Me and the Heritage process.....

[jkrk]

About three weeks prior to the start of the Heritage Nov auction I received the catalogue in the mail. In the first few days I scan through the book with a ball point pen. I put a check mark next to every book in which I have some interest. In this cycle I originally was interested in thirty books. I the think about how I'm going to explain to my wife that "WE" just bought thirt books.

 

Over the next week or so I take my list and blow up the pictures as I try to evaluate whether the covers made the CGC grade assigned. My grading is dead on. Everyone else's grading is subjective.

 

In the third phase of the process I review the archives to determine whether the books in which I have an interest in were sold before. I am interested in the prior grade assigned. Once this phase is complete (along with the prior phase and looking at the current bids) I have a somewhat reduced list of books which will be evaluated once the auction process enters the final week. When this phase ended I was left with 15 books I was pretty solid on following. If I buy 15 books my allowance for comics will be set back 3-6 months.

 

I now did a bit of research on the pricing history for the books. I used the guide value, along with GPA, and finally the Heritage archives to establish a maximum price I would pay for each book after backing out the BP (who said higher math and comics don't go together?).

 

In phase 5, I was watching the high bid for the books I was following and knocking out each book that was bid higher than my maximum. At this stage it was clear others had bigger ideas.

 

With about 4 days to go it was time to bring out the heavy artillery. I coaxed my secret weapon away from her book to look at the scans of the books I still had in

contention. I showed her the scans of the eight books and she nixed 5 based on her grading. I bring her into the process because she truly is unemotional regarding my comics. I say that the book with ice cream stains from 60 years ago

is history and if you truly appreciated the book you would understand the significance . She says the book has stains. In this example "WE" would pass.

 

With three possibilities in hand the woman who can't relate to ice cream stains calls Heritage and arranges for telephone bidding (my bidding her arranging).

 

As the day of reckoning arrives, I notice that my field of three becomes one entry as the bidding knocks out two more books.

I now think about "where did all the books go"? I know that tomorrow is the day the bidding starts and I panic a bit. I scan through the catalogue again thinking maybe I missed something. Alas every possibility is eliminated as I blow up the scans, look at the bidding and I come to terms with the fact that only one book is in contention.

 

The fateful day is finally here and I receive the call from Heritage confirming my existance. As they try to confirm the books I was interested in I must sheepishly admit that my interest is down to one. As it turned out my one selection proved to be a winner so the entire effort was vindicated. I went through 2 weeks of effort to buy one low grade book. I'm thinking of changing my site to Low Grade Comics.

 

Was the effort worthwhile? To spend the many hours going throgh the process to buy one low grade book? You bet. I'm now about to go through Mastronet's catalogue and start the whole process again.

[batman_fan]

I go through a very similar process except I keep the wife in the dark and hope she doesn't ask any questions when a box arrives or open the bill from Heritage. Fortunitely, I didn't bid in this last auction.

[benz]

I go through a very similar process except I keep the wife in the dark and hope she doesn't ask any questions when a box arrives or open the bill from Heritage. Fortunitely, I didn't bid in this last auction.

 

I also go to the similar process, i check the website and mark the things i want to bid by underbidding early on, then gpa and check my Overstreet for the prices as well as ebay.

i also tell my wife about a friend who invested in comic books and earned 3x after 3 years just to psyche her off Anyway I bidded on 5-6 books (actually its more but I cannot convince my wife to get that Batman 1) in this last heritage auction and ended up getting two. I saw the Mastro auction and registered recently.

[ciorac]

I usually bid on twenty books and win none.

 

So, occasionally I will buy from the post auction dregs.

[tth2]

I go through a very similar process except I keep the wife in the dark and hope she doesn't ask any questions when a box arrives or open the bill from Heritage.

This describes me to a T. I have all comic-related correspondence and shipments sent to my work address to avoid any questions from her.

[adamstrange]

I go through a very similar process except I keep the wife in the dark and hope she doesn't ask any questions when a box arrives or open the bill from Heritage.

This describes me to a T. I have all comic-related correspondence and shipments sent to my work address to avoid any questions from her.

 

You gonna tell her about the latest sales?

[showcase4]

I put a check mark next to every book in which I have some interest. In this cycle I originally was interested in thirty books. I then think about how I'm going to explain to my wife that "WE" just bought thirty books.

 

My Heritage/Auction house process is completely different, and just goes to show there are several ways to play this game ( I think you'll see how my approach really helps with the "wife" aspect. )

 

Like you I go thru all the inventory of an auction, and narrrow down to around 20+ books. I then slowly but surely rate these 20 on a desirability scale ( to me ), and get down to 3 to 4. I then play a mental game of "if you could only have 2 books, which would it be?", and then focus on those 2, and those 2 only. Come bidding time, I bid very aggressively with a "bid to win" attitude on the final 2, and usually get at least 1, and some times both. This way the one you really want doesn't get away, because you are not spreading your focus too widely.

 

Now where this helps with the wife factor is I can always justify 1or 2 key books added to the collection as part of our family financial/investment planning..."it's for the kids honey ---I'll sell when it's time for them to go to college" (yeah, right! ). This approach does not work so well when you receive a huge box from Heritage with 30 books in it! The wives are much smarter than that!

[tth2]

I go through a very similar process except I keep the wife in the dark and hope she doesn't ask any questions when a box arrives or open the bill from Heritage.

This describes me to a T. I have all comic-related correspondence and shipments sent to my work address to avoid any questions from her.

 

You gonna tell her about the latest sales?

I was going to wait until I had confirm that the winners weren't deadbeats, but I couldn't restrain myself from breaking the news to her. The look on her face was priceless!

 

And then she immediately started talking about that Hermes bag that she had thought was too expensive, but now would make a great Christmas present.

[ArAich]

My Heritage process:

 

[*]Get catalogue in the mail...ooooohhh aaaaaahhhh... "I want that and that and that....."

[*]Go to website the day before auction end....ooooohhh aaaaaahhhh..."I'm gonna track all these beauties"....

[*]Log on about an hour before auction end and enter bids... ... ....... ... ..."You mean I'm high bidder on these 3 books"...

[*]"Hey! I won one!!!".....

[adamstrange]

And then she immediately started talking about that Hermes bag that she had thought was too expensive, but now would make a great Christmas present.

 

[jkrk]

This describes me to a T. I have all comic-related correspondence and shipments sent to my work address to avoid any questions from her.

 

 

Your situation and others helps to explain one part of the process. After I won the book on Friday I received a call back from Heritage to confirm that I won the book. I was in the car driving when the cell phone rang,. My wife answered the phone and the gentlemen from Heritage (a great guy) refused to give my wife the message. I took the phone from her and I was congratulated by the Heritage employee for winning the book. I thanked him for calling, disconnected the call, and all I had to do was to explain to my wife why the caller reused to give her the message. I politely said.....................................

[jkrk]

And then she immediately started talking about that Hermes bag that she had thought was too expensive, but now would make a great Christmas present.

 

 

As I learned from my years at reacetracks, gambling money is never used for buying anything. It simply is used for "action".

 

Comics make the ideal christmas present so perhaps your wife would rather receive a comic?

[Silver Surfer]

Tim if I can ask, what did all your books gross?

[tth2]

Over $100K.

[adamstrange]

Over $100K.

 

That's not gross. That's obscence!

 

Not that I'm jealous or anything.

[tth2]

Over $100K.

 

That's not gross. That's obscence!

 

Not that I'm jealous or anything.

Hey, those were some of my crown jewels! My emotional suffering is worth at least $100K!

[Bronty]

What did you have invested in the books if I may ask? I.e. how much are up?

[adamstrange]

What did you have invested in the books if I may ask? I.e. how much are up?

 

Up?

 

Didn't you read his last post!

 

The poor man is devastated! Devastated, I tell you!

[benz]

What did you have invested in the books if I may ask? I.e. how much are up?

 

Up?

 

Didn't you read his last post!

 

The poor man is devastated! Devastated, I tell you!

 

[Bronty]

What did you have invested in the books if I may ask? I.e. how much are up?

 

Up?

 

Didn't you read his last post!

 

The poor man is devastated! Devastated, I tell you!

 

That's what they sold for. I asked what he paid