Comic-Link Featured Auction 8/15-9/5 1 1

[Dr. Balls]

My 90's thoughts:

I'm interested in where this Platt pinup piece will end up. He's not known for his GGA art or that there are many examples of that kind of art out there. It's a great pinup, but it doesn't feature the hyper-details and high contrast his work is known for (not a criticism - I'd own this piece in a heartbeat). But, it's also probably a pretty rare 90's specimen. Image swimsuit stuff is always elevated. $3250 with eight days to go.

https://www.comiclink.com/Auctions/item.asp?back=%2FComicTrack%2FAuctions%2Fbids.asp%3Fselectmode%3Ddate%26showonly%3Dshowall%26returning%3D1%26all%3D%26curclass_mode%3D%26returning%3D1%26returning%3D1%26pg%3D1&id=1805996

Solid Bloodstrike cover, one of the better ones that gives a great Punisher vibe. This one jumped up quite a bit in the opening days, but has leveled off at $950 for the time being. Typically amazing detail from Karl Altstaetter with Thibert inks really make this cover tight, IMHO. Another one I'm not sure of where the end result might be. Image art always has a lot of variables mixed in that can throw a curve: intermixing status of character, artist, level of detail, popularity of title can either price it low or put it through the roof - the consistency of price is hard to track.

[Matches_Malone]

Therse's tons on bargains right now.

[Dr. Balls]

I've been on a CLink losing streak for months - there is a lot of people bidding in the last few seconds. I've had six or seven bids go from a 20-day bargain to a 3-second blowout. And that's in the kiddie pool end of the OA, not sure how that's working on the upper ends, but I'm guessing bigger bidders might be seeing the same thing. However, in defense of the bidders where I'm at, there's quite a few pieces coming out on auction that typically don't show up often - so the FOMO is fully engorged.

[RBerman]

On 8/28/2024 at 12:55 PM, Dr. Balls said:

I've been on a CLink losing streak for months - there is a lot of people bidding in the last few seconds. I've had six or seven bids go from a 20-day bargain to a 3-second blowout. And that's in the kiddie pool end of the OA, not sure how that's working on the upper ends, but I'm guessing bigger bidders might be seeing the same thing. However, in defense of the bidders where I'm at, there's quite a few pieces coming out on auction that typically don't show up often - so the FOMO is fully engorged.

Yes, people have learned to play their cards close to their chest in those auctions since sniping is a feasible tactic. It ends up lowering the overall sale price since no one has a chance to consider bidding "just a little higher" than they thought their ceiling was.

[Dr. Balls]

On 8/29/2024 at 6:29 AM, RBerman said:

Yes, people have learned to play their cards close to their chest in those auctions since sniping is a feasible tactic. It ends up lowering the overall sale price since no one has a chance to consider bidding "just a little higher" than they thought their ceiling was.

I agree, and can see why HA probably realizes those incrementally higher hammer prices because it gives you the chance to keep pushing. One piece got away from me as within the last few seconds several bids got logged, and when I put my last "just a little higher bid" went in, it was blown out by several hundred dollars. I think whomever ended up with it probably enabled the nuclear option and went way higher to ensure they got it. A tactic I should have employed, but it's just a lesson learned now.

[MAY1979]

On 8/29/2024 at 8:29 AM, RBerman said:

Yes, people have learned to play their cards close to their chest in those auctions since sniping is a feasible tactic. It ends up lowering the overall sale price since no one has a chance to consider bidding "just a little higher" than they thought their ceiling was.

Bit of tangent but I see the same thing at Hakes which is baffling!  This is why:

All items are on INDIVIDUAL timers. Each item will close once its 20 minute countdown clock expires.
Each item will close when it has not received a new bid for a period of 20 minutes after 9:00 PM Eastern on the published closing date of the auction.The soonest any item will close is at 9:20 PM Eastern on the published closing date of the auction.
Items that have not received any bids by 9:20 PM Eastern will close.
If the current high bidder raises their maximum bid once the 20 minute rule is in effect, the clock on that individual item will NOT reset. The 20 minute countdown clock will only reset when competing bids are placed after 9:00 PM Eastern on the published closing date of the auction.
The entire auction will close automatically when 20 minutes pass after the last bid is placed and no new bid is placed on any auction item. At that point, no new bids will be accepted after the auction closes and each lot will be awarded to the highest bidder.
 

Yet in my experiences its common place to see bids placed in last 2-5 seconds in 3-4 consecutive 20 min intervals. Simply no reason to do that, no advantage of placing with 1 seconds or 20 minutes remaining.
 

[cstojano]

On 8/29/2024 at 9:00 AM, MAY1979 said:

Bit of tangent but I see the same thing at Hakes which is baffling!  This is why:

All items are on INDIVIDUAL timers. Each item will close once its 20 minute countdown clock expires.
Each item will close when it has not received a new bid for a period of 20 minutes after 9:00 PM Eastern on the published closing date of the auction.The soonest any item will close is at 9:20 PM Eastern on the published closing date of the auction.
Items that have not received any bids by 9:20 PM Eastern will close.
If the current high bidder raises their maximum bid once the 20 minute rule is in effect, the clock on that individual item will NOT reset. The 20 minute countdown clock will only reset when competing bids are placed after 9:00 PM Eastern on the published closing date of the auction.
The entire auction will close automatically when 20 minutes pass after the last bid is placed and no new bid is placed on any auction item. At that point, no new bids will be accepted after the auction closes and each lot will be awarded to the highest bidder.
 

Yet in my experiences its common place to see bids placed in last 2-5 seconds in 3-4 consecutive 20 min intervals. Simply no reason to do that, no advantage of placing with 1 seconds or 20 minutes remaining.
 

Honestly I noticed the same thing at Heritage in their online auctions. You place a bid, a few seconds pass, then the 5 second timer starts, it gets to 1 or 2 seconds left and another bid comes in. I smash the bid button immediately, rinse and repeat...I won an item last week where this started at around 800 dollars and we ended north of 2k VERY SLOWLY.

Now this is all fast paced so the 10 seconds may just be people deciding what to do. With Hakes, the extended bidding can be quite excessive and the entire thing becomes a war of attrition. Its a different form pf punishment bidding ;)

Edited August 29 by cstojano

[Rick2you2]

On 8/19/2024 at 1:57 PM, PhilipB2k17 said:

ComicLink - Singlehandedly tanking American Flagg! art values.

The piece on Heritage went for $1,450, with BP, and it was a little nicer. That seemed about right for a panel page with some action.

Edited August 29 by Rick2you2

[Rick2you2]

On 8/29/2024 at 11:51 AM, Dr. Balls said:

I agree, and can see why HA probably realizes those incrementally higher hammer prices because it gives you the chance to keep pushing. One piece got away from me as within the last few seconds several bids got logged, and when I put my last "just a little higher bid" went in, it was blown out by several hundred dollars. I think whomever ended up with it probably enabled the nuclear option and went way higher to ensure they got it. A tactic I should have employed, but it's just a lesson learned now.

In my view, there really is no “nuclear option.” You win or go home empty-handed. I have done the latter a few times, and the taste it left in my mouth is never worth it unless I didn’t really care about winning.

[PhilipB2k17]

On 8/29/2024 at 8:29 AM, RBerman said:

Yes, people have learned to play their cards close to their chest in those auctions since sniping is a feasible tactic. It ends up lowering the overall sale price since no one has a chance to consider bidding "just a little higher" than they thought their ceiling was.

I think people just put in very high bids and it automatically kicks in until the last man standing at the end. 

[Dr. Balls]

On 8/30/2024 at 4:47 AM, Rick2you2 said:

In my view, there really is no “nuclear option.” You win or go home empty-handed. I have done the latter a few times, and the taste it left in my mouth is never worth it unless I didn’t really care about winning.

I think that's a smart view to take - keeps money in your pocket instead of overpaying. I knew a guy named Phil (back when I was into classic cars) that had one or two project cars that he was always gathering parts for. Now, this guy was pretty independently wealthy - so when I asked him how he won auctions for rare parts (as I had lost many auctions for rare 1970 Camaro parts I needed for my project car), he said he's throw a $2000 bid on a $300 part, so no matter what, he got it. He didn't care what it cost, because he felt he needed the part more than he needed the money.

Comic art, like classic cars, attracts everyone from all tax brackets - and I think we all have those "extra" budget thresholds we can cross when something really catches our eye, but you never know when you're gonna be bidding against a "Phil" on the other end.

[KirbyCollector]

I'm just tired of the flippers. You put out a respectable number and find you're the 2nd highest bidder. Fine, I can live with that. Seeing the winner post the page on CAF within 72 hours of the auction end and try to squeeze an extra 10-15% of it, though... man. 

[Dr. Balls]

On 8/30/2024 at 10:00 AM, KirbyCollector said:

I'm just tired of the flippers. You put out a respectable number and find you're the 2nd highest bidder. Fine, I can live with that. Seeing the winner post the page on CAF within 72 hours of the auction end and try to squeeze an extra 10-15% of it, though... man. 

I always wonder how successful those flips are - I mean, I know we have our thread, which is interestingly useful, but I would be curious to find out how many times these flips work.

[MAY1979]

On 8/30/2024 at 12:00 PM, KirbyCollector said:

I'm just tired of the flippers. You put out a respectable number and find you're the 2nd highest bidder. Fine, I can live with that. Seeing the winner post the page on CAF within 72 hours of the auction end and try to squeeze an extra 10-15% of it, though... man. 

On 8/30/2024 at 12:18 PM, Dr. Balls said:

I always wonder how successful those flips are - I mean, I know we have our thread, which is interestingly useful, but I would be curious to find out how many times these flips work.

Long after the afterglow of their profit is gone, the vile stink of the flipper remains.

Edited August 30 by MAY1979

[Twanj]

On 8/30/2024 at 12:00 PM, KirbyCollector said:

I'm just tired of the flippers. You put out a respectable number and find you're the 2nd highest bidder. Fine, I can live with that. Seeing the winner post the page on CAF within 72 hours of the auction end and try to squeeze an extra 10-15% of it, though... man. 

And losing to DEALERS.

At least some dealers file their wins away in a closet to be taken out a long time later.

Others put stuff up on their site immediately with a 50% markup.

[jjonahjameson11]

On 8/30/2024 at 11:33 AM, Dr. Balls said:

I think that's a smart view to take - keeps money in your pocket instead of overpaying. I knew a guy named Phil (back when I was into classic cars) that had one or two project cars that he was always gathering parts for. Now, this guy was pretty independently wealthy - so when I asked him how he won auctions for rare parts (as I had lost many auctions for rare 1970 Camaro parts I needed for my project car), he said he's throw a $2000 bid on a $300 part, so no matter what, he got it. He didn't care what it cost, because he felt he needed the part more than he needed the money.

Comic art, like classic cars, attracts everyone from all tax brackets - and I think we all have those "extra" budget thresholds we can cross when something really catches our eye, but you never know when you're gonna be bidding against a "Phil" on the other end.

I’m always bidding against a “Phil “.

in my case, his name is Romitaman 😡

[greggy]

On 8/16/2024 at 9:07 PM, Silver Surfer said:

If I had to make a complete guess I’d say mid 40’s. I don’t know why but I feel like I have seen this cover on the market numerous times over the years. I could be wrong. 

This is owned by someone locally so it hasn't been in the market in forever.  I believe that he got it from Layton directly back in the day but I can ask if I see him the next time. 

[All-Star Squadman]

On 8/30/2024 at 5:29 PM, greggy said:

This is owned by someone locally so it hasn't been in the market in forever.  I believe that he got it from Layton directly back in the day but I can ask if I see him the next time. 

Definitely. If the 130 Cover had been on the market especially from 2000-2020 I would have noticed and at one time gone after it.  Depending on time-frame so too would have Darren, Bill, Tom and others. 

My 120 Cover too was purchased directly from Layton, then was hidden away in a non-publicly accessible back room of a remote (for me) Comic Shop from 1979-2012. The odds of me stumbling upon it by pure accident must be winning the power-ball level odds. 

Curious to see what the final price on the 130 Cover will be, as well as hopefully knowing in the near future who won it.

Edited August 30 by All-Star Squadman

[Rick2you2]

On 8/30/2024 at 2:06 PM, jjonahjameson11 said:

I’m always bidding against a “Phil “.

in my case, his name is Romitaman 😡

If he is buying and selling at a profit, you are under-bidding, IMO. He can’t lose money on every deal and make it up in volume.

[tth2]

On 8/30/2024 at 11:33 PM, Dr. Balls said:

but you never know when you're gonna be bidding against a "Phil" on the other end

The best situation is when you've figured out that a "Phil" is on the other end, and you can punishment bid him into oblivion.