Is there a Comic Registry?

[TomB]

I ask this question because I am a coin geek and have never been interested in comics. However, I participated in a long discussion about the history of slabbed coins, and how it might relate to the future of comics, on the comic board. Since then, I have been checking some threads on the comic board and noticed tonight that there is a population report for comics. This is similar to coins. The next step, if it has not already happened, would seem to be the marketing of a Registry for comics. Likely this would be something along the lines of all the comics from a certain series becoming one set and so on.

 

My advice for the true collectors on this board is to not let this happen! I have seen common coins bring extraordinary money because of the grade on the plastic that they are in. True, some of them are wonderful, however, they are so minutely better than similar examples that cost only a fraction that the price difference borders on the absurd. The prices in general, of many, many coins, have gone up quite a bit and I believe that some of this is simply due to a strong coin market while some is also due to Registry fever. There is a rather different mentality that grips many folks who enter the Registry craze and this mentality, while still part of supply and demand, fuels price movements that hurt collectors who aren't generally interested in the Registry. At the same time many dealers or speculators can do quite well if they hype or market the niche effectively.

 

As you might be able to tell, I am not a big fan of the Registry concept if you are out to win it, I am, though, a fan of it if it doesn't dictate what you buy or need and if it enables you to share your passion. Whomever came up with the Registry concept at PCGS deserves an enormous bonus and promotion as it has kept submissions very high and prices have lept forward. I don't think anyone could have imagined the profound effect it would have on the hobby/business. This thread is really about someone who has seen this unfold in another market, and who does not like all he sees, giving a heads-up to other collectors.

 

I don't know what comic collectors think of this possibility, but it would be interesting to find out. I will be out of town for much of the next few days and may not be able to participate in any discussion during that time.

[blowout]

Check this recent thread.

 

http://boards.collectors-society.com/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=comicgen&Number=166481&page=1&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=31&fpart=1

 

There is no comic registry yet, but CGC have been talking about starting one for a while now.

Some interesting points you bring up, and I can certainly see where you are coming from as far as the 'competition' between collectors goes.

[TomB]

Thanks. That's funny, I hadn't even seen that thread and the person asking the question seems to be in favor of the concept.

[blowout]

Yeah, I was in favour of the concept too, although I hadn't considered some of the points you raised. It is interesting again to compare the precedents set in the coin collecting hobby with those likely to happen in comics.

The whole concept of collectors 'competing' for the best collection has been happening for some time, although recent deveopments have sure facilitated it, especialy with the HG collectors. I guess the advent of third party grading and the introduction of a registry are both tools that help to level the playing field (as far as grading disagreements go) and bring this sort of competition out into the open and onto a global level.

I'm not entirely sure how a comic registry can skew values on ultra high grade books (with very minor differences) any more than CGC grading already has though.

[murph0]

There'll be competition for best collection no matter what. I think it'll be very interesting to see what others have and it'll be great for tracking my own books. I don't think competition will be a huge deal..personally for me, I'm just looking to complete a NM 9.4 run of ASM, if someone has a NM+ run of ASM..good for them.

 

Brian