Instant H.G. Marvel Collection, Anyone?

[murph0]

Looks like this guy's done collecting

 

Brian

[LordRahl]

Can't believe he didn't put a reserve on it Either he's done collecting or needs the money really badly right away. He'd do better to sell them off individually.

[murph0]

It'd be very funny to see the end price if he didn't take paypal. Let's see... where did I store that spare 15,000 dollars in cash that I had waiting for a collection like this...?

 

Brian

[Bugaboo-migration]

This statement in his auction would be enough to get it pulled if someone decided to report him:

 

"Buyer pays $250 for insured shipping and handling if paying by paypal. If paying by check insured secure shipping and handling is $200 by UPS with a tracking #."

[LordRahl]

It'd be very funny to see the end price if he didn't take paypal. Let's see... where did I store that spare 15,000 dollars in cash that I had waiting for a collection like this...?

 

Brian

 

No doubt. I would think there will be some ebay flippers and dealers going after this for a reasonable price. Main reason to buy something this large and varied is to flip it for a quick buck.

[Aman619]

It'd be very funny to see the end price if he didn't take paypal. Let's see... where did I store that spare 15,000 dollars in cash that I had waiting for a collection like this...?

 

Brian

 

No doubt. I would think there will be some ebay flippers and dealers going after this for a reasonable price. Main reason to buy something this large and varied is to flip it for a quick buck.

 

 

didnt you read it??? Hold it for 5-10 years and it will be worth $75000!!!

[sckao]

Can't believe he didn't put a reserve on it

 

In the text of his auction ad, he mentions a reserve price around $35,000.

 

Apparently, he either screwed up or decided not to pay for the reserve.

 

 

[fantastic_four]

He'd do better to sell them off individually.

 

No DOUBT!!! This is the kind of guy that could use some advice from delekkerste or comicinvestor. He obviously bought a big chunk of these books recently, and he should have realized while he was buying them that the only way he'd get his money back was to sell them the way he bought them--one by one. I could see him lumping the cheapies (below $10) together, but to lump them all together like that is to limit your audience to dealers or collectors who flip.

 

Anybody paying more than $25 for comics needs to realize that if they ever want to sell, they're going to either take a loss by dumping en masse or they're going to have a LOT of auction listing and shipping work ahead of them. He might have been able to profit from these books, depending upon how much he paid...but if he doesn't take a loss from an auction like this I'll be shocked.

 

I expect the auction to get yanked because he didn't put a reserve...maybe he was just hoping he'd get lucky and could avoid the one-by-one shipping, but without a reserve, he's gonna lose dough.

[sfilosa]

Anybody have a rough idea what this would be worth?

 

I have already contacted him about buying them and picking them up in person and he said fine.

 

 

 

 

[Bugaboo-migration]

I expect the auction to get yanked because he didn't put a reserve...maybe he was just hoping he'd get lucky and could avoid the one-by-one shipping, but without a reserve, he's gonna lose dough.

Hmmmm........he could just wait until the auction nears the end.....and if he doesn't like the price it's reached, use this as his excuse to pull it (error in listing).

[COI]

He might have been able to profit from these books, depending upon how much he paid...but if he doesn't take a loss from an auction like this I'll be shocked.

 

I definetly think he would have made a profit by taking a page from Showcase New England and listing entire runs broken up into individual issues and small sets. People like the luxury of one-stop shopping, and will tend to bid higher to get it.

[500Club]

Yep, auctions of this size are too large for most individual collectors to swallow. Worse yet, the collectors with that kind of liquidity are probably looking for books 9.0 and above.

[sfilosa]

Assuming you had the money, what would you pay for this collection. More than likely you would keep some of the nicer books that you want and sell the rest.

 

Trying to get an idea what to bid. I have had several discussion with the seller and feel confindent that he is legit. The big issue (that I;m trying to determine) is the grade of the more expensive books. There is a huge difference between a VF and NM.

 

Any help is appreciated.

[fantastic_four]

Drive down to Raleigh/Durham and grade them yourself. Anything short of that and you're taking a gamble.

[sfilosa]

I would pick them up if I won. Therefore, if they weren't what is stated (98 out of 100% in VF to NM), then I wouldn't follow through (just like returning an overgraded book).

 

Basically, assume the Guide Value is correct based on accurate grading. What percent of guide would you pay? He apparently meant to set a reserve of at least 50% of guide. It a huge collection which unfortunately is missing almost all major keys, so obviously that has to be taken into consideration. Also, it is missing a lot of the titles that I like such as Strange Tales, Tales of Suspense, Journey into Mystery, etc.

 

Once again, what is a fair percentage of guide to pay, with the idea that you would keep the books you like and sell the rest (probably on eBay or this forum) at very reasonable prices.

[drbanner]

I'm going to try and see these books if he's close enough to me...will let you know what I find.

[sfilosa]

 

Here is an offer I'm making to any board member.

 

1) If any board member is able to go view this collection

 

2) PM's me regarding the status/condition of these books (mostly interested in the condition of the Silver-Age books; are they mostly VF, are there a lot of NM- to NM, looks like a few have been color touched, etc.)

 

3) And I end up purchasing this collection based on your recomendation.

 

4) I will give you at least $250 worth of market value books. I would probably give you a few Silver-Age ASM and DD's since I already have some of these. I'm sure you will not be dissappointed and I will ship them to you free.

 

This only applies to the FIRST person to PM me. I don't care if you post on the board also, I just need a PM so I know who is the first one.

 

 

I can be in the sellers area (Greensboro, NC) right after the auction closes, so I will pick up the books in person if I win. Of course at that time, if I thought the books were misrepresented, I could back out of the deal. Therefore I really can't lose, unless I don't bid enough thinking the books are only all VF when in fact, many of the more expensive books are much nicer.

 

 

OK, someone go see these books.

[sfilosa]

As a follow-up, the seller is in Greenboro, NC.

 

Also, the first person to PM (to get the free books) has to have seen the books first.

 

Thanks.

[murph0]

You know sfilosa, for how cheap plane tickets are right now.. I'll be you could get round trip tickets for less than that 250 dollars unless you live on the coast or something.

 

Brian

[sfilosa]

Yes Murph0, you are right, plane tickets are cheap. But, what happens if I disagree with the grading. Now I spent $250. On the other hand, if someone else looks at them and says they are mostly VF or lower, I don't bid and it cost me nothing.

 

I am actually flying near the area but not until the auction closes.

 

I have had extensive conversations with the seller and he now says that I should value most Silver-Age books between a VF- and VF/NM. And he even pointed out that a few books (not many) are VG and have some color touch. Obviously, this person collected runs and as he said, tried to buy no less than VF's, but as everyone knows, once in a while you get screw. I'm just trying to factor in the "screwed" rate into my bid.

 

Unfortunately, of the entire collection I'm really only interested in the ASM 14-100, Avengers 19-100 and DD 9-100. The rest of the books would be nice only if they graded VF/NM or better. I really don't care about most of the Bronze and newer books. Since I have got back into collecting, I haven't bought a raw book yet. It would be nice to get a decent collection of raw books at a really good price.