HG SA Marvels!!! Are there really a lot more out there?

[THE_BEYONDER]

But hey, it proves my point (more SA sold then GA).

 

Um....wouldn't that have something to do with there being more SA available?

[sfilosa]

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But hey, it proves my point (more SA sold then GA).

 

 

 

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Um....wouldn't that have something to do with there being more SA available?

 

Doesn't matter if there is more available or more buyers. SA is where the most amount of money is spent.

 

And I would bet that if you talked to almost any dealer, they would rather purchase a High Quality SA collection then a High Quality GA collection. Simply, they could sell it faster.

[joe_collector]

Silver Age is the sweet spot right now. That is where the majority of the "movie hype" super heroes got their start, supplies are much higher than GA, and it's also where the fat-walleted Baby Boomer collectors are focused.

 

There are more Bronze collectors numerically speaking, and Golden Age collectors may be older, wealthier and lay down the smack when a prime book comes up, but Silver Age is definitely the "perfect storm" at this point in time.

 

But that also means it will be incredibly difficult to repeat the insane SA price gains during the last 5 years, over the next 5. Virtually impossible I'd imagine.

[Forbush-Man]

I'd be happier finding a HG collection of Golden Age books myself, as Silver Age is more common.

[Aman619]

But that also means it will be incredibly difficult to repeat the insane SA price gains during the last 5 years, over the next 5. Virtually impossible I'd imagine.

 

sure sounds like you are arguing for a BA price runup coming..... SA has topped out, lots more headroom for BA, more BA collectors.....

[sfilosa]

I'd be happier finding a HG collection of Golden Age books myself, as Silver Age is more common.

 

As a collector, I agree.

 

But a dealers basic business is to buy and make a profit, and I believe it is easier with SA then GA (especially since there are more esoteric publishers that have very little demand unless the books a key).

[Forbush-Man]

I'd be happier finding a HG collection of Golden Age books myself, as Silver Age is more common.

 

As a collector, I agree.

 

But a dealers basic business is to buy and make a profit, and I believe it is easier with SA then GA (especially since there are more esoteric publishers that have very little demand unless the books a key).

 

You are correct, IMHO. I just prefer Golden Age. I'd rather find GA, as I can always find SA books.

[the blob]

if it makes you feel any better, the SA portion of my collection is 1500-2000 (maybe more) comics and I doubt I have more than 5 - 10 that I would be comfortable sending to CGC expecting a 9.4 or better. of course, perhaps I'm unique in that a nice VF to NM- always seemed like a real nice high grade book to me so I saved my money and bought a VF or so and 4-6 VGs rather than one NM. not saying that was smart investing, just the way I went. So that's one closet that won't glut the market with NM+ silver age books.

 

i was/am more grade conscious when it came to later BA books (post-76)

[drbanner]

But that also means it will be incredibly difficult to repeat the insane SA price gains during the last 5 years, over the next 5. Virtually impossible I'd imagine.

 

sure sounds like you are arguing for a BA price runup coming..... SA has topped out, lots more headroom for BA, more BA collectors.....

 

BA benefitted more than any other age with the intersection of CGC/ebay/internet and the demographics of the kids that started reading comics in the 70's turning into 30-somethings. While there have been eye-popping sales of GA and SA, the percentage increases in the best books weren't nearly as dramatic as the percentage increases in BA books. Perfect example is AF 15 - the WM copy sold back in the early 90's for around $40k, slabbed it sold for $150k (4x). Most of the BA keys are selling for 10-15-20x what they were selling for pre-2000.

 

I'd be very surprised if BA appreciated much, if at all, over the next few years as the census numbers are continually going up...look at the Holy Grail for most BA collectors (Hulk 181) - in September of 2002 there were two sales in 9.4 ($2,000 and $2,325), and 4 copies sold last month between $1,975 and $2,226. That book is a bit of an anomaly as it was slabbed early and often in the CGC era and many other books peaked much later (or have yet to peak - BA DC's), but I don't think there's going to be another big runup in BA anytime soon.

[joe_collector]

But that also means it will be incredibly difficult to repeat the insane SA price gains during the last 5 years, over the next 5. Virtually impossible I'd imagine.

 

sure sounds like you are arguing for a BA price runup coming..... SA has topped out, lots more headroom for BA, more BA collectors.....

 

No way, huge supplies are going to drive CGC Bronze prices down big time. Personally, I think the only thing keeping the comic market afloat is the limited slabbing volume of CGC.

[Aman619]

But that also means it will be incredibly difficult to repeat the insane SA price gains during the last 5 years, over the next 5. Virtually impossible I'd imagine.

 

sure sounds like you are arguing for a BA price runup coming..... SA has topped out, lots more headroom for BA, more BA collectors.....

 

No way, huge supplies are going to drive CGC Bronze prices down big time. Personally, I think the only thing keeping the comic market afloat is the limited slabbing volume of CGC.

 

finally a point I can agree with. Ironic that CGCs slow turnaround rates are actually propping up CGCs status in the market. If they could clap their hands and slab EVERY comic book tonight and add them to the census tomorrow, prices would plummet by Wednesday.

[the blob]

what BA prices are we talking about? the bulk of BA books in raw high grade are reasonably affordable. seriously, how much would a nice sharp copy of Captain America 172 cost (a book I happen to like) or even an ASM 135. a few key slabbed 9.6s and 9.8s (an 9.4s for the right books) are in the stratosphere, but the bulk of BA books, perhaps not gem mint ones, are within most people's budgets.

 

only a tiny number of collectors out there can afford five and six digit slabs. spending $100 on a slab is a big deal to most if that's even in their budget. and it's the people in that (lower end) market who drove things in the early 90's, spending $50-$100 or whatever a week, but in large numbers, not 50-100 collectors who can drop a few grand (or more) a week.

[joe_collector]

Ironic that CGCs slow turnaround rates are actually propping up CGCs status in the market. If they could clap their hands and slab EVERY comic book tonight and add them to the census tomorrow, prices would plummet by Wednesday.

 

Definitely, but this way it will end up with the same result, but just take a bit longer.

[Aman619]

yes. Which is one of the reasons I have little inclination to build HG slabbed runs of BA titles. Which brings us full circle in answering your question before why I collect SA since I AM after HG SA keys and first appearances.... and I do NOT believe the census will swell all that much over the same time period going forward for these select top (say) 100 books from 1956 - 1963. Even with a few pressed upgrades sprinkled in.

[Silver Surfer]

However, there is something to be said of owning a nice 9.8 run of your favorite BA comic or artist run. Books you could actually relate to because you where there when they first came out and in most cases can be purchased for less than $100 each. Easy on the pocket book and a great way to quench those collector urges.

[Aman619]

I sure WOULD like runs of everything in 9.8. I collect for condition and would definitely like a beautiful set of top condition runs. No bout adoubt it!

 

but - - no way will I BUY said runs today. They sell for too much money. At prices that I cant pull the trigger on. But it would be nice if the copies I bought back then WERE 9.8. but theyre not. And Im not going to chase them now. At even a measly $100 each as you say, to me that means $1000 for every ten books. And that my friend adds up WAY too quickly. Thats $10K for the Defenders run alone. Before you know it, youre looking at 100K ..... and ... for what??? 1000 comics with dubious price appreciation? I dunno..

 

But I would buy NM+ runs of these books for double guide or so, like the good old days. I could get behind feeling safe on these cheap books in 9.6/9.8 for THAT kind of multiple. I think a lot of us would. That woudl be about 10-15K for ALL of em put together. Anybody got em for sale?

[Silver Surfer]

Well I don't think I'll be spending over $15K any time soon but I see your point. I find it frustrating trying to compile even a mini run of SA books in high grade because its so damn expensive. I made a decision last year to do a TTA run from 70-101 in at least 9.2's because they are mostly affordable and still look sharp. Also a 9.2 grade still provides me with good liquidity if need be. BA prices were extremely high but I think they have soften a bit in recent months. Most Bryne FF's in 9.8 can be had for around $30-$50 which is not a bad price point.

[Aman619]

30-50 is a lot better than 100. I agree. And every collector needs a goal! If thats yours right now, go for it. For me I have so much stuff that, like I said, the economics and benefits of chasing upgrades of all this stuff is just questionable IMO. You gotta be convinced that if you pass on them today, you'll get more opportunities later on.

[the blob]

well, if you're chasing an affordable 9.8 BA run, don't expect it to be slabbed, not at $25 a pop for pre-76 stuff, etc. $10-$15K doesn't cover slabbing fees, or barely does. a model where the seller has to lose money to satisfy your price point is one that is bound to fail.

 

alas, this could all be resolved by CGC making the pricing structure for BA books more closely reflect the fact that few of them raw (even in NM+) are deemed worth the value of the slab.

[Rival61-migration]

Sometimes it seems like I am living in some weird twisted parallel dimension from the other people who post here. Is there anyone who actually believes they can just run out and buy a CGC slabbed 9.8 run of a bronze title? And that they can buy them for less than $100.00 each? I agree, later 80's issues of popular titles are fairly easy to obtain, a 'la Byrne FF's. But even these are starting to hit the $60.00 to $75.00 range for issues which are not overly represented in the CGC census.

 

I am thinking of Captain Marvel, (for example) where pretty much ANY 9.8 (aside from the first few issues and the Starlin run) is the only one known to exist (if there actually is one) and will easily surpass the $100.00 mark. Starlin 9.8's are generally at $300-$600 (where copies exist). And any 9.8 prior to #18 is more likely to pull $1000 than it is to pull down $100. So where is the flood of 9.8's that should be chasing this money?

 

I think too many people base their opinions on sales of Flagship titles that they see day in and day out. Spidey, FF, X-Men, these were all printed in large numbers, widely distributed, and protected by speculators, collectors, and dealers for years. They really are plentyful in high grade compared to the lesser-loved series. Off-series are not under-represented in the census because people have stacks of high grade issues in their closets they don't want to slab, it is because they probably in all likelyhood never survived into this new century.

 

-Rival