My adventure with 8000+ comic books begins 4 4

[StrikeOutXXX]

This will be long and wordy, but I figure I may as well frame my whole situation tell the whole story to start, so I apologize for the lengthy post.

I'm primarily a coin person.  I've been collecting coins for 40 or so years, and a weekend/monthly show coin dealer for 10 or so years.  This weekend is our big 3-day show, and I setup Friday.  I have NEVER taken any comic books to a coin show, and truthfully, beyond reading a few series as a kid, I've never given them much thought and never had any to sell until a few weeks ago.  I was in an online estate auction waiting for the few coin lots and they had some comic book lots - like a box of 50 and I won about 5 of those lots, I thought cheap enough that my kids can read them or I can maybe sell a few in our local coin/card/antique shop my friends own that I sell some odds and ends now and then and give them a small % of sales.  These online ones I won were late 80's to early 2000's that were mostly new dealer stock, never opened, bagged and carded, they looked clean so I bought them.  There were a few older 70's or a few 80's read ones way down on the grading scale too.

They came last week  and after watching a hundred or so YouTube videos on grading, collecting, selling comics (yea - I know, quit laughing) I said why not take a couple of boxes and set them on the back table for this show. One of the YT videos mentioned comicspriceguide.com so I created an account and looked up about 250 books.  I did buy some supplies on Amazon just in case, but only needed to replace a few bags.

This was my method to my madness with 2 examples I took to the show and sold.  Maybe nuts/unrealistic in the long run, but who knows.

So this comic was new, likely never opened, bagged and boarded, etc.

So I priced it at $3. 

This comic was read, dinged, beat up, looks like a kid handled it back in the day

So I priced it at $2.

I know there is a ton more to grading, and I didn't even open 99% of them, but I priced them this way for 2 reasons.  As with coins, if a guy buys say three $4 comics, of course, I'd say $10 for all 3.  Or... if I wrote on the box 50% off and sold them that way I'm still well ahead.  But I had to start somewhere, and I don't exactly have a Greysheet or Beckett for comic books.  I figured I'd know after this weekend how nuts this little experiment was.

One other detail that is a bit pertinent, my table-helper has several booths at a busy antique mall, and he actually does have some experience selling them there.

Here was my table at the start of Friday - a printer paper box with comics on the upper left of my table, and hard to see behind the light, but a few stacks of comics on the back table.  Nothing to write home about.

 

So being the only guy at our 3-day show with comics yesterday and today, I actually sold about 50 of them, almost all the older used ones at $1-2 each, and 40 or so anywhere from $3-5 with a tiny bit of discounting for multiple purchases.  What I don't sell, I'll drop off this week at my friend's shop and let them sit there and see what happens.

Now... Enough about me and my backstory which wasn't worth a post in itself, here's why I decided to share...

Late in the afternoon, and older gentleman sits at my table and starts looking through my token books.  He looked at my little comic box and asked if I do a lot with comics.  I told him actually no, this was my first show I ever tried to sell them, but was surprised how many sold.  I said my helper sells some in his antique booths, but that's about it.  He then asked me if I was interested in buying some more.  Well, after my minor success with this small batch, I figured it was worth a conversation, so asked how many.  His answer was 40 or so boxes with about 200 each, all bagged and carded!

OK, I looked at my helper out of the corner of my eye, I think we both did some mental math and said that was a lot of comic books, guess it depends what they were and how much he wanted.

So here was the crux of his answer and follow-up to many of our next sets of questions.  He owned a comic book store from the 60's through the 80's.  What he has has been sitting in his house for nearly 40 years just as he packed up his store.  All bagged and boarded.  Separated by DC, Marvel and Indie A-Z. He said probably 80% were brand new, the other 20% likely read and traded-in from some of his regulars with a few but not many duplicates.  He guesstimated the decade breakdown was about 40% from the 1960's & 70's, 50% from the 1980's and maybe 10%  from the 1990's after his shop closed, he got a box or two when yet another friend closed his shop.  He guessed 40% were DC, 40% Marvel, and 20% indie.

I won't get too much into price, some of the YT videos I watched, a gentleman said he likes to only pay 10-15 cents a book, but will pay up for better older stuff. One video a guy said he has to stay under 50 cents per for vintage, etc.  So again, I'm a total newb with this stuff, all I remembered is I should not go over 50 cents, yet I thought this mix may be considered better stuff.  He said he only lived 6 miles from the show, and left his info and said call after the show if I wanted to swing by and look.  He shot us a price for the whole lot that basically fell between the two numbers above.

So as soon as he left, I asked my helper what he thought - his answer was simple - we should go look, but if what he said is near reality - if I don't buy it, he would and siphon them through his antique booths even if it takes him years. 

So I let him know as he was still walking the bourse that we would like to stop by after the show, which we did.  10 minute drive, up some crazy stairs to the 2nd floor and there was his comics in an unused room.  Boxes a bit dusty, but we did some sample counts of the boxes, all 190-200 except a few that had thicker book type comics or annuals, or shrink-wrapped like 4-6 comic sets, but they averaged 190+ I would say.  About the breakout of years and publishers he mentioned before.  Nice mix of your typical superhero books, lots of horror, western, dinosaurs, army type, not too may "kiddie" type books (cartoon type stuff) but some what I'd call anime today, not sure what they really are yet, and a few boxes of Adult / XXX comics.  Plus it turns out there were 44 1/2 boxes, so I'm guessing closer to 8500 comics.  He still offered it for the price he quoted us at the show.

So after a brief side-bar with my helper who again said if I don't buy them he will, I bought them.  Now... 45 trips up his death-trap stairs was not an option, so my helper lowered them down from the 2nd window with rope through the box handles to me and I loaded the van.  My poor Chrysler did not like the hour long trip home, so we went slow.  Luckily I can leave coins overnight at this show (cops stay inside) and could put all the seats down.  This is what the van looked like when I got home an hour or so ago.

So... it's late, and I have to get up early to get back for day 3 of the coin show tomorrow, so not going through them too much tonight, I was just glad my wife allocated me a few areas of the house to store them temporarily, promising her I would try to go through them as quick as possible and get them priced up and moved to my friend's shop to start selling them.

Here is my plan.  Look them up 1 by 1 with that online guide I mentioned above.  New unused ones take that upper 9.4 price, used ones that are somewhat beat up, use that 2.0 price.  Again - I may be way off from reality compared to how you pro's do things, but a newbie has to start somewhere.  I can throw a 10/25/50% or more off sign on them any time I guess if I'm out of my mind.  I'll just take a box or two at a time down to the shop, and my helper can come take whatever he wants to his antique mall, and I may take some select ones back to future coin shows.

So, I've made a really long thread out of something that I'm guessing many of you do quite a lot, but for me it's exciting and wanted to somewhat introduce myself over here - I've been on the NGC & PCGS coin forums for 15+ years, but never posted here.  I'm sure I'll have a ton of questions as this journey proceeds.  It will probably take me weeks to lay eyes on everything to even know what I have.

So I don't know how in over my head I am - I'm not worried about the $ - what I paid I made today selling coins, so I don't need to hurry up and recoup this in record time, and I know these will take forever to even sell a % of them.  I'm also not expecting miracles with prices, I'm guessing the vast majority will be $5 or under, but fingers crossed for a few decent ones.

But... I am interested in any general advice you pro's have maybe to save me some headaches, or if you see anything wrong with my current gameplan you may suggest doing something different with.

Thanks!

StrikeOutXXX (Jeff)

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Upgrayedd2]

Wow! What a great story. I would love to see what you acquired. Best of luck going through the inventory. I recommend

(1) set time limits to force you to take breaks, walk around and clear your head. can't tell you how many times I've almost smashed a comic book(s) because i got tired and became complacent

(2) leave yourself plenty of walking space around the comics. same reason as above.

(3) elicit help from someone who knows the value of comic books. you might be able to pay them in comics.

(4) remind yourself, constantly - be patient cuz there's no hurry.

PS - I just spent the last several hours going thru my entire collection to find 2 missing comic books. turns out they're at CGC for grading.

[Beige]

Get some help from a comics guy.

Check every book - because the one you miss is likely the $1000 key.

 

Look upon it as fun, not a job - and learn as you check the books.

 

Use ebay - the prices they sell for is a basic 'what are they worth NOW' as opposed to a 1 yr old guidebook

 

Have fun!

 

PS: Don't discount those 'adult' comics - they usually sell like hotcakes. The Penthouse, Sizzler, Playboy comics are easy $10 - $30 sellers each, all day long.

[KCOComics]

First off, wow! You really jumped head first into the world of comic collecting. 

 

I'll echo what others have said... It would be good to get a comic guy to go through those boxes.  It would be easy to let some pretty valuable ones sell for pennies on the dollar. 

 

Second, use eBay prices. Overstreer is an awesome resource, but the pricing is a bit behind. 

Lastly, good luck and enjoy them! 

[StrikeOutXXX]

Thanks for the tips - the only hurry is to get them out of 2 living rooms and the side of the dining room to appease the wife lol.  If it starts taking too long, I'll take the boxes down to the shop and store them there and bring them home one at a time to process maybe.  I don't want to resort to putting them in the barn 8-)

I'm not sure any of these will be candidates for grading - with coins I don't even think about it unless it's a several hundred dollar coin at a minimum, and usually don't even do it until it's a $750 + or something that is frequently counterfeited where most want it certified or an obscure variety or condition rarity type of thing.

I have no clue what the general rule of thumb is for candidates for grading comic books, I'd be surprised if I run across any worth a few hundred dollars, but I'll ask for opinions if I do I guess.

I wish I knew a comic person locally, I'll have to ask some buddies if they know anyone - no comics shops for an hour in any direction.

Do you guys consider that comicspriceguide.com at least in the ballpark to start with?  8500 ebay searches and narrowing down averages etc doesn't exactly excite me. I found it quite easy looking up that little 250 batch I got last week there.

And Beige - only saw part of 1 box with those here at home so far and of course, the box my kids peeked in - I'm guessing the adult stuff is the bit newer books he got from his friend in late 90's early 00's- stuff like: Forbidden subjects, Phoebe, Hot Young $luts, Carnal Comics, Talk Dirty, Hot Tails, Melody, etc - and that was just about a foot of 1 box.

I tried looking in a few boxes I can get to to give you all a few titles, but of course, I picked 3 boxes of pretty much Ghost Rider, Hulk and Iron Man lol.

If you guys like living vicariously through others, I can post what I find as I price up each group/box but for tonight, it's bedtime.

Thanks All!

 

Edited April 24 by StrikeOutXXX

[Upgrayedd2]

Another recommendation for prices is www.gocollect.com 

As for finding someone to help you, I'm quite confident if you rang a comic book store that's over an hour away, they will make the drive to your home. If you lived within 3 hours of my place, I'd make the drive.

[Domo Arigato]

On 4/23/2022 at 10:28 PM, StrikeOutXXX said:

I'm not sure any of these will be candidates for grading....

I have no clue what the general rule of thumb is for candidates for grading comic books, I'd be surprised if I run across any worth a few hundred dollars, but I'll ask for opinions if I do I guess.

My advice......you need to be VERY careful, or you could end up selling books for a few dollars that could fetch a whole lot more. 

Based on your story......it sounds like this guy has had these stored for a lot of years, and hasn't gone through or cherry-picked the good books out of the collection.  There are a LOT of books that were worth very little just a few years ago, that have "popped" and are now worth big money.......and many of them wont be easy to spot for someone with limited comic knowledge.  And that doesn't even take into consideration the obvious key books that might be hiding in the collection.

The good thing is......you're in probably one of the most knowledgeable comic forums on the internet right now.  

So, make a game out of it in here.  Start a thread in the Comics General section and call it "HELP A NOOB SPOT SOME KEY BOOKS".....or whatever you want to call it.  Don't start multiple threads.....just keep it to one thread......that way people can participate if they want, and ignore the thread if they don't.  

Then start posting pictures of your books in it.  Lay 20 to 25 books at a time out on the floor in a rectangle shape....with the entire cover of each book visible.  Get on a small step ladder or a step stool if you need to.....take a picture of that bunch and post the picture in your thread.  Then just repeat that process in the thread with additional groups of books.  With 4 or 5 pictures, you could easily cover 100 books at a time.

I'm sure you'll find a lot of members in here would consider it a fun challenge to help spot potentially valuable books......and we could see who can identify key books in the collection first.  The people in this forum would have NO problem spotting higher value books in group pictures like this.

Then, if you want to thank the forum for their help.....you could consider selling these nicer books here once you've figured out a price for them..  We have a (Comics Market - Forum Only Selling Area) located at this link in this forum.  You would just need to make sure you DO NOT do any selling in your thread in the Comics General section....as that is against the forum rules.  This would all help ensure you don't sell any books for a tiny fraction of what they're worth.....and would give the forum members in here a chance to buy some potentially cool books.

That's my advice......for what it's worth.

 

Edited April 24 by Domo Arigato

[onlyweaknesskryptonite]

On 4/24/2022 at 4:06 AM, Domo Arigato said:

My advice......you need to be VERY careful, or you could end up selling books for a few dollars that could fetch a whole lot more. 

Based on your story......it sounds like this guy has had these stored for a lot of years, and hasn't gone through or cherry-picked the good books out of the collection.  There are a LOT of books that were worth very little just a few years ago, that have "popped" and are now worth big money.......and many of them wont be easy to spot for someone with limited comic knowledge.  And that doesn't even take into consideration the obvious key books that might be hiding in the collection.

The good thing is......you're in probably one of the most knowledgeable comic forums on the internet right now.  

So, make a game out of it in here.  Start a thread in the Comics General section and call it "HELP A NOOB SPOT SOME KEY BOOKS".....or whatever you want to call it.  Don't start multiple threads.....just keep it to one thread......that way people can participate if they want, and ignore the thread if they don't.  

Then start posting pictures of your books in it.  Lay 20 to 25 books at a time out on the floor in a rectangle shape....with the entire cover of each book visible.  Get on a stepladder.....take a picture of that bunch and post the picture in your thread.  Then just repeat that process in the thread with additional groups of books.  With 4 or 5 pictures, you could easily cover 100 books at a time.

I'm sure you'll find a lot of members in here would consider it a fun challenge to help spot potentially valuable books......and we could see who can identify key books in the collection first.  The people in this forum would have NO problem spotting higher value books in group pictures like this.

Then, if you want to thank the forum for their help.....you could consider selling these nicer books here once you've figured out a price for them..  We have a (Comics Market - Forum Only Selling Area) located at this link in this forum.  You would just need to make sure you DO NOT do any selling in your thread in the Comics General section....as that is against the forum rules.  This would all help ensure you don't sell any books for a tiny fraction of what they're worth.....and would give the forum members in here a chance to buy some potentially cool books.

That's my advice......for what it's worth.

 

I will second this idea.

From what @StrikeOutXXX has said , in my opinion, this would allow an easy open dialogue for a lot of these books that may get completely missed.

   There are not only keys , but potentially hidden gems , certain Whitmans, current hot books, variants , errors, etc that board members would spot in an instant from just a group photo that even some dealers miss in a rush to sort , price, move items. Just look at how many great pulls show up in the Adventures from the dollar bin thread or how many really obscure issues with little to no sales information that collectors here have been  chasing for years that most traditional sources to find a value are completely inadequate.  

I know this can seem like a lot of work, but the first time someone spots a $1,000+ or even higher book that Overstreet or Go collect has at a fraction of that value ($100) you will be extremely happy you put in that work. Plus considering that as you put it that this has a lot of 60's and 70's books there sure is a lot of potential within those boxes. 

Really hope you do decide to share them here as it would be really interesting to follow you working your way through this collection and seeing what lurks within. 

[Tnexus]

I would try to separate out by series if possible. That way you can do a quick search of the series to find the key issues of that run. That's a good start at least, then when you have more time for a deep dive for the variants, you can.

[THE_BEYONDER]

I’d like to know how many PMs the op has received to buy the collection outright....

[Wolverinex]

I'll trade you for a 1933 Saint Gaudens – Double Eagle.

[EmilC]

A couple of thoughts... take your time and do your research... catalog them and rebag them as needed... don't throw your back moving them....

[shadroch]

You have no idea of the journey you are about to begin.

[Economy Joe]

listen to the great advice here

obvious books to look for are X-Men, Batman, Detective Comics, New Mutants, Amazing Spider-Man.

a good resource is my comic shop . com, you can look at a title 50 issues at a time and see which ones are hot (usually noted by yellow boxes showing consigned books); the price guide is a good start but only to take out good books, do not exclude books based on guide prices as that may not reflect value

shadroch is right, you are a comic guy now in addition to being a coin guy (I'll trade my buffalo nickels and silver coins for your comics)

[BlowUpTheMoon]

After seeing the OP, Jeff, is from Western NY and was setup up at a three-day coin show, I tracked him to the Gold and Silver Expo 2022 in Cheektowaga, NY.  The show was scheduled to end at 3:00 and I got there around 2:30.  

Couldn't find Jeff as people were packing up but eventually I saw the W.B. Mason box from his original picture.  We had a good 45 minute chat.

 

 

Edited April 24 by BlowUpTheMoon
greggy is a dork

[StrikeOutXXX]

Hi guys, thanks for all the tips.  Show is over, grass is mowed, hoping to get to at least a few tonight.  I do have a full time job, the coin business on the side, 4 kids at home, sports to take them to, etc etc - trust me though - nobody wants to dig into these as quick as me, bare with me.

These were pretty well arranged in his room by DC/Marvel/Indie and alphabetical, but there were a lot of piles here and there or in some non-comic book boxes that we just kind of stuffed in whatever box had room, so they're not all 100% pre-sorted, plus the whole lowering them down from the 2nd floor, stacking them in the van, unpacking them in various places in the house, they are in no order, and I'm not digging to the bottom to find the "A"s.  I'll just get whatever is on top.

I did see the guy I bought them from today again at the show and asked a few other questions.  He did say when he closed the shop he had a going out of business sale/clearance, and sold a ton, and he's guessing any super-high dollar things (at least in the 80's) were bought then.  He guessed I would find a ton of $20 or so books mixed in with the lower stuff, but he hasn't kept up too much on the prices today.  I asked about some of the 90's and 2000's and he said some were from what his other friend gave him when his own shop closed up in late 90's and he just added them to the pile, and he also put his own personal books he continued to subscribe to and/or buy/read since the shop closed, so I guess that explains the newer things.

 

@THE_BEYONDER - No offers via PM, but a lot of nice friendly PMs with tips, warnings, welcome, etc.  Appreciate them all.

@Wolverinex More than likely as the sales start and money coming in, it will go back into the business account and buy more coins of course, that is my primary business right now - not sure where this little adventure will take me or cause a fork in my business model.  I'll probably be pulling my hair out and going even grayer with them so who knows.

@BlowUpTheMoon It was nice meeting you today, thank you for the chat, advice, tips, and for being a resource in my corner.  I'm sure we'll talk more in the future.

@Domo Arigato I'll get to them, see 1st paragraph - busy guy.  I doubt I'll have time, or the wife will have patience for taking 25 at a time with a step ladder in the living room as someone suggested, I was thinking more whenever I look up/price a box, just giving a summary of what was in there, rough prices of them, maybe a group shot of some if they're interesting, but 340 pictures of 25 comics at a time doesn't seem like good use of time lol.  Trust me - I'm sure there will be plenty of $1-$5 comics nobody wants to see pictures of.

You guys have given me at least 4 online resources, I may get an overstreet, but I still find it faster to look at things online (type 100+ WPM, and my eyes suck).  With all those resources, I doubt even this newb can screw up or overlook something that every guide says is worth $2.  As I run across things with a bit more potential, I'll dig deeper and ask questions when need be.

 

Jeff

 

 

[Courageous Cat]

On 4/24/2022 at 3:48 PM, BlowUpTheMoon said:

After seeing the OP, Jeff, is from Western NY and was setup up at a three-day coin show, I tracked him to the Gold and Silver Expo 2022 in Cheektowaga, NY.  The show was scheduled to end at 3:00 and I got there around 2:30.  

Couldn't find Jeff as people were packing up but eventually I saw the W.B. Mason box from his original picture.  We had a good 45 minute chat.

 

 

Cheektavegas? i musta missed that show

[JJ-4]

Cool story StrikeOutXXX, looking forward to hearing and seeing more of this cool journey.

[littledoom]

On 4/24/2022 at 4:07 PM, StrikeOutXXX said:

Hi guys, thanks for all the tips.  Show is over, grass is mowed, hoping to get to at least a few tonight.  I do have a full time job, the coin business on the side, 4 kids at home, sports to take them to, etc etc - trust me though - nobody wants to dig into these as quick as me, bare with me.

These were pretty well arranged in his room by DC/Marvel/Indie and alphabetical, but there were a lot of piles here and there or in some non-comic book boxes that we just kind of stuffed in whatever box had room, so they're not all 100% pre-sorted, plus the whole lowering them down from the 2nd floor, stacking them in the van, unpacking them in various places in the house, they are in no order, and I'm not digging to the bottom to find the "A"s.  I'll just get whatever is on top.

I did see the guy I bought them from today again at the show and asked a few other questions.  He did say when he closed the shop he had a going out of business sale/clearance, and sold a ton, and he's guessing any super-high dollar things (at least in the 80's) were bought then.  He guessed I would find a ton of $20 or so books mixed in with the lower stuff, but he hasn't kept up too much on the prices today.  I asked about some of the 90's and 2000's and he said some were from what his other friend gave him when his own shop closed up in late 90's and he just added them to the pile, and he also put his own personal books he continued to subscribe to and/or buy/read since the shop closed, so I guess that explains the newer things.

 

@THE_BEYONDER - No offers via PM, but a lot of nice friendly PMs with tips, warnings, welcome, etc.  Appreciate them all.

@Wolverinex More than likely as the sales start and money coming in, it will go back into the business account and buy more coins of course, that is my primary business right now - not sure where this little adventure will take me or cause a fork in my business model.  I'll probably be pulling my hair out and going even grayer with them so who knows.

@BlowUpTheMoon It was nice meeting you today, thank you for the chat, advice, tips, and for being a resource in my corner.  I'm sure we'll talk more in the future.

@Domo Arigato I'll get to them, see 1st paragraph - busy guy.  I doubt I'll have time, or the wife will have patience for taking 25 at a time with a step ladder in the living room as someone suggested, I was thinking more whenever I look up/price a box, just giving a summary of what was in there, rough prices of them, maybe a group shot of some if they're interesting, but 340 pictures of 25 comics at a time doesn't seem like good use of time lol.  Trust me - I'm sure there will be plenty of $1-$5 comics nobody wants to see pictures of.

You guys have given me at least 4 online resources, I may get an overstreet, but I still find it faster to look at things online (type 100+ WPM, and my eyes suck).  With all those resources, I doubt even this newb can screw up or overlook something that every guide says is worth $2.  As I run across things with a bit more potential, I'll dig deeper and ask questions when need be.

 

Jeff

 

 

There’s going to be comics in those boxes that aren’t worth your time looking up. Those are dollar comics. The job right now is to pull out all the keys and noteworthy comics of value. The difficult part is that if you aren’t knowledgeable w years of experience in comics you won’t know. You should hire someone in your area who is comic savvy to assist. Go to the next comic show in your area and whoever’s there digging through boxes before the show starts are the guys you’re going to want to talk to. They know what’s good.

Edited April 25 by littledoom

[JJ-4]

On 4/24/2022 at 6:58 PM, littledoom said:

There’s going to be comics in those boxes that aren’t worth your time looking up. Those are dollar comics. The job right now is to pull out all the keys and noteworthy comics of value. The difficult part is that if you aren’t knowledgeable w years of experience in comics you won’t know. You should hire someone in your area who is comic savvy to assist. Go to the next comic show in your area and whoever’s there digging through boxes before the show starts are the guys you’re going to want to talk to. They know what’s good.

Agree, or if there are massive runs just post here a quick summary like

X-Men 175-209 (mission some issues), Batman (350-400), Detective Comics (500-600), New Mutants (75-159), Amazing Spider-Man (1-present)