What is the point of the Overstreet Price Guide?

[Clark Khaos-migration]

I typically buy 6-8 copies of the Overstreet Price Guide every year. I use them to press the books I'm about to sell to Greggy.

[adams]

Let's face it..GEMSTONE just does not have the manpower (or desire) needed to

look at all the pricing fluctuations for certain titles around the country.

The book has been a money maker, so why spend anymore in

hiring more people and lessening the bottom line?

It is an excellent reference book as others have noted for artists, issue #'s etc.

 

The marketreports are very tired.

The same blah..blah..blah every year.

 

It is completely up to the buyer to decide what any issue is worth to him.

The Guide is a starting point in negotiations between Buyer and Seller.

 

The new collector needs to understand this, and as one has more

time and experience in the hobby, he hopefully develops confidence in his own abilities to understand the pricing structure and the thought processes that

the dealers go through in their pricing setup.

[Inhuman Fiend]

It is funny how we all use the guide as a reference tool, but in terms of pricing, only in relation to what "percentage of guide" we are willing to pay or sell for.

I think a good analogy would be auto manufacturers "dealer list price" which almost nobody pays, but is still the starting point for negotiations. Like comic stores where the occasional newbie (or rich person) will walk in and buy something off the wall at full (usually Guide) price, you will also have some people walk into a dealership and pay the sticker price on the car they want. It happens, just not very often. I am OK with this system and am quite used to it, but wonder why the pricing in OPG can't more accurately reflect true market price by combining comic store and convention sales prices with sales prices from the TRUE driving force in the hobby, eBay?

 

I've been an on and off subscriber to the Comic Buyers Guide for the past few years, and their monthly price guide claims to track all ebay sales for NM comics. I wonder if it is more accurate (for NM) since it comes out monthly and supposedly all eBay sales are tracked to arrive at the prices. Obviously you have to take into consideration that they are forced to count every auction for a book that says Near Mint even when we all know only about 10% of those books are actually in NM

But still...I would think even their flawed eBay guide would be much closer to real market prices than the annual, retail-oriented OPG and therefore should be useful as well...maybe even more useful in terms of real-world prices. Thoughts?

[comicdonna]

I just rip out the Action Comics page.

[SuperBird]

yeah, those do belong in the trash...

[Silver Surfer]

Yeah but what is the point of looking at guide is most of the data is BS?

 

Let's just say that the pricing data is BS, even though I don't think it is. Adding the word "pricing" to your statement would make it accurate, but not making that distinction makes your statement look foolish. There is a ton of data in the OS guide that is invaluable.

 

You are correct OG as I was referring to the pricing aspect of the book which I find to be pretty useless. At least they could update the GA data.

[Sal]

One of the problems with the OSPG is that it drives the market price for raw books. It was never designed to do that, but to reflect the value that books were selling for on the market. It's a small distinction.

 

this is a great point, and key to the entire discussion. originally the guide was to serve as, well, a GUIDE for what people around the country were selling certain books for. if Bob Schmoe in Baltimore is selling VF SA Action books for x, and Wally Whathisface in Washington state is selling VF SA Action books for y, those two market points - along with likely a good deal of grabassetry and arbitrariness - set the price point in the Guide. never mind the fact that Bob Schmoe and Wally Whathisface were using their knowledge of their markets to dictate pricing, along with a good deal of grabassetry and arbitrariess.

 

flash forward ten years. now, people are coming in to Wally Whathisface's shop, pointing to the Guide and telling him he needs to price his books according to Guide.

 

GPA is beginning to do the same thing. it's an interesting result if not completely expected.

 

the moral of the story is that the Guide is just that, a Guide, and not a price list. people need to price books according to what they think the market is willing to pay for them. if you can't sell books for greater than 40% of guide, then either you're too impatient, a bad marketer, or limited in your customer pool...or the guide is way out of whack for that title(s)

[Clark Khaos-migration]

never mind the fact that Bob Schmoe and Wally Whathisface were using their knowledge of their markets to dictate pricing, along with a good deal of grabassetry and arbitrariess.

 

flash forward ten years. now, people are coming in to Wally Whathisface's shop, pointing to the Guide and telling him he needs to price his books according to Guide.

 

 

What a coincidence! I majored in Grabassetry back in college! Best 13 years of my life.

[skybolt]

Yeah but what is the point of looking at guide is most of the data is BS?

 

Let's just say that the pricing data is BS, even though I don't think it is. Adding the word "pricing" to your statement would make it accurate, but not making that distinction makes your statement look foolish. There is a ton of data in the OS guide that is invaluable.

 

You are correct OG as I was referring to the pricing aspect of the book which I find to be pretty useless. At least they could update the GA data.

 

I also agree that the additional information (artist, cover, first appearance, etc.) provided in the OS guide is invaluable. However, I can pick-up a 2000 or a 2003 guide and still get the same piece of information. It's almost like Overstreet and gang did a terrific job many years ago compiling this information, and are just sitting back and reaping the rewards year after year without creating any major changes. Heck, I'd be happy if they tackled and updated one majpr title per year. Perhaps, in 2007 they can completely revamp the Action Comics title and break-out all the war covers after conducting some research and consulting collectors and dealers. Perhaps in 2008, Batman can be updated as well.

 

Another question I have is what impact do overstreet advisors have on the pricing of books. Are they consulted to provide any relevant background pricing information, or are their photos included in the back of the book due to the Market Reports and the pages and pages of advertising?! For instance, when I first purchased this book in 2003, I seriously thought that these people had a huge impact on the pricing guide.

[SuperBird]

I suppose if OPG did suddenly change all its pricing to reflect real market value, many comic dealers would lose thier shirts due to the massive devaluation of thier stock.

[nik]

I just keep hoping that the OPG will come back with a NM and a NM+ column one day soon

[deathlok]

I just keep hoping that the OPG will come back with a NM and a NM+ column one day soon

 

Well, considering their NM- category is off on most issues to their value in the market, OS could easily use a formula for the NM+ value. Initially it may not be accurate, but at least it would give some sort of guideline. Evenetually dealers would hopefulyl use that as the basis for NM prices.

[seank]

I just rip out the Action Comics page.

 

My OS has the pages for Batman, Brave and Bold, Fight Comics, and Jumbo Comics paperclipped at the top for instant access. Those are the four titles I check the most.

[UKavenger]

Personally I think it is a good read when on the toilet!!!

[divad]

never mind the fact that Bob Schmoe and Wally Whathisface were using their knowledge of their markets to dictate pricing, along with a good deal of grabassetry and arbitrariess.

 

flash forward ten years. now, people are coming in to Wally Whathisface's shop, pointing to the Guide and telling him he needs to price his books according to Guide.

 

 

What a coincidence! I majored in Grabassetry back in college! Best 13 years of my life.

 

 

You animal you!

[Aman619]

the Guide is flawed and out of date, but yet, remains invaluable. It is what is has always been, which is its strength and weakness. I guess the one thing (besides info etc) that it remains useful for is th eRELATIVE values of 95% of all comics from the past 60 years. Indiviual numbers are off compared to day to day sales, and new keys and most cool covers are yet to be broken out separately, but, th egeneral pricing heirarchy is valid.

 

And dont forget, the prices remain a dealers best weapon when buying collections!

[adams]

Remember when there were quarterly Pricing updates ?

 

Today, the Guide is there to clearly prop up the dealers and their investments

but, since everyone is a now a "dealer" thanks to the Internet,

the Guide has tuned into a bloated and disfigured pricing/valuation nightmare

for one and all.

[Clark Khaos-migration]

Remember when there were quarterly Pricing updates ?

 

Today, the Guide is there to clearly prop up the dealers and their investments

but, since everyone is a now a "dealer" thanks to the Internet,

the Guide has tuned into a bloated and disfigured pricing/valuation nightmare

for one and all.

 

Your insight is mind-flushing. Er, blowing. Your insight is mind-blowing. It blows and flushes. Let's just leave it at that.

[otherworldsj33]

It is interesting to read the articles, and the advertisements, and the pictures of the comics are nice. As far as the prices go, especially in high grade, it is just about a relic. It really can't even be used as a buying tool much anymore, as the majority of sellers are probably just to educated to allow themsleves to be under priced by that wide of a margin. Does anyone look at it anymore to see what the true market value of their books are? I would certainly not want to insure my comics based on the Overstreet.

[Inhuman Fiend]

I've been an on and off subscriber to the Comic Buyers Guide for the past few years, and their monthly price guide claims to track all ebay sales for NM comics. I wonder if it is more accurate (for NM) since it comes out monthly and supposedly all eBay sales are tracked to arrive at the prices. Obviously you have to take into consideration that they are forced to count every auction for a book that says Near Mint even when we all know only about 10% of those books are actually in NM

But still...I would think even their flawed eBay guide would be much closer to real market prices than the annual, retail-oriented OPG and therefore should be useful as well...maybe even more useful in terms of real-world prices. Thoughts?

 

I was hoping hear some opinions on whether the CBG monthly price guide was at all useful or relevant? Anybody?