• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Market Question

Started by scottish,

31 posts in this topic

scottish

scottish

Posted
Posted

O.K. I know some posters believe that a comic is worth whatever a buyer is willing to pay for it. I believe this to a certain degree.

 

My question is:

 

A buyer pays 30x guide for a particular book and then turns around and sells it almost immediately for guide. What is it worth? The pat answer I see is: It was worth 30x guide to the one buyer and only guide to the other...I don't like this answer - too easy - doesn't make sense to me either (then I can be pretty thickheaded sometimes wink.gif )

 

I was prompted to ask this question because eBay consistently has single buyers raggin' hard for a particular book (I'm not talking Keys here, but What If? 33 or some other low interest title).

 

A specific example: 'masterjetlee' is zoning hard for 9.8 CGC copies of What If? As most everyone knows I'm also looking for a CGC set of this run as well. I won, amazingly I might add, one of the What If 9.8 auctions (at my max bid) last night. Do I believe the book is worth 152.50? Heck no! I know that if I tried to sell it I'd be lucky to get 50.00.

 

I realize 9.8 books might not be a good example, but I think market value cannot be pegged to two bidders who really want one particular book. Once those two have a copy the cost to get one will plummet.

 

Another example is 'youknowwhy.' This guy bids on all the 35 cent variant auctions that come up. I've bid against him on a couple, but the prices easily exceed 100.00+

 

Maybe I don't understand the schematics of the collectible market. Hopefully some of you brainier types can explain it to me. grin.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites
comicinvestor-migration

comicinvestor-migration

Posted
Posted

I realize 9.8 books might not be a good example, but I think market value cannot be pegged to two bidders who really want one particular book. Once those two have a copy the cost to get one will plummet.

 

You've hit the nail on the head with that one, and I've got an example that probably hits closer to home. :>

 

Remember that CGC 9.8 Wolverine #4 you paid $300+ for? Well, since then there have at least two separate auctions of the same book (one white and the other OW/W) and neither exceeded $100. Both mentioned your ($316?) buy in the hype text. grin.gif

 

There is the "EBay price when two psychos go at it" and then the actual market rate that you can consistently sell the comic for. Two different animals and one that many "investors" get the hard truth on when it comes time to sell.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
scottish

scottish

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Hi Tom,

 

Thanks for your response. I can appreciate your sentiment, but it niggles a question from me.

 

If for what ever reason you had to sell your collection you wouldn't care one wit if you sold it for pennies? Do you buy Overstreet at all, if so, why? I'm not trying to be offensive, just curious. wink.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites
scottish

scottish

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I just wanted to add to my initial post:

 

I consider myself a collector foremost, but there is part of me that cares about value. I appauld those collectors that don't give a hoot if their books are worth anything and just enjoy them for enjoyment's sake. I also envy those that sell comics on eBay (or where ever) for profit. Hey, I live in America. wink.gif I'd love to be able to flip books like Darth or Meth (who wouldn't want to sell their hobby full time? - some might not). And while I don't care if some out there think I'm a speculator/investor, I don't want to come off as someone only interested in the value of their collection. If I was, do you think I'd collect Green Arrow books? wink.gif Our differences is what makes us interesting.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Crackandpresstoan11

Crackandpresstoan11

Posted
Posted

I do buy Overstreet as a reference guide for info on titles and not really to find out what my books are worth. I came to the conclusion a long time ago that when buying high grade silver, you can throw the book out the window. I can honestly say that I would never willingly sell my collection, but if a situation came along that forced me to sell my books I would just throw them on Ebay and let the market dictate what they are worth, not what Overstreet tells me they are worth.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
comicinvestor-migration

comicinvestor-migration

Posted
Posted

I consider myself a collector foremost, but there is part of me that cares about value.

 

Only a fool or a liar spends thousands of dollars on "funny books" without at least some repsect for potential value. I'm not value-conscious in the least, but I do understand that happens and I may one day need the cash from selling my comics.

 

That's why I always buy well under Guide (if I can), take good care of my books and buy quality titles that I enjoy. That last one may not apply to everyone, but my tastes have proven pretty mass-market over the years. grin.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites
comicinvestor-migration

comicinvestor-migration

Posted
Posted

Feh. Must be my karmic payback for outbidding Darth.

 

It also makes you wonder about Darth's motivations for hammering at your high bid, then having at least two other issues sneak by for sub-$100 prices.

 

One thing that I have noticed about EBay sales is that (as in the case of your Wolvie buys) is if the seller has a run of the issues up at the same time, it tends to raise the potential price quite exponentially.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Kevin Boyd

Kevin Boyd

Posted
Posted

Hey Scottish,

 

Aside from using the Overstreet NM price as a guide I don't think there is any way for you to decide the market value of the item using e-bay sales as a guide for the reasons you raise (and others), especially on high grade books (9.6 or higher).

 

Some people try to apply a specific multiple times guide price which may sound fine in theory, but that can work against you as much as it can work for you.

 

If that guy is so keen to get What Ifs in 9.8 and he has deep pockets, then I would just get out of his way. Eventually he'll get what he wants and you can pick the next one that is offered up for a more reasonable price. If the seller expects that he will get the same crazy money as what the other guy got for his then he is likely going to be disappointed at the end of the auction.

 

I've got some books on consignment sales where the owner has determined his selling price. Some are reasonable, others are ridiculously over-priced using this multiples of guide philosophy. If he is wrong they don't sell, if he is right, they do. And he may not get his price until the second or third time around (or never).

 

Everything works out in the end, but I believe fundamentally that the current environment for selling books graded higher than 9.4 means that it is impossible to set market prices for these books.

 

I don't need to sit around analyzing trends on e-bay purchases to know that it is completely out of touch with reality when it comes to the collectibles market - on both ends of the spectrum... as unheard of prices are achieved at the high end and at the low end.

 

Kev

Link to comment
Share on other sites
FlyingDonut

FlyingDonut

Posted
Posted

I'll second kevthemev's thought - just get out of the guy's way. More What If?s will turn up. On the 35 cent variant front you're probably screwed, but have a $ figure and don't go over it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Go to topic listing