1990 News story on comic collecting...

[joe_collector]

If the comics market ever tanks, it just means I will be able to buy more comics even cheaper.

 

That's what they ALL say, but putting money into a sinking ship is much harder to do, that to simply blather about in an online forum.

 

Or to put it bluntly, where were you in 1996-99? You should be a BILLIONAIRE by now.

[Owls Head]

Read a comic to a kid and you'll understand.

 

Try to read a CGC slab to a kid and you'll *really* understand.

 

 

[Silver]

If the comics market ever tanks, it just means I will be able to buy more comics even cheaper.

 

That's what they ALL say, but putting money into a sinking ship is much harder to do, that to simply blather about in an online forum.

 

Or to put it bluntly, where were you in 1996-99? You should be a BILLIONAIRE by now.

 

It's my hobby, not an investment to me. That's why I rarely buy books that break the couple hundred dollar mark. I personally don't care if they have any value at all as I only collect them for pleasure. There are alot of people that consider their collections investements, but I bet not all collectors do. My future is not dependant on selling my comics some day to recoup my costs.

 

Putting money into a sinking ship? How is buying old comics a sinking ship if the reason you bought them was for enjoyment? I can enjoy them just fine even if they are worthless...

 

Were was I in 1996-1999? Right here, doing the same.

[Monstro]

If the comics market ever tanks, it just means I will be able to buy more comics even cheaper.

 

That's what they ALL say, but putting money into a sinking ship is much harder to do, that to simply blather about in an online forum.

 

Or to put it bluntly, where were you in 1996-99? You should be a BILLIONAIRE by now.

 

It's my hobby, not an investment to me. That's why I rarely buy books that break the couple hundred dollar mark. I personally don't care if they have any value at all as I only collect them for pleasure. There are alot of people that consider their collections investements, but I bet not all collectors do. My future is not dependant on selling my comics some day to recoup my costs.

 

Putting money into a sinking ship? How is buying old comics a sinking ship if the reason you bought them was for enjoyment? I can enjoy them just fine even if they are worthless...

 

Were was I in 1996-1999? Right here, doing the same.

 

yea know sheit man......i've been here doing the same thing for 15 years.

[joe_collector]

[yea know sheit man......i've been here doing the same thing for 15 years.

 

Big words for a fly-by-night guy who registered in 2006.

[the blob]

"That's what they ALL say, but putting money into a sinking ship is much harder to do, that to simply blather about in an online forum.

 

Or to put it bluntly, where were you in 1996-99? You should be a BILLIONAIRE by now."

 

I was buying plenty of comics in 1996-99, but mostly mid-grade GA and SA, not hunting down the uber high grade books, so I'm not ready to retire just yet. Oh yeah, I picked up tons of nice BA for 25-50 cents a pop, but extracting $3-$10 each for them on ebay is going to be a second job.

 

I did buy a lot of Nasdaq 100 (QQQ) when it got down to 1400. I got chicken sh***t at 1200 because law firm lay-offs were floating around, so I sat on $75K in a money market (albeit at 5%, so not bad). Which actually left me in a good position in 2002 to upgrade to a place at pseudo-depressed post-9/11 prices.

 

as for real estate, in my neck of the woods things seem to be in a plateau. things have probably cooled off about 10%, but I'm in the process of selling my apartment (without a broker) and honestly, I have so many people coming to see it I barely have time. At least in my neck of the woods a lot of money has been sitting on the sidelines waiting for things to cool down. In fact, I know more people looking to buy than who actually own, it's just that they'd like a "deal", not that they expect a 30-40% drop.

[Foolkiller]

If the comics market ever tanks, it just means I will be able to buy more comics even cheaper.

 

That's what they ALL say, but putting money into a sinking ship is much harder to do, that to simply blather about in an online forum.

 

Or to put it bluntly, where were you in 1996-99? You should be a BILLIONAIRE by now.

 

Well, you wouldn't be a billionaire, you'd be Doug Schmell and Tom Brulato, both of whom were buying HG aggressively in 96-99.

[Crackandpresstoan11]

Read a comic to a kid and you'll understand.

 

Try to read a CGC slab to a kid and you'll *really* understand.

 

I have never bought a slabbed book that I didn't "bust" out...that includes a 9.6. I think there are others that do the same.

 

[Monstro]

[yea know sheit man......i've been here doing the same thing for 15 years.

 

Big words for a fly-by-night guy who registered in 2006.

 

it is true i just recently found this place.

[jkc313]

Someone sent me this link. I'm at work and can't hear any of it but can't wait to as the first "expert" they interviewed is my brother Peter about 40 pounds ago. I assume he was behind one of my tables. Looks like new York

 

keith contarino

[the blob]

"Big words for a fly-by-night guy who registered in 2006."

 

not sure why the date of registration on a chat board is relevant to the discussion. i understand you're writing at elelment, but, for example, i stumbled on this place purely by accident (wanted to see how much slabbing would cost way back when) and didn't register because a quick perusal seemed like a bunch of dorks putting down anything that wasn't a 9.8 or better and then wound up registering about 6 months later. comic collecting and spending many hours chatting away and surfing the internet are not necessarily things that must be done together.

[jkc313]

That was my brother comparing comics to blue chip stocks and if you look at my board you'll see he was absolutely right. High grade Cap 100, early FF, TTA. We had almost exclusively high grade Marvels and DC's as well as lower frade keys and a smattering of GA at that show including Mile High Copies of 2 early ADventures with Sandman covers. Had I kept those books instead of my stock porfolio, I'd be a millionaire many times over.

 

keith contarino

[joe_collector]

That was my brother comparing comics to blue chip stocks and if you look at my board you'll see he was absolutely right.

 

Of course, but WAS is the operative word. Anyone "investing" in slabbed comics at today's nose-bleed retail prices is going to take a very long and messy bath.

[jkc313]

Which is exactly what people were saying in 1990 when I was selling books like TOS 59 in NM at 10X Guide. ($125). And in 1965 when my mother refused to loan me $100 for an Action #1. No one knows what the future holds. I still think you buy quality material in high grade and you'll do well

[joe_collector]

Which is exactly what people were saying in 1990 when I was selling books like TOS 59 in NM at 10X Guide. ($125). And in 1965 when my mother refused to loan me $100 for an Action #1.

 

You guys always trot out this strawman, but who are "these people"? Dumbasses, I'd imagine.

 

I'll tell you this right now, I've never felt the urge to sell a single comic book, but right now, I'm hearing alarm bells.

[Foolkiller]

Which is exactly what people were saying in 1990 when I was selling books like TOS 59 in NM at 10X Guide. ($125). And in 1965 when my mother refused to loan me $100 for an Action #1.

 

You guys always trot out this strawman, but who are "these people"? Dumbasses, I'd imagine.

 

I'll tell you this right now, I've never felt the urge to sell a single comic book, but right now, I'm hearing alarm bells.

 

Look, a NM TOS 59 at 10x guide?

 

Y'know what, first of all, unless it came back CGC 9.4, the guy is still bleeding. If it's a CGC 9.2, he might just be breaking even.

 

If you're paying 10x guide for a book as common as TOS 59, you need to rethink. I mean you only had to wait 16 years -- to basically break even, or perhaps MAYBE make about $700.

 

You could do a lot better with other "investments".

 

I second JC's sentiments.

[Timulty]

Need I say this again?

Comics Collecting <> Investing

 

Sure you can buy comics and make money but the risk is way too extreme unless you happen upon a caches of comic gold being held by a little old lady from Encino. And then, you are probably swindling the poor gal in order to profit. *cough* *cough* Chuck *cough* *cough*

 

Just get it into your head that when you buy a comic you are buying a collectible that has liquidity but not necessarily value. When you do that, kick back, crack your slab open and read. Don't sit a bottle of coke on it but enjoy it. That's what they were meant for.

[nearmint]

caches of comic gold being held by a little old lady from Encino.

 

address?

[Timulty]

If you want an address there is a fellow in Colorado who has it.

[jmg3637]

I'll take the Encino address as well. Since I am already there I should be able to beat nearmint to her door. He has to face the 405 from Newport beach