Get ready for an exciting year!

[PGCMint]

No offense Mark, but your comments, while refreshingly optimistic, have a ring similar to those of my own trade group, the NAR (National Association of Realtors).

 

Seemingly, every week I read a press release about how some discouraging housing market statistic is just an anomoly, a blip on the screen, and how the NAR continues to believe this year will be a incredibly strong one for housing nationwide.

 

But those of us on the front lines tell a different story. We're the ones who have sellers calling us everyday asking why their houses are selling, aren't getting offers, heck, aren't even getting showings anymore.

 

There is a disconnect there. Now, is it the NAR's job to put a happy face on a deteriorating situation? Sure, that's where our dues go. But after a while, I get tired of having to defend their hopelessly optimistic position to the people who read the same press releases, but see the market operate much differently then they do.

 

GREAT POINTS.

But I am not trying to be unrealistically optimistic with the intent to increase sales. My indicators may be a bit different and probably not that impressive but I do see a more refreshing future.

I do see a more infomed and savvy collector base, armed with information unheard of just a decade ago.

I see dealers working much harder for less profit because the competition is far greater than ever. And this is making them into better dealers, better businessmen.

I see the hobby weathering some tremendous storms yet still here.

Most of all, I see new collectors entering and that is encouraging.

My expectation may be smaller than most but I see steady continuious growth and want to maintain that.

Again, my words for for the purpose of encouragement and not to make a sale off the Boards.

I apologize if it came off that way

Take care,

mark

[PGCMint]

The CGC Census is a very powerful tool and is teaching us much.

 

Not to me it isn't, not anymore, not with re-subs, and "full potential" graded books, not to mention the fact that not everyone gets there comics graded (the dentist),

 

I find myself growing weary of the "graded comics" side of the hobby, it was a good thing to start with, for resto detection. but is more and more becoming another tool for fraud and deception.

 

You have some excellent points and I don't argue your attitude, as there always seems to be some problems that attach themselves to good intentions.

Perhaps we can change this by doing our best day, in and day out, treating each customer with respect and focusing on the long term goals and gain.

A lot of the responcibility falls on the shoulders of us dealers to change the confidence within the hobby.

I hope that we can win your confidence again.

Mark

[thedude]

I wasn't referring to you Mark, but rather I see long time collectors like Jon Berk on these boards, and most (if not all) of his comics he posts is in a Mylar and boarded, even major books like his Action #1,so it just got me to thinking that maybe I should do the same, and as we all know the Mile High Action #1 has never been graded yet. probably just hangin out in a Mylar and a board..

[Timely]

I heard from an Overstreet advisor that Mark Wilson was selling world's FINKest comics until CGC came out -then so many big $ books that he sold with undisclosed resto came to light that he was forced out of the hobby temporarily by outraged collectors- he basically had to sell only CGC books because it was the only way he could have any credibility! BTW Mark feel free to defend yourself here as i have never heard your side of the story and I have not confirmed all of the details but i can assure you I heard it from an overstreet advisor!

 

Dave

 

And you guys wonder why the boards are so messed up. shesh! Not even positive threads by the more knowledge members here go unskathed!

 

West

[Foolkiller]

take a look in the mirror West, while you're assessing problems with the boards (and I mean you collectively, not you personally).

[mar-vell]

I heard from an Overstreet advisor that Mark Wilson was selling world's FINKest comics until CGC came out -then so many big $ books that he sold with undisclosed resto came to light that he was forced out of the hobby temporarily by outraged collectors- he basically had to sell only CGC books because it was the only way he could have any credibility! BTW Mark feel free to defend yourself here as i have never heard your side of the story and I have not confirmed all of the details but i can assure you I heard it from an overstreet advisor!

 

Dave

 

And you guys wonder why the boards are so messed up. shesh! Not even positive threads by the more knowledge members here go unskathed!

 

West

 

I think the problem has been more with the dealers then the boards! My deals with fellow collectors are almost always enjoyable but I rarely feel that way about my pruchases from dealers(Gary Dolgoff being the exception)! If dealers hadn't been breaking the rules(of integrity) for so long there wouldn't be so much resentment released on these boards! It's been building up for years! If you have been buying big $ books for a long time you must know what I am talking about!

[Psiknight]

Here's how I see the average dealer at a show:

 

[Foolkiller]

Not even positive threads by the more knowledge members here go unskathed!

 

 

Is Mark knowledgable, yes. Is the historical accounting of some of things he did also accurate, yes. So, at least from my standpoint, he's still a positive force because of the change.

 

But this "positive thread" is sachrin quite honestly, and I don't agree with it. However, as I mentioned to Mark directly, I admire the optimism.

 

I'd even concede that the boards mentality has been a downer lately and that there's too much negativity. However, as a CGC grader and representative of the company, I think it's disingenous to come on and make an offhanded remark about negativity yet fail to realize that CGC is in large part responsible for a lot of the problems created by some of the shadier things that have gone unexplained.

 

Again West, I'm not directing this at you or Steve or Mark or Paul or anyone in particular -- but as a company as a whole, and thus, when you sneak in here with commentary, it irks me because you make it sound like we should only say positive things to someone when they make a post I think is incorrect, and then point out that Mark himself as a historical bias albeit that I think Mark is a positive force in the hobby NOW.

 

It's like the people who want to tell you about Christopher Columbus in the new world, but leave out the fact that the Spainards committed genocide. It's omission of the truth. You don't have to sit in moral judgment of the truth, but you do need to relay it.

[Timulty]

And we all know the Spanish Genocide is not a good thing.

[blazingbob]

Hmmm, What song should we sing?

 

Everything is beautiful!

 

I'd like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony

[Foolkiller]

I prefer we hold hands and sing Cumbayya.

[nik]

I prefer we have an exciting year

[Foolkiller]

Well, okay, I'd like to have an exciting year too... but to me, an exciting year is not made by record sales, to me an exciting year is finding a new collection or pedigree or something cool like that. Or something new is offered for sale that's rare. If the dealers have a good year, that's great, I wish them all the best, but honestly, that's not "exciting".

[whetteon]

While always truthful, your post are a downer to read FoolKiller.

[nik]

For me it would be:

 

1 To see this dark cloud thats presently over our hobby start to lift.

 

2 Dealers having good years sometimes translates into collectors finding great deals on books.

 

3 Seeing people achieve a goal they set for themselves, or a personal goal you set for yourself.

 

I guess I try to look for more of the positive in the hobby amongst collectors rather then dwell on the negative and the catfights.

 

Time heals all wounds

[Foolkiller]

Well, I'm not always a downer. But if you want to make real change, real lasting change, you have to be willing to tear down the status quo if it is broken and turn it into something new, not just beat the same old drum of, everything is fine, let's all stick our heads back in the sand.

 

Now that said, I'd rather be hearing stories about the Don Rosa and O'Reilly Pedigrees or discussing what new collections are out there and the like, but unfortunately, these days, there's too much going on, and too many people taken advantage of, and those problems need to be fixed. I always love it when I am told by dealers "not to worry about it" and "don't be the police" -- I'm not the police -- but as you can see, when nobody runs the asylum, the inmates start doing whatever they want.

[Foolkiller]

Problem is this, these aren't just catfights. These are deep rooted problems intrinsic to the very nature of the way the hobby operates. Until that changes, you're going to see these problems continuously rear up every so often, and perhaps with more money, on a consistent basis.

 

1) Sure, I'd like to see the dark cloud lifted. But in my opinion, the way that changes is by instituting real change, not by ignoring what we know is the truth. It's getting to the bottom of it and forcing real change that permanently and honestly lifts the cloud.

 

2) Dealers having good years has in my experience made it harder to get high grade because many will then say, well why would I sell it cheap? Now on mid grade, a good year for a dealer may mean you get to find some great deals. Dealers having good years means they hold on to their best books because why sell... they don't need cash.

 

3) Yes, I'd agree with this, but that doesn't translate to the hobby overall, and that's the real issue in Mark's post.

 

I don't want to dwell on the negative, I would rather be working to institute real change. That happens by getting to the truth of what goes on, exposing it, and if need be, causing some temporary pain to get long term benefits. The hobby becomes better overall when there is honesty and truth behind the way it works and a level playing field for all to operate on.

 

For me it would be:

 

1 To see this dark cloud thats presently over our hobby start to lift.

 

2 Dealers having good years sometimes translates into collectors finding great deals on books.

 

3 Seeing people achieve a goal they set for themselves, or a personal goal you set for yourself.

 

I guess I try to look for more of the positive in the hobby amongst collectors rather then dwell on the negative and the catfights.

 

Time heals all wounds

[THE_BEYONDER]

causing some temporary pain to get long term benefits

 

OG & I are planning to hit the convention circuit this summer & laying down some well-deserved beatings. Although...I assume that's not what you meant.

[Red Hook]

I heard from an Overstreet advisor that Mark Wilson was selling world's FINKest comics until CGC came out -then so many big $ books that he sold with undisclosed resto came to light that he was forced out of the hobby temporarily by outraged collectors- he basically had to sell only CGC books because it was the only way he could have any credibility! BTW Mark feel free to defend yourself here as i have never heard your side of the story and I have not confirmed all of the details but i can assure you I heard it from an overstreet advisor!

 

Dave

 

And you guys wonder why the boards are so messed up. shesh! Not even positive threads by the more knowledge members here go unskathed!

 

West

 

And you guys wonder why CGC currently has a public relations problem on their hands. sheesh!

[PGCMint]

I wasn't referring to you Mark, but rather I see long time collectors like Jon Berk on these boards, and most (if not all) of his comics he posts is in a Mylar and boarded, even major books like his Action #1,so it just got me to thinking that maybe I should do the same, and as we all know the Mile High Action #1 has never been graded yet. probably just hangin out in a Mylar and a board..

 

Hi again

Yes, Jon is a TRUE collector and a fantastic person. He also loves to read and smell his books

For Jon, a cased book would be a frustration.

If anyone ever does a comprehensive book on the Golden Age era, he is one of the first guys they need to talk to.

 

Yes, encapsulated books are not for everyone but there is an ever growing market for them. Increasing internet sales from unknown sellers allowing no returns on raw books, coupled with the lack of ability to identify restoration at the miniscule level necessary to qualify for an unrestored book, makes buying professional graded books a good situation. Not a perfect situation but a clear advantage.

 

One of the best grades to collect is in the FN to VF/NM range because the advantage of professional grading is not yet realized at this level and no financial gain is applied to books at this grade level. In essence, you get a free restoration check, page count, etc when you purchace books at this level and secondly, they look awesome because CGC's grading has evolved to become extremely strict. You can just crack em out and enjoy them. I know a lot of collectors who do just that and are very pleased.

 

Take care

Mark