The Bronze Age is an Un-Tapped Gold Mine

[blowout]

Just got my new Overstreet guide and have been reading the market reports.

What strikes me most this year is all the dealer talk of a huge growth in the Bronze Age market and that many who didn't buy BA collections previously are now actively seeking to buy and stock Bronze books.

This could mean a higher supply of HG books being flushed out and sent to CGC, and inflating the census numbers.

Could anyone looking for those Bronze Age gems for cheap have missed the boat now that the BA is hot?

And what do people think of all the dealer and collector attention that is shifting from SA to BA?

[g-man]

IMO...i think the bronze age books have slowed and the SA market is heating up big time. There are just not enough SA books out there. BA books must outnumber SA 3:1 in terms if keys....? The Hulks 181s, ASM #129s and other keys will continue to go up but b characters and such may be on their way down (witness recent sales of DD #131,AT #25,TOD #1)..... don't get me wrong, i am all for a high grade avengers #93 and det #400....but where are rhey?

[drbanner]

I definitely picked up that flavor from the reports, and personally feel that most DC and Marvel books from about 1970-1974 are undervalued in the guide in NM. These books are tough to find in grade (they pre-date direct distribution) which makes collecting them fun, there are plenty of keys and semi-keys, a good variety of titles and genres, and early work by some great artists (Adams, Steranko, Wrightson, Kaluta, Ploog, Byrne, etc.,.). So, the boat hasn't left the dock yet if you can get NM copies for guide!

 

However, I don't feel high grade CGC copies are undervalued on ebay (and never have)...but obviously many here do as amazing prices for books from this era are still being brought (alleged crash or no), with many forum members doing the buying.

[14 of spades]

>getting rid of those long boxes of precode horror

 

my most sincere condolences...

[drbanner]

Yo Pov - reading between the lines, if you're gonna be looking for what I think you're gonna be looking for, I'd appreciate it if you could keep your eyes open for NM- or better copies of HoM 175, 186, 187, 203, and 207 and HoS 82. I need these!!

[awe4one]

I think Bronze common issues and Bronze DCs in general have room to move. Those regarded as keys on the otherhand are already tapped out in my opinion. There just too many copies out in the market and are no comparison to SA for availability in high grade.

 

 

Jim

[Polyphemus]

I definitely think some of the non-hero titles are/have been heating up especially the DC and Marvel horror/moster comics.

[awe4one]

I agree. I'd also add Marvel and DC romance titles to the list of those moving on up.

 

 

Jim

[Polyphemus]

Hi Grade Romance always is over guide. I'd be curious to see a print count on some of those books.

[THE_BEYONDER]

HIgh-grade Romance? It's cool to collect "rare" books, but you start buying BA romance titles, and you might as well put on a dress. Come on guys, at least invest in something you might want to read someday.....................Oh.

[Polyphemus]

I've never read any of them but they have some of the most ridiculous cover titles ever. That's why I like Night Nurse too. Great covers.

[FlyingDonut]

Oh - read Young Romance 197. The greatest DC romance story OF ALL TIME. Just classic.

 

THIS COMIC NEEDS A JOANNA REVIEW!

[FlyingDonut]

so you wouldn't be interested in my slabbed All-Picture Stories, the rare squarebound St. John, then? It has Baker art. But you don't LIKE Baker art.

[blowout]

I think Bronze common issues and Bronze DCs in general have room to move. Those regarded as keys on the otherhand are already tapped out in my opinion. There just too many copies out in the market and are no comparison to SA for availability in high grade.

 

True BA books are certainly much more common in grade that SA.

BUT, Bronze books have hit the 25 year demand point for a collectable as most of the kids that grew up in the 70's try to reclaim the comics they read. This is translating to big time demand for BA books even surpasing the demand for SA as it becomes too expensive for most collectors.

It all depends if the demand continues to rise, thus depleting the HG supply further and pushing up prices.

[blowout]

Although I can understand why most of the Bronze collectors have not fanned the flames on this thread, theres enough heat on BA already, right?

[Aman619]

its really easier for a 5 to 10 dollar Bronze book to double in price. And they sell easily at those cheap prices...a lot easier than the Silver Agre runs. I remember watching the Silver books go from 8 to 12 to 15 all the way to $40 bucks apiece (Im talking about late 60s non-key Atom, GL, Flash, SA, etc.)...until they couldnt go any higher. I think the Bronze will go the same route as demand keeps up.

 

So yeah, the bronze books have a lot more upside potential than Silver.

[aardvark88]

But the profit margin is nominal if a bronze guides at $10 or $20. U hope it will come back 9.6 but it may be 9.2 or 9.4. Then u do all the work to set up an eBay, just to essentially breakeven on a book? Less your time, eBay insertion/close fees, PayPal fees, line up at the post office.