Throwing Money Away 6 6

[Axe Elf]

On 7/5/2022 at 1:58 PM, Lord Gemini said:

Many books I DO judge by their cover though.

You live on the edge.

[Lightning55]

On 7/5/2022 at 12:11 PM, valiantman said:

A simple example would be that any CGC book sold on eBay for $25 (since your search stopped at $24) which had free shipping would be a much worse sale than a $24 sale with $12 for shipping.  That could be hundreds (or thousands) of additional slabs if there was a way to add the CGC sales with free shipping and search up to $35 sales (since the cost of shipping doesn't equal profit).

Another example would be something like a $30 CGC slab sale on eBay where the seller spent an extra $10 to press the book before slabbing.  There's no way to know, but it surely happens, because some people who "slab everything" are also "press everything" people.

 

I think this was already covered a few posts back....raising the base from $24 to account also for pressing, shipping, higher cost tiers, Fast Track, raw cost, etc.

Edited July 6, 2022 by Lightning55

[BlowUpTheMoon]

[Motor City Rob]

On 7/6/2022 at 12:01 AM, BlowUpTheMoon said:

As much as I love this book, I can't help but wonder what was going through the head of the person who paid to have this slabbed....AS WELL AS the person who just paid $18...plus $20 shipping...to buy this. 

[wardevil0]

On 7/6/2022 at 12:01 AM, BlowUpTheMoon said:

Two people were willing to pay up to $18 plus shipping for a 3.0?  

Still taking a loss on the cost of grading, but I'm surprised anyone would pay for it at all.   I checked to see if it was downgraded for unwitnessed signatures or some other justification... nope, it's just a well-read kid's copy like so many I have from the old days. Which is fine, plenty of people grade their personal nostalgia copies, but how does it end up on Comiclink?

[shadroch]

On 7/6/2022 at 4:42 AM, wardevil0 said:

Two people were willing to pay up to $18 plus shipping for a 3.0?  

Still taking a loss on the cost of grading, but I'm surprised anyone would pay for it at all.   I checked to see if it was downgraded for unwitnessed signatures or some other justification... nope, it's just a well-read kid's copy like so many I have from the old days. Which is fine, plenty of people grade their personal nostalgia copies, but how does it end up on Comiclink?

Because comics are worth money, and by having it graded and slabbed, the price just goes up. I thought everyone knows that. Just look at CGC's advertising if you don't think it is true.

Edited July 6, 2022 by shadroch

[lou_fine]

On 7/6/2022 at 4:39 AM, Motor City Rob said:

As much as I love this book, I can't help but wonder what was going through the head of the person who paid to have this slabbed....AS WELL AS the person who just paid $18...plus $20 shipping...to buy this. 

I can't help but wonder what was going through the head of the buyer who bidded and paid $44K for a copy of this relatively "common as dirt" CA book here, and this is the exact reason why we have this sentiment on this particular book here:  

On 7/6/2022 at 5:29 AM, shadroch said:

Because comics are worth money, and by having it graded and slabbed, the price just goes up. I thought everyone knows that. Just look at CGC's advertising if you don't think it is true.

 

Edited July 6, 2022 by lou_fine

[Motor City Rob]

On 7/6/2022 at 10:31 AM, lou_fine said:

I can't help but wonder what was going through the head of the buyer who bidded and paid $44K for a copy of this relatively "common as dirt" CA book here, and this is the exact reason why we have this sentiment on this particular book here:  

 

Someone paid 44K for a copy of Transformers #1? When was this?

[Buzzetta]

On 7/6/2022 at 10:31 AM, lou_fine said:

I can't help but wonder what was going through the head of the buyer who bidded and paid $44K for a copy of this relatively "common as dirt" CA book here, and this is the exact reason why we have this sentiment on this particular book here:  

 

 

On 7/6/2022 at 12:08 PM, Motor City Rob said:

Someone paid 44K for a copy of Transformers #1? When was this?

I think... I think... 

That was the comiclink copy.  It was graded a 9.9 or 10.0 though right? 

[THE_BEYONDER]

On 7/6/2022 at 12:17 PM, Buzzetta said:

 

I think... I think... 

That was the comiclink copy.  It was graded a 9.9 or 10.0 though right? 

9.9

[Motor City Rob]

On 7/6/2022 at 12:17 PM, Buzzetta said:

 

I think... I think... 

That was the comiclink copy.  It was graded a 9.9 or 10.0 though right? 

Oh...well...that's a little different. Hard to put a pricetag on a unicorn. I'm more shocked at the $18 sale. 

[Buzzetta]

On 7/6/2022 at 7:39 AM, Motor City Rob said:

As much as I love this book, I can't help but wonder what was going through the head of the person who paid to have this slabbed....AS WELL AS the person who just paid $18...plus $20 shipping...to buy this. 

 

On 7/6/2022 at 7:42 AM, wardevil0 said:

Two people were willing to pay up to $18 plus shipping for a 3.0?  

Still taking a loss on the cost of grading, but I'm surprised anyone would pay for it at all.   I checked to see if it was downgraded for unwitnessed signatures or some other justification... nope, it's just a well-read kid's copy like so many I have from the old days. Which is fine, plenty of people grade their personal nostalgia copies, but how does it end up on Comiclink?

There are some people that buy books like these as "add ons" to whatever auctions they have already won.  Then they crack a book like this out and sell it raw two to three grades higher than the assigned grade.  I have seen that happen a few times over the years. 

When I was selling, (I took the year off), I would always search for any book that was undervalued or I felt I could flip to offset the cost of shipping.   I would sell it in the slab in the grade assigned.  However, I got the idea from someone that would do what I previously mentioned.  If they bought that 3.0 and felt it was a 5.5, then they would crack it and sell it raw. 

[Motor City Rob]

On 7/6/2022 at 3:09 PM, Buzzetta said:

 

There are some people that buy books like these as "add ons" to whatever auctions they have already won.  Then they crack a book like this out and sell it raw two to three grades higher than the assigned grade.  I have seen that happen a few times over the years. 

When I was selling, (I took the year off), I would always search for any book that was undervalued or I felt I could flip to offset the cost of shipping.   I would sell it in the slab in the grade assigned.  However, I got the idea from someone that would do what I previously mentioned.  If they bought that 3.0 and felt it was a 5.5, then they would crack it and sell it raw. 

I believe it. Lots of disingenuous people in the hobby. I like your strategy of looking for ways to offset shipping costs. 

[Iceman399]

Based on the notes he should cpr it 😂🤣😂

[Tom's Hulks]

On 6/28/2022 at 9:28 PM, Dave2739 said:

I had to look up "Incredible Hulk's: Enigma Force". If you want kids to become Hulk fans, I would suggest throwing the Enigma Force in the dumpster and giving the kid something less terrible. 

Lol. Yeah.  It was more of the impression of just a comic with the Hulk in it but I get the very valid point.

[Tom's Hulks]

On 7/6/2022 at 7:28 PM, Iceman399 said:

Based on the notes he should cpr it 😂🤣😂

This is on my need list looking for a 9.8.  At the same time.  I wouldn't purchase this one.  Possibly a raw to submit IF it was 9.8 worthy.  

[lou_fine]

On 7/6/2022 at 7:31 AM, lou_fine said:

I can't help but wonder what was going through the head of the buyer who bidded and paid $44K for a copy of this relatively "common as dirt" CA book here,

 

On 7/6/2022 at 11:47 AM, Motor City Rob said:

On 7/6/2022 at 9:17 AM, Buzzetta said:

That was the comiclink copy.  It was graded a 9.9 

Oh...well...that's a little different. Hard to put a pricetag on a unicorn.  I am more shocked at the $18 sale.

Yes, isn't this transaction really the poster child for the classic example of a CGC label chaser buying the label, as oposed to buying the book.  

Especially since some of the comments here would seem to acknowledge the general sentiment that the underlying book itself is so common that it has no actual worthwhile value in most grades across the entire condition spectrum.  

Edited July 7, 2022 by lou_fine

[Motor City Rob]

On 7/7/2022 at 12:09 PM, lou_fine said:

 

Yes, isn't this transaction really the poster child for the classic example of a CGC label chaser buying the label, as oposed to buying the book.  

Especially since some of the comments here would seem to acknowledge the general sentiment that the underlying book itself is so common that it has no actual worthwhile value in most grades across the entire condition spectrum.  

I wouldn't go that far. Transformers #1 is a solid key. To say it's essentially worthless in most grades is really not doing the book justice.   Also, I have never really understood the comment about "buying a grade/label instead of buying the book". Anyone that buys a slab is chasing a book in a grade they want (or can afford). Does "buying the book" mean people should just buy raws? Never understood that whole discussion. Anyway, for someone to own a Transformers #1 in a 9.9 is a great accomplishment, IMO. 

[lou_fine]

On 7/7/2022 at 10:32 AM, Motor City Rob said:

I wouldn't go that far. Transformers #1 is a solid key. To say it's essentially worthless in most grades is really not doing the book justice.   Also, I have never really understood the comment about "buying a grade/label instead of buying the book". Anyone that buys a slab is chasing a book in a grade they want (or can afford). Does "buying the book" mean people should just buy raws? Never understood that whole discussion. Anyway, for someone to own a Transformers #1 in a 9.9 is a great accomplishment, IMO. 

I guess it's truly really a case of to each their own when it comes to collecting, as I thought this differentiation was pretty much self-explanatory.  

From my own personal POV for what it's worth, buying the grade basically means you need to have the book in a certain grade before you deem it worthwhile to buy.  In almost all cases, the book is relatively common and in any condition before this particular grade, the book is basically deemed to be pretty much "worthless" or a money loser if you decide to grade it.  A perfect example would be all of the new books that are hitting the shelves of the LCS and then being sent into CGC for pre-screening at 9.8 because anything below that and you are not getting your money back.  These are the types of books which I mean when I say you are buying the CGC label, as opposed to buying the underlying book itself, because it's the label that's giving the book its value and not the underlying book itself.  

What makes it even worse is that grading for all intents and pursposes is still a subjective art and as we have seen, also subject to CPR and all sorts of artifical manipulation.  Why would you want to pay multiples more for a particular grade when we have seen the exact same books being manipilated from a CGC 9.0 all the way to a CGC 9.8 or another that goes from a CGC 4.0 all the way up to a CGC 9.0.     Money is more of an exact number whereas a CGC grade tends to be a lot more wishy washy in this day and age of CPR and the gaming of the grading system, and again to each their own, but something that I wouldn't place too much value in if it means paying multiples more.  

In terms of buying the book, as opposed to buying the label, I am basically referring to books that have value in ALL GRADES across the entire condition spectrum.  This means that the book would still have value whether it has been slabbed or not, or even better, whether it has been restored or not.  Examples here would be books that can still sell for multiples of condition guide prices whether it has been slabbed or not or even able to do so in restored condition, because this means the buyer is then making the purchase for the underlying book itself, and not so much for the CGC label if there is even one.  You are just simply ecstatic to be able to find the book at all, let alone needing it to be in a particular grade.  For example, this book here along with many others in the same auction were clearly purchased for the book itself, and not for the grade or label:  

https://comics.ha.com/itm/golden-age-1938-1955-/superhero/more-fun-comics-45-dc-1939-condition-gd-/a/122213-17630.s?type=bidnotice-tracked-endofauction

Especially since it ended up selling for $4,800 or something like 20X its Good+ raw condition value and a clear sign that it did not need to be in a particular slabbed grade before it had any value.  Certainly makes me wish I had some of these classic HTF books in my personal collection.  

BTW:  I was completely wrong and you are indeed 100% right on the Transformers #1.  Especially since I was going through one of my worthless drek boxes and to my absolute surprise and shock came across a copy of Transformers 1 in pristine minty fresh condition in there.  So, the absolute greatest book in the world and since mine's must also be a CGC 9.9 worthy copy, it truly is worth all of that $44K that the CL copy managed to fetch last year.  

Edited July 9, 2022 by lou_fine

[darkstar]

I'm betting the 3.0 Transformers 1 was purchased by a Transformers toy collector that simply wanted a slabbed copy to serve as a backdrop for his display shelf/cabinet. The grade is largely irrelevant, the price paid for the slabbed copy is close to what the floor is for raw copies on eBay.