RARE DETECTIVE COMICS #33 up for sale

[G.A.tor]

So as a general rule of thumb...I would say that whatever is currently on the CGC census...just multiply it by 10...to get a rough estimate of how many copies exist on most books if they are CGC worthy to start with...

I am not sure if that is the general rule of thumb or not...

ryan makes some good points that the more valuable the comic, the more likely it is cgc'd if someone is planning to sell...

 

I think , for example, Action 1...aren't there like 46 copies graded, and we speculated that maybe 300+ exist...that is about 7x...

 

I guess it varies widely...just so happens, as most folks know, I follow the pre robin tec market VERY closely , so I have a lot more insight, than say a Green lantern issue ,etc

[Blind Owl]

Yes...not a perfect rule of thumb...varies quite a lot depending on the book of course...I think on some books maybe no more than one or two times the census would be close to accurate...but on most popular books, 10 times seems....safe...

[G.A.tor]

Yes...not a perfect rule of thumb...varies quite a lot depending on the book of course...I think on some books maybe no more than one or two times the census would be close to accurate...but on most popular books, 10 times seems....safe...

[Blind Owl]

[Wayne-Tec]

about the only dc's not worth slabbing from the 30's are Movie comics and mutt and jeff

 

Don't want to completely derail this thread, but I would think that Movie Comics #1 and the last issue with the Lugosi cover are worth slabbing. The others, not so much.

 

And let me add a :thumbsup: to all of the insight and info that Rick offers us here on the boards.

ok, you made me look

movie comics

#1-16 copies

#2-3 copies

#3-5 copies

#4-2 copies

#5-5 copies

#6-4 copies...

 

so, #1 has 4x that avg submission rate (thumbs u

 

I'll be the first to admit that I know nothing about Movie Comics #1 (or any other issue).

 

Nothing, nada, zilch...beyond recognizing some covers perhaps.

 

But I'll hazard to guess that Movie Comics #1 isn't 5-6X rarer than Movie Comics #2; but rather...there is that "extra motivation" to slab the #1 which as I alluded to earlier...would skew the sample that the CGC census provides us.

[Wayne-Tec]

So as a general rule of thumb...I would say that whatever is currently on the CGC census...just multiply it by 10...to get a rough estimate of how many copies exist on most books if they are CGC worthy to start with...

I am not sure if that is the general rule of thumb or not...

ryan makes some good points that the more valuable the comic, the more likely it is cgc'd if someone is planning to sell...

 

I think , for example, Action 1...aren't there like 46 copies graded, and we speculated that maybe 300+ exist...that is about 7x...

 

I guess it varies widely...just so happens, as most folks know, I follow the pre robin tec market VERY closely , so I have a lot more insight, than say a Green lantern issue ,etc

 

Didn't see this response before posting above. (thumbs u

[G.A.tor]

about the only dc's not worth slabbing from the 30's are Movie comics and mutt and jeff

 

Don't want to completely derail this thread, but I would think that Movie Comics #1 and the last issue with the Lugosi cover are worth slabbing. The others, not so much.

 

And let me add a :thumbsup: to all of the insight and info that Rick offers us here on the boards.

ok, you made me look

movie comics

#1-16 copies

#2-3 copies

#3-5 copies

#4-2 copies

#5-5 copies

#6-4 copies...

 

so, #1 has 4x that avg submission rate (thumbs u

 

I'll be the first to admit that I know nothing about Movie Comics #1 (or any other issue).

 

Nothing, nada, zilch...beyond recognizing some covers perhaps.

 

But I'll hazard to guess that Movie Comics #1 isn't 5-6X rarer than Movie Comics #2; but rather...there is that "extra motivation" to slab the #1 which as I alluded to earlier...would skew the sample that the CGC census provides us.

oh, I agree completely with a title like Movie... I would have only expected to see the #1 there in any quantity (same with mutt and jeff)...

 

but, you see the census numbers on early supes and actions and tecs, etc...all pretty "consistent" relative to what we perceive to be existing copies (thumbs u

[Flash105]

Maybe old news but I saw this on ebay. Seems like a lot of money.

 

Detective 33 on ebay

[Wayne-Tec]

Maybe old news but I saw this on ebay. Seems like a lot of money.

 

Detective 33 on ebay

 

To the best of my knowledge, this was a PGX 4.0 not all that long ago.

 

But with the prices we've seen for #35 for instance, a 3.0 copy of a much more valuable issue with White pages doesn't seem all that unreasonable to me with a best offer option.

[Bat-Man]

Maybe old news but I saw this on ebay. Seems like a lot of money.

 

Detective 33 on ebay

 

To the best of my knowledge, this was a PGX 4.0 not all that long ago.

 

But with the prices we've seen for #35 for instance, a 3.0 copy of a much more valuable issue with White pages doesn't seem all that unreasonable to me with a best offer option.

 

I'm surprised that book is still there (another WHITE PAGE copy?? )

 

And also sad I don't have 11K to nab it.

[Wayne-Tec]

Maybe old news but I saw this on ebay. Seems like a lot of money.

 

Detective 33 on ebay

 

To the best of my knowledge, this was a PGX 4.0 not all that long ago.

 

But with the prices we've seen for #35 for instance, a 3.0 copy of a much more valuable issue with White pages doesn't seem all that unreasonable to me with a best offer option.

 

I'm surprised that book is still there (another WHITE PAGE copy?? )

 

And also sad I don't have 11K to nab it.

 

Didn't you hear Alex, Tec #33 is out of vogue?

 

How else would someone like me manage to acquire one?

 

Either that or I know some pretty cool board members.

 

What shocks me is that if this were a 3.0 Tec #35 with white pages, it would have been sold for 12K yesterday.

[Flash105]

So you are saying I should make a reasonable offer or wait for the 5.0 on Heritage to auction?

[Silver Surfer]

Maybe old news but I saw this on ebay. Seems like a lot of money.

 

Detective 33 on ebay

 

To the best of my knowledge, this was a PGX 4.0 not all that long ago.

 

But with the prices we've seen for #35 for instance, a 3.0 copy of a much more valuable issue with White pages doesn't seem all that unreasonable to me with a best offer option.

 

I'm surprised that book is still there (another WHITE PAGE copy?? )

 

And also sad I don't have 11K to nab it.

 

I think the multiple pieces of tape is the only reason this book hasn't sold yet. Paying $10K+ for a book whose centerfold is probably held together because of tons of tape is a big turn off. Might as well buy a restored copy at a 40% discount.

[Silver Surfer]

So we have these four so far:

 

1-Allentown

2-copy discovered by Sparkle City, sold to Geppi

2-Mile High

4-recent 8.0 in Heritage...

 

and number 5???

might be time to update our board census

 

You know I'm always interested in these types of things, so how many total copies of Tec #33 would you estimate to still exist?

 

I'm going to guess somewhere between 150-350?

that might be a reasonable estimate...my old 4.5 ow/w copy (now a 5.0) was nice to own for a year +

 

I could only imagine; that must have been an amazing book to own.

 

I wouldn't be shocked if there were 250 of fewer copies to be honest with you.

 

54 total graded copies (only 27 of them are unrestored) and I'd be a bit surprised if there were 200+ raw copies floating around out there.

 

To put it in persepctive Fishler once stated that he has probably sold more copies of Tec #35 in the last 20-25 years than any other GA book from that era, the book is very common but highly collectable. Tec #33 can't be too far behind.

[Wayne-Tec]

So you are saying I should make a reasonable offer or wait for the 5.0 on Heritage to auction?

 

Although it pains for me to say this...Gator is probably the guy to ask.

 

With that being said, I'd still love to chip in.

 

Ask yourself this...how much would a 3.0 Tec #35 with white pages sell for?

 

12K...more?

 

Tec #35 has exploded and while I would never say it's any "flavor of the month" because it's a GREAT book...I don't think there is any question that Tec #33 is the better book (even with my blatant bias aside). There's a reason it guides for more than 29, 31, or 35.

 

IMO, it's a better cover than #35 but even if you put personal preferences aside in regards to covers (because everyone will always have their favorites), there is NO cover alone that could overtake the significance of Batman's origin.

 

It's the most important GA story ever told; even if the story after the 2-page origin isn't one of the best of the Pre-Robin Tec run.

 

I believe that Tec #35 is more scarce but even so, Tec #33 is one of the greatest books of all-time. To see a 3.0 with WHITE pages offered for less than what a Tec #35 would likely command is just crazy.

 

Since Tec #33 has fallen out of fashion at the moment (I feel that will change in time), it might still be possible to win the 5.0; but it still seems like there's a deal to be had here with the 3.0.

 

I don't know anything about the seller so that is something very important to look into first, but the book and the asking price seem like a fantastic match to me; especially with the best offer option being kept available.

[Wayne-Tec]

Maybe old news but I saw this on ebay. Seems like a lot of money.

 

Detective 33 on ebay

 

To the best of my knowledge, this was a PGX 4.0 not all that long ago.

 

But with the prices we've seen for #35 for instance, a 3.0 copy of a much more valuable issue with White pages doesn't seem all that unreasonable to me with a best offer option.

 

I'm surprised that book is still there (another WHITE PAGE copy?? )

 

And also sad I don't have 11K to nab it.

 

I think the multiple pieces of tape is the only reason this book hasn't sold yet. Paying $10K+ for a book whose centerfold is probably held together because of tons of tape is a big turn off. Might as well buy a restored copy at a 40% discount.

 

Very fair point to make as well; impossible to tell really with the book in the slab.

 

Grader's notes.

[Primetime]

So you are saying I should make a reasonable offer or wait for the 5.0 on Heritage to auction?

 

Although it pains for me to say this...Gator is probably the guy to ask.

 

With that being said, I'd still love to chip in.

 

Ask yourself this...how much would a 3.0 Tec #35 with white pages sell for?

 

12K...more?

 

I'd say a 4.0 Tec 35 is worth $15k-16k, so a 3.0 WHITE might bring $13k-$14k...I think a 3.0 cr/ow sold on CLINK auction 5 months ago for just under $12k...

[Primetime]

Tec #35 has exploded and while I would never say it's any "flavor of the month" because it's a GREAT book...I don't think there is any question that Tec #33 is the better book (even with my blatant bias aside). There's a reason it guides for more than 29, 31, or 35.

 

guide value and FMV are two different beasts....for years, 33 has climbed in guide past the other Pre Robins because of the Origin story (great!)...I think today's market with CGC has pushed "cover only" collectors to some degree and the 29 and 31 win out on that one...33 is cool though---full wing span and the gun holster are pretty sick--that cover would have been better with rolling fog and a full moon (ie 29, 31) (thumbs u

 

Here's my old copy of 33 (now in Mr.B's vault as a pretty 5.0)

[showcase22gr1959]

Tec #35 has exploded and while I would never say it's any "flavor of the month" because it's a GREAT book...I don't think there is any question that Tec #33 is the better book (even with my blatant bias aside). There's a reason it guides for more than 29, 31, or 35.

 

guide value and FMV are two different beasts....for years, 33 has climbed in guide past the other Pre Robins because of the Origin story (great!)...I think today's market with CGC has pushed "cover only" collectors to some degree and the 29 and 31 win out on that one...33 is cool though---full wing span and the gun holster are pretty sick--that cover would have been better with rolling fog and a full moon (ie 29, 31) (thumbs u

 

Here's my old copy of 33 (now in Mr.B's vault as a pretty 5.0)

 

Very pretty beast.

[jerome34]

Why are you picking on Movie comics? I have the complete

run and all copies are complete. The only one I have that

is slabbed is number one. It is a 7.5 or 8.0 (I do not remember)

with minor restoration. At auction, it cost me slightly over the

Good price (Good price at the time I got it).

 

Number 3 has the first Gene Autry cover/story and is considered

to be scarce (a Gerber 8 "no show"); 1, 4, and 6 are Gerber 7's. The

2 and 5 are common (Gerber 6).

 

This shows that a lot of people seem to think "If it is a number 1,

slab it" and "If it is a Gerber no show, slab it." Witness the minor

bump in slabs for #3.

 

I think it is likely that all Gerber 9's, 10's and "no shows" will have a higher

ratio of slabbed/(slabbed + raw) copies among the current collecting

community. So when trying to figure out the equation

raw ~= n times slabbed

(raw is approximately equal to n times slabbed)

the value of n is dependent on several factors.

If the book is an expensive key more copies are slabbed (smaller n is

appropriate).

If the book is a Gerber 9, 10, or "no show," again more copies are slabbed.

If the title is cheap and no one collects it very few copies will get slabbed.

 

The following numbers are offered, not as explicit values, but as values to

compare among themselves only.

 

expensive keys n = 10

common keys n = 12

common regular n = 15

cheap/few collect n = 20 (assuming any have been slabbed)

cheap/few collect but a #1 or "no show" n =17

Gerber 9 or 10 and collected title n = 8

 

Your mileage will vary.