Investment boom, collector bust. 0

[William-James88]

8 minutes ago, Frost451 said:

I'm just trying to enjoy some of books I have already.  Do I have every key comic, no.  But, I have been turning my attention to some DC books that are not getting the love from the marvel mania. Look at these books:

Forever people 1,  CGC 9.6 for $1350

Jimmy Olen 134  9.0 for $850

Green Lantern 76  8.5  $1375

Batman 251  cgc 8.0 $1000

Batman 227 CGC 8.0 $1025 

Batman 232 CGC 9.0  $1399

These prices are buy it now so you know you could probably get them for less.  If you collecting because you love the stories and the characters then there are still opportunities to get some good books that you don't have mortgage your house for.   

Honestly, those prices look nuts too, they don't seem like opportunities anymore than the marvel books do.

[the blob]

18 minutes ago, William-James88 said:

The answer in general is yes, they were. I was able to get books like those last year for similar prices. Dirt cheap, lower than price guide. I even made a thread all about it. I am not giving single isolated examples either. Every single lot from heritage for this past year which contained GA Marvel Family books has gotten more than double GPA/OPG. So it's a trend. Hence why I am selling all my doubles now.

You can do a search on heritage to see how much lots sell for now compared to last year, or 5 years ago, whatever you want. You'll see the same thing I said. Double GPA/OPG right now, compared to last year.

were you able to get them dirt cheap in 2018 and 2019? I'd bid on books like those all the time, throw out those sorts of low ball bids, and would never win them. 

[William-James88]

9 minutes ago, the blob said:

were you able to get them dirt cheap in 2018 and 2019? I'd bid on books like those all the time, throw out those sorts of low ball bids, and would never win them. 

Here are some of my wins, let me know if this is cheap enough. I always bid OPG price. Certainly looks cheap now, these same lots would all go for 2-3 times the price I paid 

 

 

 

 

 

[lordbyroncomics]

Speaking for myself, I simply take the long approach. I navigate where I can spend per week, I ignore and don't get stressed with what I can't get (yet), therefore am able to slowly and steadily build up my collection and concentrate on primarily Bronze and late Silver Age. I'm in it for the long haul- if I ever decide to sell my collection, it won't be for (at least) another decade, so I don't feel any sense of tension or rush to maximize my investment in this. I also do believe that comic books keep getting older, and their cultural significance is pretty much established- you can't go wrong concentrating on books from the sixties and seventies. The separation, of course, is focusing on 'keys' and single issues, or a collection as a whole- I do the latter. When and if I get a key, it's a welcome addition. If I just complete 'Fantasy Masterpieces' (for example), that brings me just as much contentment. Every collector is different, in regards to outlook and to motivation and none of us are wrong.

[the blob]

My job does want me to do some work today and I can't speak for heritage auctions, which are their own world, but just looking up recent sales for the books in the Cap Marvel 83 84 96 88 89 lot (I can't look up every lot), those books seem to sell for $50-60 or so in VG nowadays, so pretty much in line with the $336 you paid for the lot? they are not selling for $100+ in that grade.

[speedcake]

3 hours ago, the blob said:

yet every week folks here post hauls they got on the cheap, so the books are still out there, just not as much low hanging fruit. the next con in NYC is scheduled for May 1, when we have an anniversary party scheduled, so I won't be able to get a sense of what things are like in the wild. 

I’ll be at this one, too. Hoping to grab more X-Men books I need but will be very interesting to see prices. Here’s to hoping! 

[William-James88]

19 minutes ago, the blob said:

My job does want me to do some work today and I can't speak for heritage auctions, which are their own world,

But that's the world I am talking about. It's all I mentioned and it is what I based my assertions on. those GA books now go for double there.

Edited April 21, 2021 by William-James88

[the blob]

3 minutes ago, speedcake said:

I’ll be at this one, too. Hoping to grab more X-Men books I need but will be very interesting to see prices. Here’s to hoping! 

going to shops is no gauge for me because none of my shops carry a real back issue selection. i do know the 50 cent bins I went through did not seem cherry picked as I was able to yank 10 perfect copies of 52 Week 11 out of them and that's a $10-15 book and not a "new" one either.

 

[lordbyroncomics]

11 minutes ago, speedcake said:

I’ll be at this one, too. Hoping to grab more X-Men books I need but will be very interesting to see prices. Here’s to hoping! 

Do you guys mean the Big Apple Con? Because that was postponed to July 24th.

[Frost451]

1 hour ago, William-James88 said:

Honestly, those prices look nuts too, they don't seem like opportunities anymore than the marvel books do.

I picked up Forever people 1  Graded 9.2 the other day for like $400.  I dont think that is crazy price.  

[William-James88]

Just now, Frost451 said:

I picked up Forever people 1  Graded 9.2 the other day for like $400.  I dont think that is crazy price.  

That's fine. If you are happy with that book, then it's great.

[William-James88]

6 minutes ago, the blob said:

going to shops is no gauge for me because none of my shops carry a real back issue selection. i do know the 50 cent bins I went through did not seem cherry picked as I was able to yank 10 perfect copies of 52 Week 11 out of them and that's a $10-15 book and not a "new" one either.

 

wow that's a great score for 50 cents!

[Jesse-Lee]

2 hours ago, Pat Thomas said:

It just pisses me off thinking I've got one wrapped up, and somebody comes along in the last few minutes and outbids me. If I pass them and they pass me again, it's gotten personal fast.

I have absolutely sworn at my computer in snipe situations when I thought I had an auction won.

[the blob]

2 minutes ago, William-James88 said:

But that's the world I am talking about. It's all I mentioned. 

so people are now getting stupid on heritage (when heritage used to be a place you could occasionally snag a deal on a lot) and paying significantly more than ebay prices? i get paying a premium...likely more consistent grading than the average ebay seller and only paying shipping once vs. paying shipping buying the comics in 5 or 6 places.

[the blob]

23 minutes ago, wisbyron said:

Do you guys mean the Big Apple Con? Because that was postponed to July 24th.

good, i guess, not happy about paying $20, but I have not been to a con in so long (NYCC 2017) i would like to go somewhere and the ones in jersey seem to be a long commute for me

Edited April 21, 2021 by the blob

[Bludriver]

I always bid at the most I would be willing to pay. If I get beat, then I don't feel bad. But lately it i almost impossible for me to win any auctions.

Sometimes the buy it now prices on ebay are lower than the auction end prices. People get caught up in bidding wars which I always avoid. Once in a while you even find a really good deal on a buy it now.

I am pretty much strictly low grade nowadays as I cannot afford high grade anymore.

[William-James88]

13 minutes ago, the blob said:

so people are now getting stupid on heritage (when heritage used to be a place you could occasionally snag a deal on a lot) and paying significantly more than ebay prices? i get paying a premium...likely more consistent grading than the average ebay seller and only paying shipping once vs. paying shipping buying the comics in 5 or 6 places.

from the evidence you shared with me, yes that seems to be the case. We have a heritage thread on here where we go over the prices gained and there are some crazy prices each month. I personally would go through heritage as my main provider because I am an international buyer and they could hold my books for years on end so I would only pay shipping once. Plus I get good customer service if something is off (which has been the case and so far it always worked out). Basically e-bay and lots on heritage used to be around the same (I did buy from e-bay at times too when it was worth it), but from what we are both realizing now, it's no longer the case. 

 

Oh and to get back at another point, Turtles 1 fourth print is experiencing crazy gains too, percentage wise.

Edited April 21, 2021 by William-James88

[speedcake]

35 minutes ago, wisbyron said:

Do you guys mean the Big Apple Con? Because that was postponed to July 24th.

Great.

So All the money I’m saving up for it will be blown long before. 

[the blob]

1 minute ago, William-James88 said:

from the evidence you shared with me, yes that seems to be the case. We have a heritage thread on here where we go over the prices gained and there are some crazy prices each month. I personally would go through heritage as my main provider because I am an international buyer and they could hold my books for years on end so I would only pay shipping once. Plus I get good customer service if something is off (which has been the case and so far it always worked out). Basically e-bay and lots on heritage used to be around the same (I did buy from e-bay at times too when it was worth it), but from what we are both realizing now, it's no longer the case. 

 

Oh and to get back at another point, Turtles 1 fourth print is experiencing crazy gains too, percentage wise.

I know, I sold one for $100 or something crazy. It is definitely a book i bought out of a $1-2 bin way back when (although it did have a $10 price tag on it, so at some point someone thought it was worth something). Even my Bone #1 2d print, which I thought was worth $5, is worth a nice chunk now

[F For Fake]

21 hours ago, Hairless Wookiee said:

There's a local shop that doesn't put a price tag on their more expensive books. They always grab their Overstreet Guide to price them which I normally hate. It worked out for me though since I was on the lookout for an X-Men 120. He brought out a NM copy and I was expecting him to tell me $100+ for it but he busted out his guide which was way behind the times and told me $50. I couldn't believe it. Considering a few months ago he was asking $40 for VG copy of Uncanny X-Men 144.

One of the shops I frequent uses Overstreet to price their books, and usually go a bit lower than that price. Market being what it is these days, it's pretty much always to my advantage.