Carlilea Posted February 1, 2023 Share Posted February 1, 2023 I hope I'm posting this correctly and in the right spot.. I received quite a bit of comics from my grandma before she passed away... Looking for some help on pricing if that's a thing here as I know nothing about comic books. I appreciate any help I can get. Thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revat Posted February 2, 2023 Share Posted February 2, 2023 There’s a few good ones. this isn’t too many, you can look up sold values on eBay to get a general ballpark on pricing. Keep in mind that condition of comics matters. also selling in bigger lots makes it harder to realize maximum value for each individual comic, but might be logistically easier for you, every situation is different Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Nikon Posted February 2, 2023 Share Posted February 2, 2023 (edited) Hi, I'm sorry for your and your family's loss. As @revat noted, eBay sold listings are one option for getting an idea of what people are paying. Since you have raw (ungraded) books, this might be the best place to start. Some good free online sources include gocollect.com (shows estimated fair market value for CGC and CBCS graded books), keycollectorcomics.com (provides value estimates for books of low, mid, and high-grade quality) and comicspriceguide.com (limited free access that gives prices for raw and graded books). You mentioned your knowledge is limited, so the info to follow is meant to increase your general understanding of factors determining a book's value (i.e. skip the next paragraph and bulleted list if you already know this). While the condition of each book will factor heavily into what each copy is worth, the price someone is willing to pay is another story. Over the past few years, it seems that the short term value of comics is heavily influenced by Marvel and DC film and tv shows (for example, demand increases for issues featuring an on-screen character's first appearance or other significant event). That said, the fundamental factors for a comic's objective collectibility (not just price value) are important so in addition to prices, I recommend looking up additional details for each book such as: Main/supporting character/team early apperances (1st and 2nd, sometimes 3rd and 4th) and origins. Artists who penciled/inked/wrote/edited the book. Is the book a direct or newsstand copy (direct editions from the late 1970s/early 1980s, and newsstand editions from the late 1980s onwards are generally sought after)? Is it a price variant (this indicates if a book was produced for a non-US market such as Canada, UK, Australia)? There are other factors influencing demand but these are the most common. Looking at your collection, you have a few books that sell in the hundreds of dollars and higher for high-grade certified (CGC/CBCS) copies. Some of those X-Men books will sell easily and the Marvel Special Edition #15 (Master of Kung Fu) and Iron Fist #14 could get you over $1000 each on the retail market if they were graded 9.8 by CGC or CBCS. Even mid-high grade copies of these books sell easily in the hundreds. My overall advice is that if you're looking to sell, do not rush to turn this lot into cash if you can afford to go through the process of researching each book. You have some solid key issues so get the most value out of them (i.e. don't sell to a comic shop or someone who will give you a couple of hundred for the lot - they're going to mark up each one and make a killing). Once you have an idea of what the books are worth in their current condition, work out if it's worth investing a bit of cash into getting the important books cleaned, pressed, and graded (CGC and CBCS are the market standards and are in most demand) - and signed if there's an opportunity through CGC's in-house signings - all to increase their value and fetch you a higher sale price. The last comment I'll make is more personal and meant with the highest respect. As a gift from your grandmother, this collection may be worth holding on to for maintaining a physical connection with her if this is important to you. Assuming she was a comic fan, it's also a wonderful opportunity for you to explore something she liked and to learn more about her and the kinds of things that captured her attention. The issues you have here are really great reads - some incredible stories particularly in the X-Men books. All the best in your journey, happy to answer any follow-up questions you have! Edited February 2, 2023 by Lord Nikon Fixed a typo. marvelmaniac and ThothAmon 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadroch Posted February 2, 2023 Share Posted February 2, 2023 First thing you want to do is check the books and make sure they are complete. Some of the books shown have a Marvel Value Stamp in them that kids cut out. A book with a missing stamp is worth a fraction of a book with the stamp. Mycomicshop.com is the largest retailer in the world, and their website is ideal for your needs. You can look up each book to see what they are selling it for, in various grades. You can also see what they buy the book for, and if they will take it on consignment. Consigning books to them is easy and is the best way to sell most books. Take your time, and learn a bit about grading. You have a few nice books there. Nothing life-changing, but more than enough for a nice vacation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Nikon Posted February 2, 2023 Share Posted February 2, 2023 (edited) On 2/2/2023 at 12:53 PM, shadroch said: First thing you want to do is check the books and make sure they are complete. Some of the books shown have a Marvel Value Stamp in them that kids cut out. A book with a missing stamp is worth a fraction of a book with the stamp. I missed the most obvious starting point - making sure the book is complete (and that staples and pages are attached and intact)! Edited February 2, 2023 by Lord Nikon Added image Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
