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3rd PARTY GRADING - What is the next big collectibles category in the future?

Started by dekeuk,

114 posts in this topic

dekeuk

dekeuk

Posted
Posted

For all of us that missed out on the chance to buy up all the raw high grade silver and bronze comics before CGC was founded, what is the next great collectibles trend?

 

What can I buy right now on ebay that is pre-1975 material in raw high grade condition that is NOT currently being professionally graded, but is a prime candidate for professional grading to take over a few years from now?

 

So obviously this excludes such things as comics, coins, sports cards, action figures, die cast toys, etc. What else is out there?

 

It occurs to me that these things all have the following in common:

 

1. very large amount of collectors

 

2. a percentage of the collectors willing to fight over the highest graded material

 

3. a standardized collectible that is easy to categorize in a price guide (this would exclude a category like Victorian Trade Cards, because they are very regional)

 

4. the older items all command prices high enough to justify the costs of certification (this excludes such things as old sheet music)

 

5. a collectible that appeals to mainly one type of collector (this would exclude something like LIFE magazine, which are mainly purchased by all kinds of different collectors, based on the cover)

 

 

So does anyone have any ideas on something we can still buy now and get in on the "ground floor" before third party grading takes over the hobby?

 

Some potential items that come to mind are vintage concert programs, sports programs, lunch boxes, posters, model kits, magazines like Sports Illustrated, People, Seventeen, etc.

 

Anyone else have any thoughts? I want to buy the next Green Lantern #76, House Of Secrets #92, and Daredevil #168 in mint condition in another collectibles category, before the rest of the world realizes they cannot get true high grade material in that collectibles category.

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dekeuk

dekeuk

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Boxed/sealed video games.

 

Yes, that certainly is a standardized category that could be certified. But some cause for concern might be these 2 factors:

 

1. Any rare game could easily have a box resealed with a cellophane wrap machine, and you could not even know if the actual correct game cartridge was in the box, and you would never know because you are afraid to open the box

 

2. Anything made post-1979 has a really good chance of having a "warehouse find" made one of these days, where someone finds a few dozen crates of mint unopened items that just happen to be the item you are colelcting because you thought it was rare

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ShoNuff-migration

ShoNuff-migration

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Do you collect 'em, sho 'nuff? Just curious. I do.

No, but I've seen you talk about them before in here. There's a large collector base, and as you've pointed out, some of this stuff can sell for large amounts. It doesn't seem out of the question that a company might eventually surface that will grade/certify these things.

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ShoNuff-migration

ShoNuff-migration

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Yes, that certainly is a standardized category that could be certified. But some cause for concern might be these 2 factors:

 

1. Any rare comic could easily have been pressed or professionally micro-trimmed, and you might not ever know because there is no sure way of telling 100 percent of the time.

 

2. Any comic post 1970 has a really good chance of having a "warehouse find" made one of these days, where someone finds a few dozen crates of mint comics that just happen to be the item you are collecting because you thought it was rare

 

I made a few changes to your post.

 

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Silvers24

Silvers24

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Yes, that certainly is a standardized category that could be certified. But some cause for concern might be these 2 factors:

 

1. Any rare comic could easily have been pressed or professionally micro-trimmed, and you might not ever know because there is no sure way of telling 100 percent of the time.

 

2. Anything made post-1979 has a really good chance of having a "warehouse find" made one of these days, where someone finds a few dozen crates of mint unopened items that just happen to be the item you are colelcting because you thought it was rare

I made a few changes to your post.

893scratchchin-thumb.gif
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Bronty

Bronty

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Ah. Well in some ways I think that would be great as if it did happen I would probably do quite well, but on the other hand it might kind of wreck the hobby for me too juggle.gif Whatever the case, I think its still a quite a few years before it happens.

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Bronty

Bronty

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Yes, that certainly is a standardized category that could be certified. But some cause for concern might be these 2 factors:

 

1. Any rare comic could easily have been pressed or professionally micro-trimmed, and you might not ever know because there is no sure way of telling 100 percent of the time.

 

2. Any comic post 1970 has a really good chance of having a "warehouse find" made one of these days, where someone finds a few dozen crates of mint comics that just happen to be the item you are collecting because you thought it was rare

 

I made a few changes to your post.

 

27_laughing.gif

 

I think sho nuff is right in implying that there is really nothing out there IMO that's going to meet all of your criteria. The pre 75 one is the stickler... anything vintage with a big following is pretty much already being graded.

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CKB

CKB

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I sold my Cousin's collection of SNES games earlier this year, and I was stunned to find out the market on these things. There was this one POS game, "3 Ninjas" or something like that - as soon as I listed it I got offers from all over the ether.

 

The kicker was that the cartridge was working but had been chewed by a dog at one point and was in rough shape. What everyone wanted was the BOX and instruction manual that were with it! Anyway, it went for like $30.

 

Sealed or open and complete RPGs from the SNES can top $200 easily.

 

One the other side of things, I sold his N64 collection, and it was like $1-$5 each.

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joe_collector

joe_collector

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2. Anything made post-1979 has a really good chance of having a "warehouse find" made one of these days, where someone finds a few dozen crates of mint unopened items that just happen to be the item you are colelcting because you thought it was rare

 

Yeah, and that's soooooo much different than comics. 27_laughing.gif

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joe_collector

joe_collector

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It occurs to me that these things all have the following in common

 

Your points are totally off-base when it comes to pop culture items like comics, cards, action figures, etc. The grass roots collecting did not start up for any of the reasons you stated.

 

It's simple really, just look back 20-30 years and see what boys ages 10-14 were buying, then project that same trend for the next 10, 20 and 30 years.

 

Right now, it's the "last gasp" of late-70's/early-80's comic readers, while 80's nostalgia like Transformers and GI Joe are coming into vogue. Video games are also gaining steam, and along with certain popular toys/action figures, will likely be the collectible of the future.

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ft88

ft88

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How about old posters? Similar restoration and grading as comics. Definite need as there are so many versions and reprints that a newbie/investor could really use the help. Plenty of categories from Fine Art (Latrec) to Advertising (Green Devil) to Sports, TV, Movies, and of course comic book related. A nice case that protected from light, didn't scratch or blemish and could be easily framed would then not detract from being displayed. Plenty of posters out there too, both modern and pre 1975 that are highly collectible.

 

Is it being done already? Or done well?

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