Why is overstreet unrealistic?

[1Cool]

I have always had a problem with comic guides being completely off when it comes it prices. Why does Overstreet have moderns at $3 - $5 when we all know they may be worth $.25 if lucky. Is it more work to type in $.25 or $1 rather than $4? And could they maybe be a little closer than 50% off market value? Come on - I don't expect perfect but 50% inflation is a bit much. I just expect a little more reality from a book that is not free.

[davidpg]

Because a guide is just a guide?

[helionaut]

That's a pretty broad question. The broad answer is that it's an annual guide that dares to list tens or hunderds of thousands of books with what is probably very little hard data. How many datapoints could they have in their db for, say, Action Comics #704, or Kickers, Inc. #3, or Flare #4? Few and those far between. Also, I'm just guessing but just like Wizard, Beckett, Tuff Stuff, Scrye, and all other hobby price guides, they typically don't list books below cover price because they know which side their bread is buttered on.

[thirdgreenham]

Ah...it's so hard to say.....

 

If you're a dealer, then you're happy that they list it that high, and I guess that's probably why the prices are as such. In fact, isn't that where they get their prices, from a selection of dealers from around the world? I'm pretty sure that they'll listen to anyone's recorded sales, and make note of them.

 

These higher prices make it easy for dealers to offer their 50% off sales.

 

Can you really find these issues for 25 cents to $1.00 each? Sure you can.

 

Can you also find them sitting around in someone's bins for actual guide price? Of course.

 

So, the Overstreet is just a guide and should be used as such. A guideline to price your books. Many books will be available a lower than guide prices. On the flip-side there are many, many, many books that I'd LOVE to be able to find at guide prices, but everyone wants double guide or they're just not around.

 

Ah...it's so hard to say.....

 

Andy

[Flaming_Telepath]

I have always had a problem with comic guides being completely off when it comes it prices. Why does Overstreet have moderns at $3 - $5 when we all know they may be worth $.25 if lucky. Is it more work to type in $.25 or $1 rather than $4? And could they maybe be a little closer than 50% off market value? Come on - I don't expect perfect but 50% inflation is a bit much. I just expect a little more reality from a book that is not free.

 

Because Overstreet is kept afloat by the advertisers.

 

Who happen to be dealers.

 

Who happen to have thousands of these books from their over-orders.

 

You do the math.

[joe_collector]

Because Overstreet is kept afloat by the advertisers.

 

Who happen to be dealers.

 

Who happen to have thousands of these books from their over-orders.

 

You do the math.

 

And that's the same reason OS continues to list rare books, like many of the 35-cent variants, at $5 a pop.

 

Dealers don't have any and they want to buy them.. CHEAP!!

[Paratrooper]

Because a guide is just a guide?

 

that sums it up pretty succinctly, "guide" look up in dictionary

[juggernaut]

I think the overstreet price guide needs a complete overhaul. I know it is only a guide but the prices and notations on a lot of the comics are unrealistic, simply not true or out dated. I am starting to see that some collectors are not even referencing the Overstreet Price Guide anymore and get all there pricing from GPA, ebay or websites like Heritage or Comiclink.

 

With all the information on the web, all I ask is the Overstreet Price Guide be close to the current market. Furthermore, some of the notations changed to reflect new discoveries, cgc census, rarity and some in some cases 1st apperances.

 

I waiting for the day when some of the experienced board members start becoming overstreet advisors and start making necessay changes to the Overstreet.

[lizards2]

Because a guide is just a guide?

 

that sums it up pretty succinctly, "guide" look up in dictionary

 

Because he's got the *spoon* to do it. I pay over or under almost every time - very rarely right on.

[jduran1]

Because Overstreet is kept afloat by the advertisers.

 

Who happen to be dealers.

 

Who happen to have thousands of these books from their over-orders.

 

You do the math.

 

And that's the same reason OS continues to list rare books, like many of the 35-cent variants, at $5 a pop.

 

Dealers don't have any and they want to buy them.. CHEAP!!

 

 

Well if Overstreet is bad then where does Wizard rank............

[Paratrooper]

Wizard rocks! it's always correct! very rarely do I pay under Wizard.....if I was a *spoon*...wait I don't buy modern? Why am I typing this? Darn, can I say Damn? my alcohol/blood level is at a perfect level. I can spell correctly and feel good at the same time...must maintain...must maintain....must not buy more comics....must not go on ebay....buy too much....mmmmmm

[thirdgreenham]

 

 

Well if Overstreet is bad then where does Wizard rank............

 

I used to hate Wizard, then I didn't mind it, then I would wonder why I bought it. I used to enjoy reading about the top 10 hot comics and noticed that every month those 10 books would increase in value. Wizard seemed to have control over the market on new books at that time. They used to list prices for older books as well, but I remember they basically just copied most of what Overstreet's info said and included it in their mag. I haven't bought a Wizard in a few years, but my guess is things probably haven't changed too much there. Anyone?

 

Andy

[tth2]

Because Overstreet is kept afloat by the advertisers.

 

Who happen to be dealers.

 

Who happen to have thousands of these books from their over-orders.

 

You do the math.

 

And that's the same reason OS continues to list rare books, like many of the 35-cent variants, at $5 a pop.

 

Dealers don't have any and they want to buy them.. CHEAP!!

That makes no sense at all. Otherwise Action #1 would also be priced at $5 in the Guide, following your logic. If it's rare and you want to drive an increase in supply, the best way is for the Guide to go up significantly. I'm not saying that variants aren't underpriced in the Guide, just that it's not due to some conspiracy between the dealers and Overstreet. Probably more due to the fact that variants simply get no respect from Bob.

[Comic_Diva]

Well if Overstreet is bad then where does Wizard rank............

 

F

 

Wizard sucks cow utters. It's not a price guide it's one giant advertisement for their comic shows.

[joe_collector]

That makes no sense at all. Otherwise Action #1 would also be priced at $5 in the Guide, following your logic.

 

Compare apples to apples - look at how short a time 30 and 35-cent variants have even been in the Guide, then bring out a similar "rare" issue that was ID'ed about the same time. I don't think a viable comparison exists.

 

So if it's not dealers/OS supressing sales totals, what is it? These issues have been sold by some of the largest dealers, guys like Doug Sulipa scream about them being grossly undervalued in every Market Report, and they have a good sales history on EBay. Heck, with Darth being an OS advisor, there is no excuse.

 

The only other explanation is that Bob does NOT update prices at all, and just arbitrarily increases everything by 5-10% each year.

 

That's actually worse.

[Dad&Son-migration]

Some good points being brought to light. The one thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is this, I find that rarely does anyone pay above OS prices for books in 2.0, 4.0, 6.0, 8.0 and 9.2 as the OS guide lists(using these forums and the buy and sell area for example ). There are the oddities that come up and go for more. Off the top of my head I'll use ASM #300 and Hulk #181. I think the unchartered territory that we as collectors break ground on is the prices we will command by buying and selling books 9.4-9.8. These books in certain titles are a "roll of the dice" on what collectors will pay. You basically throw the OS guide out at this point and everyone lives and dies by the GP numbers, but again that's data for information purposes. Simple Macroeconomics will state on a demand curve that as demand increases so will prices, inversely as demand decreases so will prices. The "x" factor to that theory is that not all collectors are demanding the same book and the rarity of certain books over others. Maybe they should start factoring comics as a commodity in the GDP of countries. Ok.. I stretching. I think the problem is once a collector with a higher disposable income sets his/her sights on certain books in high grade that once were nothing to the collecting masses, and is willing to drop a mint on a copy or run of a series then all of sudden these books flood the market place as people catch wind of the sale price and that moves the prices up. Not necessarily the demand for the book goes up but eventually the price should go down as supply is high, in theory. That's just my take on it, but every day and week were shocked with new prices realized on a book.

[lizards2]

Some good points being brought to light. The one thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is this, I find that rarely does anyone pay above OS prices for books in 2.0, 4.0, 6.0, 8.0 and 9.2 as the OS guide lists(using these forums and the buy and sell area for example ). There are the oddities that come up and go for more. Off the top of my head I'll use ASM #300 and Hulk #181. I think the unchartered territory that we as collectors break ground on is the prices we will command by buying and selling books 9.4-9.8. These books in certain titles are a "roll of the dice" on what collectors will pay. You basically throw the OS guide out at this point and everyone lives and dies by the GP numbers, but again that's data for information purposes. Simple Macroeconomics will state on a demand curve that as demand increases so will prices, inversely as demand decreases so will prices. The "x" factor to that theory is that not all collectors are demanding the same book and the rarity of certain books over others. Maybe they should start factoring comics as a commodity in the GDP of countries. Ok.. I stretching. I think the problem is once a collector with a higher disposable income sets his/her sights on certain books in high grade that once were nothing to the collecting masses, and is willing to drop a mint on a copy or run of a series then all of sudden these books flood the market place as people catch wind of the sale price and that moves the prices up. Not necessarily the demand for the book goes up but eventually the price should go down as supply is high, in theory. That's just my take on it, but every day and week were shocked with new prices realized on a book.

 

[Monkeyman]

I don't have an Overstreet in fron of me, but I believe it says that all books printed after XXXX date (I don't remember what it is) are listed at cover price. They don't seem to even make an attempt to price moderns.

[Dick Pontoon]

I waiting for the day when some of the experienced board members start becoming overstreet advisors and start making necessay changes to the Overstreet.

 

Some members already are and some were just added a few months ago.

[ArnoldTBlumberg]

Some members already are and some were just added a few months ago.

 

*waves*