Batman 1

[Forbush-Man]

This is a flip....

I purchased a Batman 1 CGC 9.0 with Slight Professional restoration several years ago in a public auction. I paid "market value" at the time which was a little over $15,000. I sold it roughly a year later at a reasonable profit

 

This is an investment...

I bought an unrestored low grade pep22 for 400 or so dollars in 1993.I sold it 8 years later in 2001 for 6700.00.

 

Its really important to understand the difference because this is the formula for the biggest gains.Unrestored and long term.

 

nuff said.....good night

 

I sold a 1981 Toyota Corrola for $800.00 in 1990.

[Forbush-Man]

This is a flip....

I purchased a Batman 1 CGC 9.0 with Slight Professional restoration several years ago in a public auction. I paid "market value" at the time which was a little over $15,000. I sold it roughly a year later at a reasonable profit

 

This is an investment...

I bought an unrestored low grade pep22 for 400 or so dollars in 1993.I sold it 8 years later in 2001 for 6700.00.

 

Its really important to understand the difference because this is the formula for the biggest gains.Unrestored and long term.

 

nuff said.....good night

 

I sold a 1981 Toyota Corrola for $800.00 in 1990.

 

 

It was unrestored too.

[action1kid]

Is your screen name indicitive of the great milage you got on your unrestored toyota corrola FUELMAN?

[Forbush-Man]

Is your screen name indicitive of the great milage you got on your unrestored toyota corrola FUELMAN?

 

Nope. If that were the case, then my name would be "GOTGREATMILEAGEOUTTAMYTOYOTACORROLAMAN"

[action1kid]

Well, im glad to here your car was unrestored.I assume you car was Blue and not a [plod] purple?

[non sequitur]

Hi all, from an investment prospective which is a better buy...a CGC 9.2 M® Batman 1 or a CGC 5.0 unrestored Batman 1. Its nice to see a Batman 1 looking like it came from a newstand.

 

Neither, buy my Batman 1 CGC 8.5 EP. Its obviously the best investment of all 3 :

 

 

Filter: where are you listing your #1, if anywhere.

How did you make out on the sale of the Tec27 9.2?

[jkrk]

Filter: where are you listing your #1, if anywhere.

How did you make out on the sale of the Tec27 9.2?

 

1)Is that the book on E-Bay a couple of months ago that someone named Crabmonk

and I believe one other individual bid over $90.000 for? However the reserve wasn't met.

 

2)Is that the book that Neatstuff was trying to sell with $120,000 BIN ?

If I remember the best bid was over $70,000

 

3)Is that the same book that is on the Metropolis site with an offer of $77,500?

 

Is any of the above correct? My memory is fading in recent years. I asked one dealer what he would pay for the book and he indicated around $50,000-55,000.

 

What is the price range for the book? Does anybody have a thought?

[Filter81]

Filter: where are you listing your #1, if anywhere.

 

I've talked to Vincent at Metropolis and Harley Yee about possibly selling the book for me. I listed the book on eBay once a few months ago and the bidding reached somewhere in the high $15,000s if I remember correctly. I haven't really been trying to sell the book real aggressively anywhere yet. I've mentioned the book to a few people I know and received a few offers in the mid $15,000s and just haven't really felt like pulling the trigger w/ any of them. I did receive a decent offer on the book yesterday and I also found out that one of the dealers I had mentioned the book to has a buyer as well. Personally I kind of want to try the book on eBay again now that the summer is over and prices seem to be picking up a little.

 

For now I guess the book is in limbo until I decide the best way to go.

[Filter81]

1)Is that the book on E-Bay a couple of months ago that someone named Crabmonk

and I believe one other individual bid over $90.000 for? However the reserve wasn't met.

 

2)Is that the book that Neatstuff was trying to sell with $120,000 BIN ?

If I remember the best bid was over $70,000

 

3)Is that the same book that is on the Metropolis site with an offer of $77,500?

 

Is any of the above correct? My memory is fading in recent years. I asked one dealer what he would pay for the book and he indicated around $50,000-55,000.

 

What is the price range for the book? Does anybody have a thought?

 

your memory seems fine to me. Are you stalking my book?

 

The book has been up on eBay 3 times. The first time I wanted $102500. (I very rarely am forced to accept below 25% of guide for a restored GA key when listing them on eBay, and that restored Action 1 9.0 sold for $120k+ last year..) Bidding reached $90,000 and no sale went through. I received a cash offer of $70,000 and a time payments offer of $78,000 and turned them both down.

 

Then I ran into Neatstuff at the San Diego con. Everyone decided it would be a good idea for me to consign it w/ them since they have a higher feedback and larger client base than I do. Mike convinced me my asking price was too high and suggested I consider taking $80k for the book, suggesting that he felt he could sell it for $85,000. (They'd take anything they got over $80k which I decided was ok) After the book went through Neatstuff's eBay machine, the new Buy It Now price became something like $136,000 and the reserve was just slightly under that. I'm still quite upset about that. Bidding sort of becomes inhibited when people see an asking price of at least $36,000-$56,000 above fair market value.. If Mike or Brian had been selling the book themselves I bet the outcome would've been different. But that eBay auction ended somewhere in the low $70,000s.

 

I tried listing the book on eBay again but I think by then people were under the misconception that I was asking 6 figures for the book and this time bidding ended up somewhere in the high $70000s I believe. (I don't remember the exact number but I'm thinking $76000)

 

So now the book is on consignment w/ Metro who last I heard had two interested buyers who were in the process of trying to come up w/ the money. On a book like this I probably should've just consigned it in the first place. At this point the book may just be overexposed and I may need to just pull it down and not offer it anywhere for a while. If some of the other books I have keep selling as well as they have been this last week I may not even need to part w/ the Detective 27 anymore anyway.

 

As far as what the book is worth, I asked Matt Nelson about that today and he felt it was worth around $75,000. Personally I believe that since the market is a little soft at the moment, if I want to sell it soon I will probably have to accept $73,000-$75,000 for the book which is pretty close to what I paid. (I bought the book in a package deal and GPAnalysis misreported what I paid for the book. At least the way I broke down the deal at the time, I had it figured at higher than $65,000)

 

Under normal circumstances I would personally value the book around $90,000. I know I value restored books a little higher than most dealers, but thats why I buy them when most dealers dont. I do know that an unrestored CGC 3.5 (an UGLY 3.5 from what I remember that looked more like a 2.5/3.0) sold this year for $72,500, and my copy was almost certainly higher than that prior to the restoration being done. And I have passed on at least 5 cash offers of $65,000 or more. So since this is the only 9.2 copy I can say for sure from personal experience the book is worth more than $50,000-$55,000. (I paid more than that and personally know at least 5 people who would pay more than that and there is only the one copy to go around) As far as exactly what it is worth I can't really say. If it doesn't sell through Metro I'll probably hold it off the market for a while and relist when the new guide comes out. (Since unrestored 9.2 guide value should jump around $40k-$50k) I'm guessing in April, I it would sell it on eBay for around $85,000. But until the book actually sells all I can do is tell you what I paid. Since the book is one of a kind I think its one of those cases where its really just worth whatever the highest bidder is willing to pay

[ronm3-migration]

I myself will be pursuing a Batman 1 in the next few months and I would definitely take the unrestored over the restored.

My goal will be Batman 1-20 by March.

3-20 I am hoping at at least 8.0 or better.

1 and 2 will be tough to get higher than 7.0.

I am looking for a high grade Bat 2 if anyone has one or know of someone who has one.

I had a Bat 2 7.0 unrestored but I sold it a two years ago.

I am eyeing the Bat 1 CGC 7.5 unrestored in the January Signature from Heritage.

I am glad it is January because that's my birthday month. My wife wont say a word.

[skybolt]

I myself will be pursuing a Batman 1 in the next few months and I would definitely take the unrestored over the restored.

My goal will be Batman 1-20 by March.

3-20 I am hoping at at least 8.0 or better.

1 and 2 will be tough to get higher than 7.0.

I am looking for a high grade Bat 2 if anyone has one or know of someone who has one.

I had a Bat 2 7.0 unrestored but I sold it a two years ago.

I am eyeing the Bat 1 CGC 7.5 unrestored in the January Signature from Heritage.

I am glad it is January because that's my birthday month. My wife wont say a word.

 

Make sure to post those books when you get them.

[ronm3-migration]

I myself will be pursuing a Batman 1 in the next few months and I would definitely take the unrestored over the restored.

My goal will be Batman 1-20 by March.

3-20 I am hoping at at least 8.0 or better.

1 and 2 will be tough to get higher than 7.0.

I am looking for a high grade Bat 2 if anyone has one or know of someone who has one.

I had a Bat 2 7.0 unrestored but I sold it a two years ago.

I am eyeing the Bat 1 CGC 7.5 unrestored in the January Signature from Heritage.

I am glad it is January because that's my birthday month. My wife wont say a word.

 

Make sure to post those books when you get them.

 

 

I most definitely will.

[Point Five]

Hey, I'm working on an early Batman run myself! Only replace "I am hoping for at least 8.0 or better" with "I am hoping for at least .8 or better"...

[non sequitur]

Kudos to Filter for sharing his experience of selling a high-grade key - very informative..

 

I think we'd all benefit from a thread of best/worst experiences selling, just as an earlier thread discussed best/worst acquisitions.

[jkrk]

Are you stalking my book?

 

 

Yes and many other books as well. I was an interested buyer in the DET 27. However, after finding out that there are many interested parties at a price that is somewhat higher then I am willing to go I have lost interest for the moment. I generally stalk most high price books (so don't take it personally). I am a potential buyer of any book. . My goal is to try to gauge where the market price currently is. I am price sensitive so I try to gather as much info as I can.

[Filter81]

Yes and many other books as well. I was an interested buyer in the DET 27. However, after finding out that there are many interested parties at a price that is somewhat higher then I am willing to go I have lost interest for the moment. I generally stalk most high price books (so don't take it personally). I am a potential buyer of any book. . My goal is to try to gauge where the market price currently is. I am price sensitive so I try to gather as much info as I can.

 

no worries I was just kidding and didn't take it personally. I thought it was funny though that you knew more about my book than me (For some reason I had thought it ended in the Neatstuff auction around $67k or $68k but I think you were right and I was wrong)

 

If you are in the market for a valuable book btw please feel free to send me a PM or gimme a call. The auction isn't over yet but it looks like i'm going to have a 6 figure balance w/ Heritage by the end of the night w/ a 4 figure bank account balance. I have at least one of almost every Golden age key so tomorrow will probably be "Which one of these do I want to dump fast day"..

[Norrin_Radd]

Hey, I'm working on an early Batman run myself! Only replace "I am hoping for at least 8.0 or better" with "I am hoping for at least .8 or better"...

 

I'm considering starting an early Batman run also. I love most of the covers from 1-20 (as well as the early Batman Tecs).

 

But in a little better condition than 0.8.... like 1.8 or so.

[mstryinspc-migration]

Please consider, i have nothing to sell you!!

My opinion is unbiased.I own no bat #1s that ill sell you.

ill say it again, the 5.0 unrestored is a better investment than a modearte restored bat 1.[depending on the price you pay of course]But the power of negotiation is in your hands.Forget our opinions and consider past results,who has out performed who? Thats right,the bat1 5.0...Of course i know you will make the right decision.

WATCH THE NOTES ON THAT MODERATE RESTORED LABEL!!

 

 

I love it, I have nothing to sell you so I must be right! HAHA

 

What you have to sell is that your unrestored books are worth more if you make everyone else believe that restoration is bad.

 

Sorry but there is recreation and repair when it comes to restoration. If the Batman #1 in question was repair ie tears sealed and reenforced clean and yes pressed taht is repair. If chunks of the covers were replaed that is recreation. There is a world of difference betwwen a book that has structural repair which most informed and inteligent collectors will understand and accept and chunkcs being replaced. I leave color touch out becasue if those tear repairs leave white paper they most likely will be color touched and profesional work is usually unobtrusive to the naked eye.

 

The vehement sell you gave over a number of messages is that something must be wrong with restored books because they sell for less.... to bad most high sales before professional grading were of restored books both with and without full knowledge of the purchaser. Now you have a stigma that frightens even the most lowly collector are my books EEEK! restored!

 

Don't worry little middle aged men your books may be restored but if you really collected books instead of thinking you were saving for your retirement then you'd realize you will still have a small nest egg with your 500 Hulk 181's and GS X-mens, count your Tomb of Draculas and be happy. Leave the collecting to the people who really care for the books we wil preserve them for posterity.

[action1kid]

Now arnt you doing the same thing that you accused me[us] of????

However i respect your opinions.

There is nothing wrong with restored books[they have a very useful purpose in preserving history.They are just not as effective an investment vehical as an unrestored book.

 

A batman 1 in 5.0 unrestored is worth more than a batman 9.2 with moderate restoration.

 

god bless

[tth2]

Sorry but there is recreation and repair when it comes to restoration. If the Batman #1 in question was repair ie tears sealed and reenforced clean and yes pressed taht is repair. If chunks of the covers were replaed that is recreation. There is a world of difference betwwen a book that has structural repair which most informed and inteligent collectors will understand and accept and chunkcs being replaced. I leave color touch out becasue if those tear repairs leave white paper they most likely will be color touched and profesional work is usually unobtrusive to the naked eye.

 

The vehement sell you gave over a number of messages is that something must be wrong with restored books because they sell for less.... to bad most high sales before professional grading were of restored books both with and without full knowledge of the purchaser. Now you have a stigma that frightens even the most lowly collector are my books EEEK! restored!

 

Don't worry little middle aged men your books may be restored but if you really collected books instead of thinking you were saving for your retirement then you'd realize you will still have a small nest egg with your 500 Hulk 181's and GS X-mens, count your Tomb of Draculas and be happy. Leave the collecting to the people who really care for the books we wil preserve them for posterity.

 

Put your money where your mouth is, shill! If you love restored books so much and believe they're just as valuable as unrestored books, buy them up. If you're willing to pay full Guide for restored books to show you really believe what you're saying, I'll sell them to you all day.