Are prices still climbing or have they eased up a bit??? 43 43

[Tec-Tac-Toe]

On 7/30/2023 at 9:39 AM, KCOComics said:

Yup. DC high grade BA horror has gotten very expensive. I've been working on a HOS run for years and the auction scene has been really hot lately. I would like to finish it, but it's increasingly difficult. 

The funny thing is, during the pandemic, when prices went nuts, BA horror was pretty stable. It was really enjoyable to collect. 

Indeed, as Microchip and you note, sold prices for some of those issue is currently very high. Perhaps as has happened with many other issues for many runs, folks will (have) submit(ed) more to "catch the wave."

On another note, referring again to DC 52 page issues (and otherwise), I have very rarely seen for about 20 years CGC graded Young Love and Young Romance issues for sale. Of course, it may be that, unfortunately, there is such little collector interest in those titles that folks who have them have not yet bothered to submit them to CGC.

[Microchip]

On 7/30/2023 at 9:20 PM, Tec-Tac-Toe said:

All those are out there in large quantities in my experience since my, I'll write, anecdotal account saw folks purchase them with the intent of carefully storing them and, perhaps for some, the goal of making money off them. I, like most, I imagine just collected them because we enjoyed doing so never really thinking that they would be worth more than a few dollars at some point.

As I have noted occasionally on this board, I purchased virtually all titles of Bronze Age issues, especially DC, including 52 pages issues, off newsstands and comic book dealers in large quantities, typically anywhere from three to six copies of each. Often a lot more. I have all those very securely stored in an acid (edit) -free (so much for 9.8 ) and climate controlled environment in another state. When I retire, one of my goals is to see which are worth submitting to CGC for grading and, subsequently, doing so. Will many be 9.8? I'll see, but I believe most will be CGC graded 9.8 copies.

I also believe that I am very far from the only one that did this. As I noted, many folks that I was a kid with in northern NJ did as I did, some purchasing far more than I. Granted, I don't know if some or many of those folks have already submitted to CGC. However, I do know that two of my cousins that also purchased as I did have not. Their very large, especially Bronze Age, collections are sitting as mine are.

As you know as well as do I, Bronze Age issues are not, I'll write, early to mid Silver Age issues with most, likely, somewhat limited in quantity. Bronze Age issues were collected, including the 52 page DC horror titles in very large quantities with the goal of saving them. Like I noted, I (my two cousins as well) just liked them and wanted to have as many of each issue as possible. I and the others virtually competed to get the best and most copies of each issue. I recall very clearly, like it was yesterday, that the most of the copies were in fantastic condition on the newsstand, especially at the "almost corner store," where I purchased tons of issues, because the owner displayed them flat on shelves since he did not have room for spinner racks (the store was narrow and not too (edit #2) deep with the comic books on the right side in the back).

That is my experience, yours may be different.

 

 

I think the availability of the issues in back issue boxes for years and years was kinda their downfall.    No one valued them for the longest time, as they were always available in one condition or another.    Even with CGC coming into the picture, I don't think that changed perspectives on these books.    You've done exceedingly well to put multiple high grade copies aside 

Edited July 30, 2023 by Microchip

[kimik]

On 7/30/2023 at 8:33 AM, Tec-Tac-Toe said:

Indeed, as Microchip and you note, sold prices for some of those issue is currently very high. Perhaps as has happened with many other issues for many runs, folks will (have) submit(ed) more to "catch the wave."

On another note, referring again to DC 52 page issues (and otherwise), I have very rarely seen for about 20 years CGC graded Young Love and Young Romance issues for sale. Of course, it may be that, unfortunately, there is such little collector interest in those titles that folks who have them have not yet bothered to submit them to CGC.

How many copies of the 52 pagers does Greggy have in addition to his 100 pagers? That is where you will find the missing 9.8s.

Edited July 30, 2023 by kimik

[Tec-Tac-Toe]

On 7/30/2023 at 6:56 PM, Microchip said:

I think the availability of the issues in back issue boxes for years and years was kinda their downfall.    No one valued them for the longest time, as they were always available in one condition or another.    Even with CGC coming into the picture, I don't think that changed perspectives on these books.    You've done exceedingly well to put multiple high grade copies aside 

Yes, I recall during the 1980s into the, roughly, mid-1990s the LCS I visited almost all had available DC back issues, primarily Silver and Bronze Ages, of almost all titles for a few dollars, most often less than $10. I and others purchased a great many. Some copies that I purchased are 9.8 some 7.5.

However, what I refer to in my earlier post is purchasing these off the newsstand, etc, when they were released/new. As I noted, my albeit limited empirical experience is that I and a great many others purchased them in multiples, stored them carefully and continue to do so, and are letting them "age." Clearly, we were not the only ones that did this, it was extremely likely repeated endlessly throughout the USA alone. Thus folks are sitting on these collections. Of course, perhaps many will never submit comic books to CGC for whatever reason/s so those copies may never be available for purchase by "CGC collectors" unless some such collections are purchased by individuals who do submit them.

The copies that are submitted to CGC may change the landscape of these titles and, especially, specific issues if many are graded 9.8 and 9.6, perhaps 9.4 for some issues.

[MAR1979]

BTW not just comics and trading cards that both still have a long way in their free-fall to go before they eventually reach terminal velocity, same goes for Rolex's ;

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/great-rolex-recession-fed-crushed-161914670.html

 

 

[DC#]

While we all await the restoration of ComicLink....here are results from Session 1 and 2 (?).   I can't see the various sessions now but this covers everything before the Golden Age session.   

 

[Telegan]

As a VOBO ("Victim Of Being Outbid") on various GA issues in the CL auction, I can confirm a lot of those prices are doing well.  Well, either that or I can confirm I'm ticked off as a result.

[PopKulture]

On 8/3/2023 at 12:37 PM, DC# said:

While we all await the restoration of ComicLink....here are results from Session 1 and 2 (?).   I can't see the various sessions now but this covers everything before the Golden Age session.   

 

That is quite the bloodbath, especially against the 2021 average! Who thought the lockdown boom was healthy or sustainable? It doesn’t yet look like we’ve hit the bottom for most of the books, as there is still a lot of red versus the last sale or 90 day average. I don’t think the recent decline of superhero movies is going to help matters in the near-term either. 

Edited August 4, 2023 by PopKulture

[Motor City Rob]

On 8/3/2023 at 1:37 PM, DC# said:

While we all await the restoration of ComicLink....here are results from Session 1 and 2 (?).   I can't see the various sessions now but this covers everything before the Golden Age session.   

 

Thanks for doing this. A little more green in the "vs last" column than some other months, but still a sea of red. 

[KCOComics]

On 8/3/2023 at 1:37 PM, DC# said:

While we all await the restoration of ComicLink....here are results from Session 1 and 2 (?).   I can't see the various sessions now but this covers everything before the Golden Age session.   

 

Silver Surfer 1, 3 and 4 have fallen like a stone.  $350 for a #1 in 4.5 feels awfully cheap.  According to GPA you have to go back to 2018-20 for those prices. 

[MAR1979]

On 8/4/2023 at 6:27 AM, KCOComics said:

Silver Surfer 1, 3 and 4 have fallen like a stone.  $350 for a #1 in 4.5 feels awfully cheap.  According to GPA you have to go back to 2018-20 for those prices. 

typical of bubble burst after effects.

Now that less and less care about chasing books due to film or tv it will get worse.

Outliers and hot items of the moment will always exist but the days of nearly every book being hot will not exist again in the lifetimes of most reading this post today aug 4 2023

BTW this is good for collectors who are once again the lifeblood of the hobby rather than the carpetbagger flippers and speculators!

[WolverineX]

On 8/4/2023 at 8:18 AM, MAR1979 said:

typical of bubble burst after effects.

Now that less and less care about chasing books due to film or tv it will get worse.

Outliers and hot items of the moment will always exist but the days of nearly every book being hot will not exist again in the lifetimes of most reading this post today aug 4 2023

BTW this is good for collectors who are once again the lifeblood of the hobby rather than the carpetbagger flippers and speculators!

agreed.  I've been buying

[MAR1979]

On 8/4/2023 at 8:28 AM, WolverineX said:

agreed.  I've been buying

I have as well but only if i feel price is less than current fmv - reason is fmv's are sinking on most of the stuff i seek.

[wiparker824]

On 8/4/2023 at 3:27 AM, KCOComics said:

Silver Surfer 1, 3 and 4 have fallen like a stone.  $350 for a #1 in 4.5 feels awfully cheap.  According to GPA you have to go back to 2018-20 for those prices. 

SS had not only the covid effect but also the Disney buys Fox effect that rolled into the covid times. Those prices went sky high due to everyone wanting a piece of the next big thing in the MCU. I think a lot of those speculators have been moving on (selling) making those books fall even harder. I have my doubts Disney/Marvel can land a good FF movie yet alone a good SS movie, but if it happens that’s about the only way I see those prices going back up. Otherwise I think the 2018 prices will be the new norm.

[WolverineX]

On 8/4/2023 at 8:48 AM, wiparker824 said:

SS had not only the covid effect but also the Disney buys Fox effect that rolled into the covid times. Those prices went sky high due to everyone wanting a piece of the next big thing in the MCU. I think a lot of those speculators have been moving on (selling) making those books fall even harder. I have my doubts Disney/Marvel can land a good FF movie yet alone a good SS movie, but if it happens that’s about the only way I see those prices going back up. Otherwise I think the 2018 prices will be the new norm.

Buying slabs stained with the tears of speculators is fun. Where did all the baseball card experts go?  Anyway,  I like these prices and can't wait for it to drop more.  

[wiparker824]

On 8/4/2023 at 5:56 AM, WolverineX said:

Buying slabs stained with the tears of speculators is fun. Where did all the baseball card experts go?  Anyway,  I like these prices and can't wait for it to drop more.  

They went the same place the NFT experts went. I’m also good with the drop, buying a lot more than selling these days, which was not the case the last few years - just priced out of so many books.

 

[KCOComics]

On 8/4/2023 at 8:18 AM, MAR1979 said:

typical of bubble burst after effects.

Now that less and less care about chasing books due to film or tv it will get worse.

Outliers and hot items of the moment will always exist but the days of nearly every book being hot will not exist again in the lifetimes of most reading this post today aug 4 2023

BTW this is good for collectors who are once again the lifeblood of the hobby rather than the carpetbagger flippers and speculators!

My collecting has always come in waves. My interests and life circumstances have changed and I've sold off old books to support new genres I'm interested in. 

Of those first books I really collected, when i was a teenager in the 90s, the SS ones are the only ones I've still hung onto (along with a Hulk 181).  SS 1-18 and FF 48-50. I've never upgraded or changed them, I've had those books for 25 or so years now. 

My SS1 has restoration,  that I didn't realize when I bought it. At 17 and without the internet, I didn't even know what to look for. 

So it's always been in the back of my mind to upgrade it. Now might be the time. 

[dikran]

Definitely a good time to be upgrading long term held books. Most of the stuff i bought in the 90s-00s is still up 8-10x... Though woulda been better to sell when it was up 20x

[World Devourer]

If you can manage to hold on to the classic gems you will still win out eventually. It will just be a case of healthy profits as opposed to ridiculous COVID-time profits.

I know I'd prefer my SA and BA assets to go to a good home as opposed to a disinterested profiteer.

[badback83]

On 8/4/2023 at 8:18 AM, MAR1979 said:

typical of bubble burst after effects.

Now that less and less care about chasing books due to film or tv it will get worse.

Outliers and hot items of the moment will always exist but the days of nearly every book being hot will not exist again in the lifetimes of most reading this post today aug 4 2023

BTW this is good for collectors who are once again the lifeblood of the hobby rather than the carpetbagger flippers and speculators!

Such a good phrase, carpetbagger.