "Hey buddy can you spare a grade" section of this forum is a great learning tool too. You can test yourself against other forum members.

 

 

 

[Stillirize85]

Now you can climb the highest moutains and sing the songs that YOU like to sing. 

[Casablanca]

Thanks for all the great replies. Along the way of cataloging these, i got lost in my Sandman series again. Just the pure joy of reading brilliance. I like the comments of sitting back and just enjoying the collection, because that's why i collected in the first place. Its nice to see the crazy " 9.8" values of some of the comics i have. I'm going to re-board and bag most of the ones i love. Going to get some nice display boxes with the front acrylic case to display which comics are in them,  and put them in my library area of the house where they belong. 

[Casablanca]

21 hours ago, revat said:

It also depends what your goals are.  If you love your collection now in its current condition and can preserve the quality as is, there's no reason to slab or press or sell anything. 

Of course, in some cases it depends on the price you might realize, but you have to do your own research on sold prices, shipping costs, grading costs, insurance, taking time to sell, tying up your money for some amount of time, and evaluate the math against your own personal preferences.

Generally, use OSPG, ebay sold prices, and GPA to get an idea of what your raw and graded books are worth.  CGC prices are on their website.  Make sure you factor in all costs, including opportunity cost, time, grade risk, etc into your calculations.  Good luck.

 

Also, CGC is actually only standard for KEYS, and super high grade semi-keys, especially if we're dealing with copper modern.  But it of course depends on the comic and the grade and what your intentions and preferences are for your collection.

Thank you sir, this is great logical advice.

[Casablanca]

12 hours ago, Stillirize85 said:

Now you can climb the highest moutains and sing the songs that YOU like to sing. 

Love it!

[Casablanca]

16 hours ago, MetaHuman said:

The above advice has been great. You should get an Overstreet Price Guide as it I a great reference tool to see if any comic book you own is significant in any way (1st appearances, significant event, key artist or writer on the issue, etc. …). 

I'm also in the middle of cataloguing my collection. I'm 9 long boxes and 3 short boxes down with 6 more long boxes to go! I was a comic reader and collector in the late 80's to late 90's so I have a lot of runs and lots of "drek". I hate calling them "drek" since I did get a lot of pleasure reading them, but out of a box of 300, there may be only a handful of books worth anything at all.

Another tool I have been using is mycomicshop.com to look up titles I collected to see if there is any issues with value. Their listings will show CGC graded books they have for sale either by them or on consignment. If someone else has sent a specific issue for grading, it probably has some value.  

For grading, the Overstreet Grading Guide is very useful. The "Hey buddy can you spare a grade" section of this forum is a great learning tool too. You can test yourself against other forum members.

 

 

 

Excellent, i will check out the that forum section!

[Casablanca]

19 hours ago, Bomber-Bob said:

Unfortunately, the late Bronze/Copper era probably has the least value. However, collectors from this era are all trying to unload their books expecting big money. I don't even think my LCS wants them anymore, too much product. I would think the only books from this era worth getting slabbed are the keys. Maybe some non keys if they are slam dunk 9.8's, I'm talking no visible flaws at all. If you do submit to CGC, becoma a member so you can get the discount, and utilize the prescreen service. 50 seems to be the age where collectors decide to unload. Then at 60 you start to regret it.  

Regrets, i have had a few of those!. I guess, i am not sure what to do personally. Have i stumbled into a gold mine?..Of course not, but i guess i am not alone in stumbling upon some values recently and saying to myself. " My god, i remember reading that and loved it". Simonson's Thor run kept me glued to my LCS monthly. I HAD to go Tuesdays(i think?) to the mall when new issues came out. Nostalgia is a funny thing