EC Gaines File Copies 0

[plady69]

Hi all.

i was curious if there were copies of the EC annuals in the stash. 

[vheflin]

Nein.

[plady69]

On 7/11/2024 at 12:23 PM, vheflin said:

Nein.

Good to know.  Thank you.  That makes them pretty scarce in high grade I assume?

[pemart1966]

On 7/11/2024 at 12:46 PM, plady69 said:

Good to know.  Thank you.  That makes them pretty scarce in high grade I assume?

Scarce in any grade...

[vheflin]

On 7/11/2024 at 12:46 PM, plady69 said:

Good to know.  Thank you.  That makes them pretty scarce in high grade I assume?

Well, Tales of Terror 1 has only 2 copies at VF or better on the census, those could be $100k+ sales.

Second horror annual has 6 copies at VF and above.  Third annual has 21 copies at VF or better including a 9.8 (Gaines?).

Weird SF #1: 8 @ VF or better

Weird SF #2: 7 @ VF or better

Two-Fisted #1: 5 @ VF or better

Two-Fisted #2: 7 @ VF or better

*census population stats may be overstated

 

[ThothAmon]

I’m sure the few that have collected them over the decades are quite thankful. 

[Hap Hazard]

On 7/11/2024 at 10:33 AM, ThothAmon said:

I’m sure the few that have collected them over the decades are quite thankful. 

Yes, I am

[plady69]

On 7/11/2024 at 11:45 PM, Hap Hazard said:

Yes, I am

Well done sir!

[JollyComics]

Since you are Bill Gaines File Copies experts, when did they open the vault and sell the file copies?

[jimbo_7071]

On 7/11/2024 at 1:23 PM, vheflin said:

Well, Tales of Terror 1 has only 2 copies at VF or better on the census, those could be $100k+ sales.

Second horror annual has 6 copies at VF and above.  Third annual has 21 copies at VF or better including a 9.8 (Gaines?).

Weird SF #1: 8 @ VF or better

Weird SF #2: 7 @ VF or better

Two-Fisted #1: 5 @ VF or better

Two-Fisted #2: 7 @ VF or better

*census population stats may be overstated

 

For these books, census population stats are far more likely to be understated. EC books were widely collected long before the Gaines File copies surfaced. Many of the nicest copies have likely been locked up in private collections since before CGC was founded.

I agree that they're scarce in the marketplace compared to other EC horror issues, but I don't think that they're as rare as the census might lead one to believe. I think that the census numbers will grow as older fan-addicts age out of the hobby.

[EastEnd1]

On 7/12/2024 at 5:17 AM, JollyComics said:

Since you are Bill Gaines File Copies experts, when did they open the vault and sell the file copies?

My understanding is that "the vault" was actually a closet in Bill Gaines' NY apartment.  They were brought to market in the early 1990s, just before Gaines's death. 

[JollyComics]

On 7/12/2024 at 6:21 PM, EastEnd1 said:

My understanding is that "the vault" was actually a closet in Bill Gaines' NY apartment.  They were brought to market in the early 1990s, just before Gaines's death. 

Oh my Gosh.

[Hap Hazard]

On 7/12/2024 at 2:17 AM, JollyComics said:

Since you are Bill Gaines File Copies experts, when did they open the vault and sell the file copies?

Starting June 1990

[JollyComics]

On 7/12/2024 at 6:39 PM, Hap Hazard said:

Starting June 1990

Bill passed away in 1992.

[jimbo_7071]

On 7/12/2024 at 7:39 PM, Hap Hazard said:

Starting June 1990

It's hard to believe that at that time the books were only 35–40 years old. It would be like someone today selling a stash of comics from 1984–1989. 

[Silver]

On 7/12/2024 at 4:29 PM, SpineTic said:

https://www.myslabbedcomics.com/pedigrees.asp?pid=23

EC publisher Bill Gaines stashed away 12 copies of nearly every issue puslished by EC Comics from 1950 to 1955.  With only one copy of the issue credited as being the beginning of the EC New Trend era (Vault of Horror #12) among all the comics stored wrapped in brown paper from the 1950s until they were unvieled in the 1990s, this collection is unparrelled in the quality of the comics, putting it #1 on the list for the average CGC grades for a pedigree.

I wish that was a sales thread!

[ThothAmon]

On 7/12/2024 at 7:29 PM, SpineTic said:

EC publisher Bill Gaines stashed away 12 copies of nearly every issue puslished by EC Comics from 1950 to 1955.

It’s my unpopular golden age opinion that by doing this he irreversibly lowered the value of many a collectors collections. I own one although it may have been used for wrapping the golden age books. Think it was $50 all in from heritage back in the day. 

[Hepcat]

On 7/12/2024 at 7:26 AM, jimbo_7071 said:

For these books, census population stats are far more likely to be understated. EC books were widely collected long before the Gaines File copies surfaced. Many of the nicest copies have likely been locked up in private collections since before CGC was founded.

I agree that they're scarce in the marketplace compared to other EC horror issues, but I don't think that they're as rare as the census might lead one to believe. I think that the census numbers will grow as older fan-addicts age out of the hobby.

I agree.

[Hepcat]

On 7/12/2024 at 7:29 PM, SpineTic said:

...among all the comics stored wrapped in brown paper from the 1950s until they were unvieled in the 1990s, this collection is unparrelled in the quality of the comics, putting it #1 on the list for the average CGC grades for a pedigree.

So who says collectors need archival products to "preserve" their comics? Gerber and all the other sellers of bags, boards and boxes I suppose.

[Hepcat]

On 7/13/2024 at 9:11 AM, ThothAmon said:

It’s my unpopular golden age opinion that by doing this he irreversibly lowered the value of many a collectors collections. 

So sad. Those poor fellows.