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The End of PCE?

Started by clarkkentdds,

31 posts in this topic

clarkkentdds

clarkkentdds

Posted
Posted

PCE's website is no longer up. It seems like the end of an era as Robert Roter's inventory was such a presence during the San Diego cons of the mid - late 90's. He found the PC collection and had several other GA pedigree books. He was a tough competitor during the early years of CGC and Ebay- pushing up the bids on all the high end DCs. But his inventory would sit for a long time since his prices were way higher than market ($35K for Aquaman #1 CGC 9.4). His website hasn't seen many updates, and I have checked it less and less lately. Similar to Comiclink's model of business today, PCE attempted to lure people through online consignments. I bought from him for nearly 10 years. (His raw stuff was usually overgraded and overpriced.)

 

I know he's been slowly liquidating his books through Heritage, but has anyone heard from him?

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Stronguy

Stronguy

Posted
Posted
PCE was the FIRST online comic site for buying and selling.

Ah the fever of the early 90's cloud9.gif

 

Before E-bay and comiclink. I did a LOT of business with the guy, I suspect Roter will still be around.

 

My first exposure to PCE was when I called them and got modem access to their computer. I believe that was 1992. Type in what you're looking for and there it appeared in all it's 4800 baud glory.

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EJR

EJR

Posted
Posted

Before the internet came around I used to just subscribe to his comic listing reports and if I was interested in any of the books would go over to his office in Los Angeles to view them. I was surprised when PCE didn't set up in San Diego, the last few years. I did buy some books from him when he listed them on Ebay but never from his comic book internet listings. His asking prices on his books on the internet were IMO very aggressive! I really enjoyed getting his comic book listing reports in the mail almost every month for years, before the internet came along and he discontinued publishing them.

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Rip

Rip

Posted
Posted
PCE was the FIRST online comic site for buying and selling.

Ah the fever of the early 90's cloud9.gif

 

Before E-bay and comiclink. I did a LOT of business with the guy, I suspect Roter will still be around.

 

My first exposure to PCE was when I called them and got modem access to their computer. I believe that was 1992. Type in what you're looking for and there it appeared in all it's 4800 baud glory.

 

Oh yea, anyone remember typing (I believe it was) ATDT117013108363076.

 

Then you would see a (almost) daily list of the current arrivals. All text. No scans. When E-bay started Robert was one of the first major dealers to list comics on e-bay. Then everyone realized why do we need PCE to do that.

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Deucedriver

Deucedriver

Posted
Posted

My first exposure to PCE was when I called them and got modem access to their computer. I believe that was 1992. Type in what you're looking for and there it appeared in all it's 4800 baud glory.

 

Wow, does that bring back memories. I bought a Mile High America's Best off the modem system, sight unseen. I used to download that text list to my Amiga!

 

Cheers,

 

Sean

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nochips

nochips

Posted
Posted
An era has passed.

 

But didn't it pass awhile ago? Has there been anything sold on the PCE website in the last year or so?

 

I have emailed and called him numerous times. Never received an email or call back. I knew it was over when that happened. I liked his site. He still has some nice books, wanted to buy a few and he never got back to me?

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action1kid

action1kid

Posted
Posted

Remember, Robert Roter and PCE were the 1st online guys for the sale of comicbooks on the net[a great original idea] They had this arena all to themselves in the early and mid 1990s...Being that as it may,they had no competiton online as today[not even ebay at the beginning] They had incredible inventories of key goldenage books.In the early 1990s they sold an action 1 for 134k...Its the cgc 8.5 copy today......The advent of ebay and many more online comic dealers with deeper pockets and of course heritage created alot more competion for quality material which eventually caught up to them...there inventory has never been the same. To bad.They created the online sales business for vintage books

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nearmint

nearmint

Posted
Posted
My first exposure to PCE was when I called them and got modem access to their computer. I believe that was 1992. Type in what you're looking for and there it appeared in all it's 4800 baud glory.

 

Wow, does that bring back memories. I bought a Mile High America's Best off the modem system, sight unseen. I used to download that text list to my Amiga!

 

Cheers,

 

Sean

 

Which America's Best was it? Still got it? devil.gif

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Norrin_Radd

Norrin_Radd

Posted
Posted
Type in what you're looking for and there it appeared in all it's 4800 baud glory.

 

Wow. You don't hear anyone use the term 'baud' anymore. I remember back in '88 when there was alot of buzz because 9600 baud was coming out. "That's double the speed of 4800!"

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Tomega

Tomega

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He definitely had some nice books but I think it is just another example of a dealer whose mentality on pricing and marketing does not change but the market does. I did not know the owner but I have always heard good things about him. Perhaps, PCEI will be back in another incarnation - one that reflects the market better.

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1962

1962

Posted
Posted

PCE was great in the early years of online selling, but I think they eventually lost their way. IMHO I think part of their demise was that they sold the majority of the PC collection very shortly before the advent of CGC and because of this did not realize the full value of the collection. When CGC then came on the scene, it almost appeared that Roter had a chip on his sholder and was trying to make up for money that he did not realize on the PC collection as his prices for CGC material went absolutely insane around 2002. Batman 171 CGC 9.4 10K screwy.gif. In any event because of this insane pricing I think he eventually drove his customers away.

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Silver

Silver

Posted
Posted
An era has passed.

 

But didn't it pass awhile ago? Has there been anything sold on the PCE website in the last year or so?

 

I just got these from him recently (as posted in the 10 cent thread in the silver age forum)

 

S111.jpg

 

S115.jpg

 

S116.jpg

 

S117.jpg

 

S119.jpg

 

S124.jpg

 

S127.jpg

 

I had exchanged e-mails with him recently, and he had been out of country for a bit. I hope he hasn't stopped dealing, because I have gotten some nice books from him. Those really nice golden age Superboy's on the last two Heritage auctions were his, but they didn't sell as they didn't meet reserve.

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