CGC is now grading Digests and Paperbacks 1 1

[jimjum12]

On 5/18/2024 at 7:19 PM, Surfing Alien said:

And it should end speculation as to whether they would grade pb's like the "Old Book-man" G-Vg-F standard. It's obvious from both pulps and these examples that, if they were to offer a "pb/digest" service, they would employ the same grading standard they use for all other paper.

... as would likely be best, from their standpoint. Brand continuity suggests expertise. GOD BLESS ...

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

...as for PB's being the "next big thing", they already have been, for decades.The collector base is huge, They're widespread and in EVERY demographic. They only lack the emergence of a lunatic fringe willing to pay the money that a new home costs, but is that really such a good thing? I would say one thing, of the many vintage PBs costing $5-$10 each, there are a lot of titles that should be fetching 3x that and more. Some not so much. 

Edited May 19 by jimjum12

[Darwination]

Yep, they're cheap, but it is also seems a nice spot to get a good deal.  It's a lot harder to pick up a 20 or 30 dollar book for five or ten or a 50 or 60 dollar book for 20 or 30 if we are talking comic or pulp (though I bet you're pretty good at it, Jimbo ).

[Bookery]

On 5/19/2024 at 1:08 PM, GACollectibles said:

Soooo, you!

I 2nd the motion!

Unfortunately, no.  I'm far from a paperback expert... the aforementioned lamination question perpetually vexes me... I never know which were supposed to have it, and which never did.  I'm also not good at spotting unsigned artists... as we've seen right here on these boards several far better at that than me.  I'm a data compiler, not much more.  If someone else were to leap forward with a comprehensive paperback guide (with or without pricing, if that's an issue) I'm all for it!  

[Bookery]

On 5/19/2024 at 11:41 AM, Surfing Alien said:

Beyond that, as a very active buyer in today's market, there are already hundreds of vintage paperbacks that top $100 in high grade. It's a way different market than when the last guides came out 20-30 years ago.

Yep.  And as I'm discovering, some of the higher values are not even with the old traditionals we tend to think of.  I'm seeing surprising prices (to me anyway) on things like the 1st ace editions of The Lord of the Rings, 1st pb edition of The Princess Bride, a number of '80s horor pbs with bold covers, die-cuts, etc., '70s and '80s horror-movie tie-ins... just as off-the-top-of-my-head examples.

[waaaghboss]

A pulp art book from the 90s used a simple pricing indicator I like.  It was 1 to 5 dots, 1 being cheap fodder and 5 being top books.  It works nicely because even as prices go up or down, you can still use it to get a ballpark value when you compare a book you're looking a few other different books that sold recently with the same number of dots to get a ballpark idea of the comparative value.  Plus it doesn't get outdated as quickly. 

 

Obviously doesn't work with extreme outliers like the first shadow, but if you're in the market like that you don't need a price guide to begin with.  

[jimjum12]

On 5/19/2024 at 5:42 PM, Darwination said:

Yep, they're cheap, but it is also seems a nice spot to get a good deal.  It's a lot harder to pick up a 20 or 30 dollar book for five or ten or a 50 or 60 dollar book for 20 or 30 if we are talking comic or pulp (though I bet you're pretty good at it, Jimbo ).

All kidding aside, there are a few points that should be highlighted. This is a comic forum, so many of us coming from this world and entering the mysterious paperback realm will do so with our cover centric mentalities. This will not always be to our advantage, as there are, and were, many, many exceptional covers in what is a very competitive market. I took the time to join a Facebook group called "Vintage Paperbacks and Pulps" and have begun participating. One thing that stood out immediately was the variety of tastes and the many different types of folks who go there. We're talking blue collar, white collar, housewives, students, all of whom have their particular areas of focus, based more often on an author or genre specific ideal. It's kind of new to me, as my first brush with paperbacks was with Frazetta books that were predominately REH and ERB, I may be wrong, but it seems to me that in the paperback arena there is NO Spider-man or Batman, very little that EVERYONE will buy. In the group I rarely hear anyone speak of investment, although some may acknowledge that as an afterthought. It is not the type of market that lends itself to the beloved comic collector's practice of "flipping". It is, however, the type of market where you can seek out the Abject Cool and not break the Bank or tank your marriage. It's a reasonable hobby that is probably more like an intellectual's version of the beanie baby than it is a parallel to Action 1 and St. Gauden's 1933 $20 Gold. There are, however, quite a few dealers who might buy a lifelong collection of "the better stuff" at a decent price. I'm burnt the eff out on comics and their breathtaking prices, so PB's are just what the doctor ordered. It's refreshing to collect just for fun again. Will they have value in the future? Who knows? I'll be dead.  ...allow me to date myself, "and it's crazy cold way down there..." GOD BLESS ....

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

 

[moonpool]

On 5/20/2024 at 8:54 AM, jimjum12 said:

All kidding aside, there are a few points that should be highlighted. This is a comic forum, so many of us coming from this world and entering the mysterious paperback realm will do so with our cover centric mentalities. This will not always be to our advantage, as there are, and were, many, many exceptional covers in what is a very competitive market. I took the time to join a Facebook group called "Vintage Paperbacks and Pulps" and have begun participating. One thing that stood out immediately was the variety of tastes and the many different types of folks who go there. We're talking blue collar, white collar, housewives, students, all of whom have their particular areas of focus, based more often on an author or genre specific ideal. It's kind of new to me, as my first brush with paperbacks was with Frazetta books that were predominately REH and ERB, I may be wrong, but it seems to me that in the paperback arena there is NO Spider-man or Batman, very little that EVERYONE will buy. In the group I rarely hear anyone speak of investment, although some may acknowledge that as an afterthought. It is not the type of market that lends itself to the beloved comic collector's practice of "flipping". It is, however, the type of market where you can seek out the Abject Cool and not break the Bank or tank your marriage. It's a reasonable hobby that is probably more like an intellectual's version of the beanie baby than it is a parallel to Action 1 and St. Gauden's 1933 $20 Gold. There are, however, quite a few dealers who might buy a lifelong collection of "the better stuff" at a decent price. I'm burnt the eff out on comics and their breathtaking prices, so PB's are just what the doctor ordered. It's refreshing to collect just for fun again. Will they have value in the future? Who knows? I'll be dead.  ...allow me to date myself, "and it's crazy cold way down there..." GOD BLESS ....

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

 

If you can afford a comic, you can find it,  if you can find a paperback, you can afford it.    ( A generalization of course, but still...)

[OtherEric]

On 5/23/2024 at 7:08 AM, moonpool said:

If you can afford a comic, you can find it,  if you can find a paperback, you can afford it.    ( A generalization of course, but still...)

Every rule has exceptions, but you've said this before and it's true 99% of the time with paperbacks and about 98% of the time with comics.

[moonpool]

On 5/23/2024 at 12:34 PM, OtherEric said:

Every rule has exceptions, but you've said this before and it's true 99% of the time with paperbacks and about 98% of the time with comics.

I'm considering putting it on a t-shirt.

[Surfing Alien]

On 5/23/2024 at 1:03 PM, moonpool said:

I'm considering putting it on a t-shirt.

If CGC ever grades digests with a proper holder and makes things like Registry Sets, I think I know who will top the Heade Cover registry set