Pulp, paperback and digest pricing resources 0

[johnenock]

Being fairly new to the wonderful world of pulps and associated paper collectibles, I would like to know if there are any close to accurate pricing resources out there.

I check heritage(though I think their prices are always inflated judging by my comic buying experiences) and eBay sold listings.

I already have a giant want list, but don't want to overpay for everything I am collecting (just most of it).

Any comments would be appreciated.

[OtherEric]

Unfortunately, the market is too volatile at the moment for an accurate general purpose resource.  If you can track down a copy of the guide @Bookery did a few years ago, it's a great starting point... but his joke errata, "multiply everything by 10", is way too general to help while too close to the truth to ignore.

eBay and Heritage recent sales are probably your best starting point, I might also suggest checking ABEbooks for copies currently on sale to make sure you're not missing a cheap book through another route.  Lots more magazines than comics there in my experience.

Finally, feel free to ask here on specific books.  We're a friendly group that loves to show off our knowledge.

[jimjum12]

On 2/3/2024 at 1:10 PM, OtherEric said:

but his joke errata, "multiply everything by 10", is way too general to help while too close to the truth to ignore.

This is where we'll have our best luck, maybe not a full 10X, and Pulps are still a lot like comics, entertainment, art inside, and catchy covers. With Pulps maybe a little more emphasis on icon covers. The school of hard knocks is still the best reference. Bookery's guide is invaluable as a reference tool and for comparative pricing. I bet his next volume will be a lot more spot-on. GOD BLESS ...

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

[Randall Dowling]

The market is still too immature for strong clarity of values.  Unfortunately, a lot of rarer books don't come to market but once every few years or so.  Thus, establishing a price can be very difficult.  I use ebay, abebooks, amazon, and a few other sites to try and get a handle on what's available and what books should go for. 

[Bookery]

On 2/3/2024 at 12:43 PM, johnenock said:

Being fairly new to the wonderful world of pulps and associated paper collectibles, I would like to know if there are any close to accurate pricing resources out there.

I check heritage(though I think their prices are always inflated judging by my comic buying experiences) and eBay sold listings.

Those two are pretty much your best bets right now.  Also you can see what cosigners are asking for pulps on mycomicshop.com.  Just be cautious, especially with Heritage.  There are obviously some newcomers bidding on there who aren't familiar with the market.  (In their big pulp auction a couple of days ago, there were some common '50s digests that can be had for under $20 that hammered for $100+).  Your topic title is a good general one that could be used for future reference, if you have questions from time to time I can help, as can others.  I'm working on a new guide, and track auctions etc.  Don't know if it will ever be published, but I have some updated data at hand if there are occasional questions, which if you post here, I will probably see.

Edited February 3 by Bookery

[OtherEric]

On 2/3/2024 at 2:31 PM, Bookery said:

I'm working on a new guide, and track auctions etc.  Don't know if it will ever be published, but I have some updated data at hand if there are occasional questions, which if you post here, I will probably see.

Keep us posted, if you can't find a publisher a crowdfunded updated guide would probably get a respectable amount of support from those of us here.

[Bookery]

On 2/3/2024 at 5:53 PM, OtherEric said:

Keep us posted, if you can't find a publisher a crowdfunded updated guide would probably get a respectable amount of support from those of us here.

Thanks!  I appreciate it.  But it's not a funding issue, but a practicality one.  I've had enough track record to know pretty much how many copies can be sold, so there'd be little risk in self-publishing another one.  But I no longer have the time and desire to box up and mail all of those copies out.  That's why I went with Heritage Press (Ivy) on the last one... they did all of the production and distribution work.  Unfortunately, they only produced 500 copies, which was insufficient for the market (I sold 1,000 of the previous self-published one, and that was without anywhere near the promotional resources they had).  I've got some resources in mind.  But it's not quite there yet.  But in the meantime, I'd be happy to share some data here from time to time.  But, as I said... not just me.  There are also a number of others here that have lots of experience.  

Also, I forgot to mention to the OP... there's another thread already in this forum that posts some of the auction sales from Heritage, PulpFest, Windy City, etc.  It wouldn't help if you need info on a specific issue at any given time... but is nevertheless a good resource to keep an eye on.

[johnenock]

On 2/3/2024 at 3:31 PM, Bookery said:

  Just be cautious, especially with Heritage.  There are obviously some newcomers bidding on there who aren't familiar with the market.  (In their big pulp auction a couple of days ago, there were some common '50s digests that can be had for under $20 that hammered for $100+). 

I have noticed the high bids for 50's books in average condition at HA. 

[johnenock]

My goal is to collect Near Fine or better 50's books for now and branch out later to the pricier books.

One thing I have noticed: If the cover has SPICY on it get ready to open up the wallet!

[johnenock]

On 2/3/2024 at 11:10 AM, OtherEric said:

Unfortunately, the market is too volatile at the moment for an accurate general purpose resource.  If you can track down a copy of the guide @Bookery did a few years ago, it's a great starting point... but his joke errata, "multiply everything by 10", is way too general to help while too close to the truth to ignore.

eBay and Heritage recent sales are probably your best starting point, I might also suggest checking ABEbooks for copies currently on sale to make sure you're not missing a cheap book through another route.  Lots more magazines than comics there in my experience.

Finally, feel free to ask here on specific books.  We're a friendly group that loves to show off our knowledge.

I have found a couple of bookseller's who offer higher grade books at prices I am comfortable paying and have been snagging books through them.

There are a few sellers on eBay that offer the kind of books I want, but their prices are above the 100 dollar mark, and I am just not sure wether the books offered in grade have typical eBay dealer over-inflated prices(DTA and topnotch). You guys don't have to comment on those sellers here but would like your opinion on these sellers maybe through DM.

Thanks for all the responses.

[jimjum12]

On 2/5/2024 at 11:21 AM, johnenock said:

I have found a couple of bookseller's who offer higher grade books at prices I am comfortable paying and have been snagging books through them.

There are a few sellers on eBay that offer the kind of books I want, but their prices are above the 100 dollar mark, and I am just not sure wether the books offered in grade have typical eBay dealer over-inflated prices(DTA and topnotch). You guys don't have to comment on those sellers here but would like your opinion on these sellers maybe through DM.

Thanks for all the responses.

www.fantasyillustrated.net 

is a good source, and he's also on eBay. He sends out lists of new acquisitions to regulars, some of those never make it to his site. GOD BLESS ... 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

Edited February 6 by jimjum12

[waaaghboss]

On 2/5/2024 at 8:05 AM, johnenock said:

My goal is to collect Near Fine or better 50's books for now and branch out later to the pricier books.

One thing I have noticed: If the cover has SPICY on it get ready to open up the wallet!

Then there's Saucy, Spicy's hotter more expensive friend ;)  

Mycomicshop has a lot of pulps and mags.  Prices vary, as they're often set by cosigner.  Search then on ebay for easier browsing, but buy off their actual site, every book is like 15% less there. 

[OtherEric]

On 2/5/2024 at 8:21 AM, johnenock said:

I have found a couple of bookseller's who offer higher grade books at prices I am comfortable paying and have been snagging books through them.

There are a few sellers on eBay that offer the kind of books I want, but their prices are above the 100 dollar mark, and I am just not sure wether the books offered in grade have typical eBay dealer over-inflated prices(DTA and topnotch). You guys don't have to comment on those sellers here but would like your opinion on these sellers maybe through DM.

Thanks for all the responses.

I won't comment on DTA and topnotch other than these two observations:

1) The few times I've decided I'm willing to pay what DTA is asking because I can't find an item elsewhere, I've had no problems with them as a seller in pure practical terms.

2) DTA and topnotch appear to be the same seller under different names, you can frequently find the exact same copy of a book listed twice, once from each of them.  I have no clue why they do this.

[Surfing Alien]

I've found there's simply very few bargains to be found. I bought a lot of pulps back in 2019-2021 but since then it seems like every seller has raised asks 3-10x what books used to list for. MyComicShop, has made a concerted effort to get sellers to lower prices recently and I pick off a few things here and there. It's really a matter of constant scouring for the occasional small seller and random auction to find any kind of bargain. 

As for DTA & topnotch, they are definitely the same (DTA and his staff).  I haven't bought much but, after watching them for many years, and they've been around forever, I have to say they are great predictors of where the market will end up someday, but not usually what I want to pay now. There's been plenty of material I passed up then that I wouldn't mind paying for now at then's prices

[Rick Hall]

" I would like to know if there are any close to accurate pricing resources out there."
> The best resources are the pulp conventions. 

Heritage is not a good resource for common stuff. It is "High Market" for the most rare, high demand items. For average stuff, the Heritage fees are a turn-off for me.
Adventure House is not a good resource for pulps, retail, and at auction.

"Unfortunately, the market is too volatile at the moment for an accurate general purpose resource."
> The pulp market has ALWAYS been volatile. 
"If you can track down a copy of the guide @Bookery did a few years ago, it's a great starting point."
> There were two editions and both of them were out-of-date very quickly.

Fictionmags.com is a great resource for checklists of issues and author/artist data. But no prices.

"My goal is to collect Near Fine or better 50's books for now and branch out later to the pricier books.
One thing I have noticed: If the cover has SPICY on it get ready to open up the wallet!"

> The "Spicy" titles, and the "Speed" titles, the entire line was re-named, are avidly collected.
The "Saucy" titles were another company.

Are you looking at the Spicy's to read the stories or for just the covers?
"Fine or better" for pulp magazines means you are looking at the top 5% or LESS of the pulps in the market. 

"There are a few sellers on eBay that offer the kind of books I want."
Go to a pulp convention.
PulpFest (Pittsburgh) is a 50-year-old annual multi-day show.
Windy City (Chicago) has been an annual multi-day show for more than 20 years.
PulpAdvenure Con runs a one-day show twice a year, these past 20 years; once in New Jersey and once in Florida.

You can see, smell, and touch the pulps at a con. You can get answers to questions beyond the ken of mortal man.
You can meet the collectors. You can meet the big dealers in the hobby.