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Multiple Copies of a Book
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304 posts in this topic

On 1/15/2022 at 1:18 AM, Math Teacher said:

We all understand that we all collect in our own ways. The way I collect is what is best for me, but not for someone else.

That being said, can someone explain to me the reasoning regarding owning multiple copies of the same book? If the book you have multiples of is your all-time favorite book, I can get that. However, if I was to have five copies of X-Men #1 (and it wasn't my favorite book), I would keep the best-looking copy and sell the rest. I would take that money and diversify my collection. For example, I could buy the best copy of AF #15 that I could afford (or FF #1 or IH #1, you get the picture). Or I could buy a nice grade GA book (I would think that four XM #1s could buy a lower mid-grade copy of More Fun Comics #55 - the first Dr. Fate).

If you have multiple copies of the same book, could you please explain your reasoning about that? I would like to be enlightened.

I never collected multiple copies either.  I see a book I like and I buy one copy and that's it.  If I see someone who collects multiples I assume they are a hoarder or a speculator, even if they aren't.  The only multiples I collect are sig books, but that is multiples of one creators signature.  I do it because I love sig books and certain sigs in particular.  So by that logic I imagine those that collect (hoard, not spec) multiple books do it for the same reason I collect multiple sigs of the same individual, because they really dig the book.

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On 1/15/2022 at 11:29 AM, Point Five said:

Agree totally. I've made fun of the multiple copies OCD, but I've got a bit of it too. And there's something cool about seeing multiples of a favorite cover in one place... to slightly stretch a point, it's almost like you're recapturing the moment when that book hit the stands. It can feel a bit like time travel.

 

This might help explain my attraction to multiples.   Nostalgia for the multiples originally encountered at the newsstand :cloud9:

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I used to buy more than one copy of a lot of PCH books. I knew I already had them but some were favorites. I just couldn’t help myself. Now this is when so many were actually pretty cheap.

That ship has long sailed. I can barely afford the few I am still after. But, I do have some back up copies if something big comes up and I can use the funds. 

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I've always thought it was a very understandable answer, even though collectors are different: the general reason to have multiple copies is in case you *need* to sell something (or, as others have said, selling something to purchase something of greater value)- if you like that issue, and/or it's of good value, you can "afford" to get rid of one because you'll still have one.

I've bought collections that have dozens of X-Force and X-Men and Star Brand #1s so I just burn or shred those, therefore bringing the overall global quantity of those books down though to an admittedly small extent. Otherwise, multiple copies of books that aren't too scandalous, I ship off to Comics 4 Kids.

Edited by wisbyron
forgot a word
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Also, some collectors (though not all) also make their living or part of it from sales. I'm reminding of Very Gary Comics, who has shared that he owns multiple copies of the FF Annual that has the first Franklin Richards and Annhilius simply because he believes it's going to be a solid investment book. Nothing wrong with that.

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In England before the days of eBay and the internet, you couldn't be too choosy on what condition you bought, mostly buying out of catalogues and an occasional mart, if I saw a book I didn't have, I bought it.

I later looked at sale adverts in the Newspapers and sometimes bought whole collections to get a few books if I needed them and the seller wouldn't split them, ended up with multiples of books.

I did this a long time and then eBay came and I started to fill gaps and upgrade lower grade copies.

I guess I just never really got around to selling anything apart from a few titles when I was skint in the 90s

I gave away a lot of duplicates about 10 years ago to gain some much needed space as selling them just wasn't really an option due to time and effort involved, I don't really regret it but a lot of those give away books are a bit pricey now lol 

Yeah, I have been known to have a duplicate or two :) 

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On 1/15/2022 at 1:18 AM, Math Teacher said:

We all understand that we all collect in our own ways. The way I collect is what is best for me, but not for someone else.

That being said, can someone explain to me the reasoning regarding owning multiple copies of the same book? If the book you have multiples of is your all-time favorite book, I can get that. However, if I was to have five copies of X-Men #1 (and it wasn't my favorite book), I would keep the best-looking copy and sell the rest. I would take that money and diversify my collection. For example, I could buy the best copy of AF #15 that I could afford (or FF #1 or IH #1, you get the picture). Or I could buy a nice grade GA book (I would think that four XM #1s could buy a lower mid-grade copy of More Fun Comics #55 - the first Dr. Fate).

If you have multiple copies of the same book, could you please explain your reasoning about that? I would like to be enlightened.

Strictly investment.

There are certain books even when they cost a little more that were no-brainers to me.

When the Joker books exploded and the Dr Doom books were out of reach to buy multiples of, I started buying up extra copies of ASM 14 and 37.  Owning extra copies of ASM 31 was also a no brainer as far as I was concerned once people started valuing Edge of the Spider-verse 2 (or whichever it was) while forgetting that Gwen Stacy actually first appears in ASM 31. 

I liked Miles Morales and when I had the chance to pick up a whole bunch of copies of UF4 first prints at less than cover, that also made sense. 

It's strictly a money thing.

Perhaps the only thing I ever bought multiples of just because I liked it was Superman 15 and 32.   I had owned copies and and then found higher graded issues and never got around to selling the undercopies.  By the time I thought about it, they seemed worth keeping as they grew to be popular.   Same thing with Tec 164.  I really like the Tec 164 and wanted and upgrade from my own copy.  Decided in the end to keep both. 

 

Edited by Buzzetta
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On 1/15/2022 at 7:05 PM, Kevin.J said:

Yeah, I have been known to have a duplicate or two :) 

Congratulations Kev! You've just won Understatement of the Year :headbang:

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On 1/15/2022 at 3:08 PM, MGsimba77 said:

Usually to have one blue label and another yellow label. I have several issues I've done this with. Usually a blue/Romita yellow. 

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In another case I have three copies, blue and two yellows (one Romita one Stan). There are several FFs I'd love 3 copies with example being....a blue FF49 accompanied by a Stan yellow and a Sinnott yellow....or perhaps even a copy with verified Kirby sig on the cover. That being said, I couldn't stand to have two blue labels of same issue. 

That's a very good point as well.  I did that with a couple of books as well. Cap 109 comes to mind as does ASM 39.

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On 1/15/2022 at 3:10 PM, Buzzetta said:

That's a very good point as well.  I did that with a couple of books as well. Cap 109 comes to mind as does ASM 39.

Yeah another point would be to have one slab and one old reader copy but I don't think thats what the OP meant. I'm sure a whole bunch of collectors have examples of that. 

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