Forum marketing expertise requested...

[ArAich]

I guess this is as good a place as any to post this:

 

I have several questions pertaining to the following scan as far as the best way to proceed in marketing and selling this book...

First a brief description of the book is in order. It is a beautiful book that appears to be in 9.2 condition, it has been trimmed on 3 edges on both the front and back cover. The pages are ow/w.

 

[*]1: Do I send the book in for grading knowing that I will recieve a decent grade but with a purple label?

 

[*]2: Do I sell the book while noting the cover trimming?

 

[*]3: Do I keep the book since there won't be much of a demand for it and I may as well hold on to it until a later date?

 

Basically my question boils down to : What is the best way to get the best return on this book?

---Thanks in advance...

 

[fantastic_four]

Can't speak towards the return without knowing what the investment was, but I would opt for #3. You'd be lucky to get $150 if it were a trimmed purple-top 9.2--VERY lucky.

[ArAich]

Well that would get me a decent return...

 

Would I get roughly the same amount if I put it up ungraded?...

[fantastic_four]

Less

 

This is all a crapshoot...restored book prices are very erratic. You would likely get at least your slab cost and perhaps $10-$30 above that if you got it slabbed. I doubt it cracks $100 unslabbed, but it might...you could run it with a $125 to $150 reserve unslabbed and see how it does. That's what I'd do, test the waters.

[ArAich]

That's what I'd do, test the waters.

 

That's what I was thinking of doing since it seems to me that when it comes to resto books there is not much of a price differential between graded and ungraded books....

Just needed a little ammo to see if my frame of thinking is what others "in-the-know" think also...

[Rickdogg]

I would sell it raw, since the "purple label of death" tends to scare people off really fast.

[ArAich]

since the "purple label of death" tends to scare people off really fast.

 

But if I sell it raw with full discloser...won't that be the same death knell as the purple label...whereas if it is graded I will at least have a high grade assigned to it?

[blowout]

Send it in for grading. You may actually luck out and get a Universal grade as CGC miss trimming at times.

If it comes back Restored, hang on to the book until either the demand for resto books picks up or the available blue tops dry up.

[PovertyRow]

But if I sell it raw with full discloser...won't that be the same death knell as the purple label...whereas if it is graded I will at least have a high grade assigned to it?

 

Nope. You will be sounding the death knell only for those who adhere 100% to GCG. but as I have said many times, the market is not cgc people but your basic collector. Try first sellig it with good scans and full disclosure. Put a reserve you feel OK with. Then see what happens. It will take what? A week to see what the result is? If it is not positive I suggest you really just hold on to it. I think the CGC collectors would bid even less than the raw folk. Wait until restoration is understood again - when the stigma of the unrevealed restoration wears off - and try to sell again.

[aardvark88]

Looks like a Dan Dupchek Marvel "file" copy. Sell it raw w/ full disclosure & resemble reserve. The buyer will hopefully enjoy the vivid colors & w-ow pgs will (choke) reading the treasure.

[Aman619]

I hope youre not awake when Hammer comes home, young man!

[hammer-migration]

Nothing wrong with mentioning ANYONE on here, as long as I don't have to be confused with and accused of being them. Actually, according to MANY I have corresponded with on these married uncut covers, Mark Wilson owned and dealt the MAJORITY of / assembling most of them in the marketplace today!!! I don't think that Mark saw anything wrong with mating parts and creating a comic where there was only a coverless and a pristine cover previously. Mark is a consummate gentleman, and I would NEVER believe that he intentionally misled anyone but he did START his brother Matt along the road of his profession today. Mark's work as a restorer was/is the BEST I've seen to date (by a COMIC restorer). It's consistant, minimalistic, and I've never seen one that was done poorly. Mark's work was artistry, bordering on the facility that I've seen displayed by some of the true heavyweights (the guys that conserve ART) when they apply their sciences and talent to comics!!

[COI]

Sell it raw. I've seen unslabbed restored books do very well, in many cases garnering more than if it were slabbed. Like POV said, CGC is far from the whole market. Infact, the type of buyer you want is someone who is looking for a nice copy but not willing to spend bigger $, and many of these people do not buy slabbed books, but are mid to VF collectors who wish to forego the premium attached with slabbed books. I definetly say go raw!(but keep your clothes on )

[ArAich]

Thanks for the advice everybody....all sides were well repsresented and I have come to the conclusion that it would be best to sell it in it's "raw" state with large scans, full disclosure and a reserve "that I feel ok with".

 

It seems a little sad that the "purple top" is such a no-no in the collecting world, as we know it, since I am sure this would garnish a nice grade....but it also could be a benifit for the new owner of this book since as odin says "The buyer will hopefully enjoy the vivid colors & w-ow pgs will (choke) reading the treasure...

 

[fantastic_four]

CGC miss trimming at times

I'm not sure they miss it as much as they choose to give books the benefit of the doubt. If they're not sure of trimming, they don't condemn a book to die a Purple death. They wouldn't miss the trimming on this FF 14, though; the way the interior pages poke out of both the top and bottom is an easy sign to see.

[ArAich]

Agreed....the trimming is way too obvious on this book....

[ArAich]

Ok...I have decided to list the book....

 

Fantastic Four #14