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

[Tec-Tac-Toe]

Considering that I overpaid for virtually all the CGC graded comic books I have purchased, I'm ahead an average of $.25 in value. Good times!

[Dark Knight]

On 8/28/2021 at 12:52 AM, lou_fine said:

All I can say here is that somebody must really believe that the graders are billion dollar robots and grading is an exact science, as opposed to the fact that grading is done by a human being and is really nothing more than just a subjective opinion (albeit a so-call expert one) at the time a book crosses a grader's table. 

As such, the first and pretty much only thing I see here is how fugly off-center this book is, especially since it is supposedly a CGC 9.9 graded copy that just sold for $52K:      :

https://www.comiclink.com/auctions/item.asp?back=%2FAUCTIONS%2FSEARCH.ASP%3FFocusedOnly%3D1%26where%3Dauctions%26title%3Damazing%2Bspider%2Dman%2B361%26ItemType%3DCB%26CGC%3DYES%23Item_1503402&id=1503402&itemType=0#detail

 

In fact, so off-center to the point that if I had seen this copy on the shelves of the LCS when it first came out, I sure as heck would have flipped right past it or have drove to another comic shop in order to find a copy that wasn't off-centered at all.    

 

Yeah it boggled my mind how this book graded as a 9.9 with that ugly mis-wrap at the bottom. It's fairly common too for this particular issue. I had a copy with a perfect wrap top to bottom and it only got a 9.8. I also didn't see any defects on my former copy. Just craziness..

Must be the White Pages. Anyone else notice that books with white pages have been significantly selling for much more than "lesser" PQ? There seems to be a group of people who are pumping up white pages that it is the only thing that matters when it comes to buying. I've never seen such a huge increase % wise before...

 

[lou_fine]

On 8/28/2021 at 3:48 AM, waaaghboss said:

Weird how with cards, centering is super important, while with comics it doesn't even seem to matter.  

Well, I guess it really depend.........if you are a old school collector from the days prior to CGC, it definitely makes all the difference in the world.  

If you are a new generation CGC era type collector/speculator/flipper.................nah, not so much as the only thing that matters is that big huge number on the top left hand corner of the slab.  

 

On 8/28/2021 at 5:07 AM, Mutie Fan said:

Centering doesn't appear to matter much CGC, but I absolutely take centering/miswrap into consideration when purchasing a book. It's part of the overall presentation and eye appeal of the book.  

Yeah, doesn't make much sense from a collector's POV to have CGC ignore a miswrap on a book when you can see it from clear across the convention hall, and yet apply the grading sledge hammer to near invisible spine ticks which you can see only when you hold the book up at a certain angle to the light. 

Then again, I guess it makes perfect financial business sense to the CCG ownership from a top line and bottom line POV.     

[lou_fine]

On 8/28/2021 at 6:12 AM, KEY ISSUES Comics said:

On 8/25/2021 at 8:16 AM, classicaaron said:

that silver surfer doesnt look anything like a 9.8 either. 

I was thinking the same thing.

What makes you say this because from a strict visual presentation POV:  

it would certainly appear to present nicer than that fugly looking CGC 9.9 graded with that huge eyesore of a miswrap.    

[KEY ISSUES Comics]

On 8/28/2021 at 1:24 PM, lou_fine said:

What makes you say this because from a strict visual presentation POV:  

it would certainly appear to present nicer than that fugly looking CGC 9.9 graded with that huge eyesore of a miswrap.    

Well, structurally from what I can see, there seems to be some scratches/marks on the Bifrost below Thor's left leg, as well as a color fleck in the blue area of the box. But, it would be lint/dust from the scanner. If not, it looks like several minor things that you would not see on a 9.8 modern book.

[Number 6]

On 8/28/2021 at 10:24 AM, lou_fine said:

What makes you say this because from a strict visual presentation POV:  

it would certainly appear to present nicer than that fugly looking CGC 9.9 graded with that huge eyesore of a miswrap.    

I could be mistaken, but I thought the questioning of the 9.8 was focused on another copy of this book that was posted in this thread, the one with the CVA sticker?

[lou_fine]

On 8/28/2021 at 3:00 PM, Number 6 said:

I could be mistaken, but I thought the questioning of the 9.8 was focused on another copy of this book that was posted in this thread, the one with the CVA sticker?

Come to think of it.........you are 100% exactly right.  

I guess it's hard to keep track of all of these uber HG books here because there's relatively speaking, so many of these out there although this one here actually qualifies as a SA book and not a MA book:  

The earlier Orgeon Coast copy is the one that sold at Heritage back in June for $90K, while the above one with the CVA sticker is the one that sold on CL for $67K just a couple of days ago.  Needless to say, both very strong prices from my own personal POV, especially considering that all prior Universal sales in the prior 2 years for CGC 9.8 graded copies were only in the mid to upper teens.  

[aardvark88]

On 8/28/2021 at 12:52 AM, lou_fine said:

only thing I see here is how fugly off-center this book is, especially since it is supposedly a CGC 9.9 graded copy that just sold for $52K:      :

https://www.comiclink.com/auctions/item.asp?back=%2FAUCTIONS%2FSEARCH.ASP%3FFocusedOnly%3D1%26where%3Dauctions%26title%3Damazing%2Bspider%2Dman%2B361%26ItemType%3DCB%26CGC%3DYES%23Item_1503402&id=1503402&itemType=0#detail

 

    

Or you could have saved over $51k US greenbacks by sniping an ASM 361 Cgc 9.8 direct sales copy with same factory miswrap, white pages for a mere $845 shipped. Then snipe a couple of Promise GA books with your $51k petty cash.

Edited August 29, 2021 by aardvark88
sp.

[lizards2]

On 8/25/2021 at 6:50 AM, Amazeron said:

I like the pedigree label and how it exhibits these GA beauties, and some minor grading exceptions should be allowed for books almost a century old. However, this book pushes the envelope a bit to much when it comes to getting a grade above a 9.0. A piece out is still a flaw major enough to take away from the overall presentation. 

When a grading scale is applied, a book’s true grade matters. Corners shouldn’t be cut. (Literally and figuratively)

 

I had a HOM from the Pacific Coast collection that was CGC 9.4, and it had a chunk missing from the lower right front corner. Needless to say I sold it as fast as I could get rid of it.

So, not like this grade hasn't been applied the same before.

[DC#]

Was going through the results from the CL auction that just closed this week....looking at general trends and spot checking a few books.   I have noticed over the past few auctions that the same book can have very different results within the same auction - even when all things are equal.   Obviously white pages and a great wrap can drive a premium - but below are some examples from this past week that are really odd.   The ASM #300 is a real head scratcher - even with page quality gap.   The one book sold for nearly $2000 below the most recent sale.   Congrats to buyer and condolences to the seller.     The GSX has a page quality difference but the total $ difference really stuck out to me - $2500 less.    

 

For the most part - books that closed later seemed to fare worse. 

 

And getting to the title of this thread, all these books sold at or below most recent GPA and all were below 90 Day.  GSX #1 was way below the last sale from June.  

 

 

 

   

Edited August 31, 2021 by DC#

[PKJ]

On 8/31/2021 at 4:10 PM, DC# said:

Was going through the results from the CL auction that just closed this week....looking at general trends and spot checking a few books.   I have noticed over the past few auctions that the same book can have very different results within the same auction - even when all things are equal.   Obviously white pages and a great wrap can drive a premium - but below are some examples from this past week that are really odd.   The ASM #300 is a real head scratcher - even with page quality gap.   The one book sold for nearly $2000 below the most recent sale.   Congrats to buyer and condolences to the seller.     The GSX has a page quality difference but the total $ difference really stuck out to me - $2500 less.    

 

For the most part - books that closed later seemed to fare worse. 

 

And getting to the title of this thread, all these books sold at or below most recent GPA and all were below 90 Day.  GSX #1 was way below the last sale from June.  

 

 

 

   

That second wave of listing used to be my sweet spot, not sure if people used to not search the entire auction or what but I always did better on the last week auctions, 7.0 books that looked identical to the earlier books for example would be cheaper by 15-20% on ones I would track. Also not sure how many people who lost that jumped to CC to try and snag.

I did notice a few of the IH181's that were higher than the first wave of auction this time, mid grades at least.

[BanjerD]

[valiantman]

On 8/31/2021 at 4:47 PM, BanjerD said:

Price per point = $20 

[Sweet Lou 14]

On 8/31/2021 at 4:10 PM, DC# said:

Was going through the results from the CL auction that just closed this week....looking at general trends and spot checking a few books.   I have noticed over the past few auctions that the same book can have very different results within the same auction - even when all things are equal.   Obviously white pages and a great wrap can drive a premium - but below are some examples from this past week that are really odd.   The ASM #300 is a real head scratcher - even with page quality gap.   The one book sold for nearly $2000 below the most recent sale.   Congrats to buyer and condolences to the seller.     The GSX has a page quality difference but the total $ difference really stuck out to me - $2500 less.    

 

For the most part - books that closed later seemed to fare worse. 

 

And getting to the title of this thread, all these books sold at or below most recent GPA and all were below 90 Day.  GSX #1 was way below the last sale from June.  

 

 

 

   

Thanks for this analysis!

I bought the first (more expensive) MS #32 and when I saw the second result, I was a bit sad.  But I do think mine has a noticeably better wrap, and most copies don't.  I'll try to convince myself that the price difference is worth it.

[Sweet Lou 14]

On 8/31/2021 at 5:47 PM, BanjerD said:

Good example of why I generally avoid .5 grades.

My working theory is that there are people who set out to buy (for example) 8.0 or better and they'll take an 8.5 but they don't really think of it as appreciably better than an 8.0, eye appeal being more or less equal.  My theory is that very few people set out with a target grade of 8.5.

(Fight me.)

[WolverineX]

On 8/31/2021 at 6:01 PM, Sweet Lou 14 said:

Good example of why I generally avoid .5 grades.

My working theory is that there are people who set out to buy (for example) 8.0 or better and they'll take an 8.5 but they don't really think of it as appreciably better than an 8.0, eye appeal being more or less equal.  My theory is that very few people set out with a target grade of 8.5.

(Fight me.)

That's actually Why I buy.5 grades because it's a better deal

[DC#]

Another example.....ASM 238.     27% difference on same page quality and direct edition - 3 days apart.    Again - later sale did much worse than earlier sale.     The higher one was just below the 90 day average but above the last sale of $2880 (Aug 26th).    Peak was $4100 in June.     

 

[WolverineX]

On 8/28/2021 at 12:50 PM, Dark Knight said:

 

Yeah it boggled my mind how this book graded as a 9.9 with that ugly mis-wrap at the bottom. It's fairly common too for this particular issue. I had a copy with a perfect wrap top to bottom and it only got a 9.8. I also didn't see any defects on my former copy. Just craziness..

Must be the White Pages. Anyone else notice that books with white pages have been significantly selling for much more than "lesser" PQ? There seems to be a group of people who are pumping up white pages that it is the only thing that matters when it comes to buying. I've never seen such a huge increase % wise before...

 

It's not what you know,  it's who you know

[MetalPSI]

Aliens 1 9.8 went for 4k

[alexgross.com]

On 8/31/2021 at 3:27 PM, DC# said:

Another example.....ASM 238.     27% difference on same page quality and direct edition - 3 days apart.    Again - later sale did much worse than earlier sale.     The higher one was just below the 90 day average but above the last sale of $2880 (Aug 26th).    Peak was $4100 in June.     

 

the second part of a CL auction definitely seems to get less action. as @PKJnoted, it's where some deals may be had. i also think books that had explosive jumps in value this past winter and spring like asm300 and gsx1 are the ones most likely to show erratic results now. key books that havent been as 'hot' this year are still holding up quite well, especially silver age ones.