• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Finding/Buying A Collection: The Imagination Stage
3 3

Started by comicginger1789,

112 posts in this topic

  • Popular Post
comicginger1789

comicginger1789

Posted
  • Popular Post
Posted

Many of us I know have found or purchased collections or books off people because we were a known collector. It’s great when this happens and if it hasn’t happened to you, tell more people about your passion.

I wanted to talk about the stage I am currently in. What I call the imagination stage. It’s a great stage and I guess is a version of “the thrill of the hunt” that is one of the many reasons we collect.

On Friday, I was dropping off a donation from a local business to a friend/colleague at work for our fundraiser. I also mentioned I would be putting together a little stack of comics and graphic novels and such to give away. She then asks how big of a collector I am and I briefly explain how long I’ve collected. She then says “we’ll I have some comics, maybe I should have you look at them”

Now hearing this is always exciting. Because ya never know…even if it is more often than not boxes of stuff like Youngblood 1 and other late 80s/early 90s common stuff. She’s not much older than I so I assume immediately this is what she’s talking about.

But she then adds they were given to her by her neighbour when the neighbours husband passed. I asked how old he was and she said 75. Now I wish I had asked a few more questions but I left it at “well hey definitely bring them in and I can at the very least see if there some value there”. She agreed to do so sometime this week.

And thus I am now in the imagination stage. Imagining what could be in this box. And it’s an exciting stage. Could it be something amazing? Could it be Gold Key and coverless charltons? Could it be 90s common stuff? Either way I will update this thread and until I see them, feel free to dream with me or share your own similar situations where you had no idea what comics might be coming your way but you knew you were going to see comics of some sort…when they did did they meet expectations? Exceed them? Severely disappoint?

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
bronze_rules

bronze_rules

Posted
Posted (edited)

True story.

Years ago I called about a craigslist collection. A nice elderly woman answered and explained that her husband had saved all these boxes of old comics, one of which was the first issue of the Thing.

My imagination ran wild, --FINALLY A WINNER -- the Thing, Horror, Golden Age!!! Calm down, relax, don't sound overly excited. I asked, 'er.. do you know what the price is on the cover?.'

She replied, 'no, I'd have to go look.' I said, 'please do, I'd really appreciate it (calm down, relax...).

She comes back, 'didn't see the price...but there's some big monster on the cover. Me thinking..... OOOOOOOhhhhhh (calm down) . Oh ok, anything else you noticed?

Well, yeah, he's this big brown monster, looks like he's made of rocks and he's wearing these big blue trunks....... :tonofbricks:  Imagination brought down to reality.

 

That's how most of my finds went. At least this one was over the phone and I didn't waste gas.

 

Ok, one more story. Years ago I drove an hour to a block garage sale that supposedly had a bunch of old comics (like a million other listings). I was there a few minutes after the start of the sale. The guy goes, 'some guy came and bought all the boxes.' I asked, what kind of comics were in it? Oh, they were like early action, horror EC, yeah bunch of old ten cent comics.'  :tonofbricks: While the result was quite rare it was another (almost predictable) wasted effort of gas and time.

Edited by bronze_rules
Link to comment
Share on other sites
MattTheDuck

MattTheDuck

Posted
Posted

I'm trying to learn to keep my imagination in check.  Last summer, if there was an Estate/Yard sale that listed "comic book collection" I basically couldn't sleep the night before because my imagination would run wild.  I'm still looking for the sale where they don't list them, and I ask and they say "oh, yeah, we meant to put those out - hang on a second." 

The biggest problem is competition.  Had a very similar experience to @bronze_rules last year - sale advertises books, I show up probably 15 minutes early and the books are already gone.  BEFORE THE SALE HAD EVEN STARTED.  I appreciate that you're trying to sell stuff, but at least follow your own rules.  Don't know what was in that sale, but it was "good enough" that one of the local snipes sniped the entire thing.  I'm probably too respectful and not aggressive enough, and I'm hoping the good karma will pay off eventually.

I've been a day/dreamer about book finds since I was a kid.  I used to imagine that the local independent grocery store had all the back issues I wanted in storage.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Bird

Bird

Posted
Posted
On 5/23/2022 at 5:40 PM, MattTheDuck said:

I'm trying to learn to keep my imagination in check.

exactly

I have had one mega-find, and that is also my curse as my imagination gets the best of me

the original post situation is nice, the comics are coming to you eventually. So I could let myself run wild after securing them for sure.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
comicginger1789

comicginger1789

Posted
  • Author
Posted
On 5/23/2022 at 6:14 PM, topcat54 said:

Let us know what you found and pics or else:violin:

Oh of course. I also started this thread as perhaps a fun way to share the journey of purchasing a collection. All details and aspects from here on out shall be shared

Link to comment
Share on other sites
comicginger1789

comicginger1789

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)
On 5/23/2022 at 7:47 PM, jcjames said:

I'll guess common Archies and funny animal books.

Go in with low expectations. It'll be 1.0-2.0 drecky-drek.

 

Yeah I’m feeling western gold key vibes. That and stuff like ripleys and Boris Karloff, that kind of jam. That’s my personal bet. Doubtful there be any marvel or dc. 
 

 

Edited by comicginger1789
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
3 3
Go to topic listing