What is the point of the Overstreet Price Guide?

[SuperBird]

So, looking through the Guide when determining what I'd want to pay for assorted books; non-key midgrade Golden Age, F-VF silver age, VFish bronze age, and NM copper, I always end up discounting the Guide price by anywhere from 20-90%. I'm sure most collectors do the same. On the flip side, I see higher grade collectors multiplying the top guide price for books they look to purchase. I use the same equation when looking to sell books. In short, the OPG is now significantly removed from reality on almost every book, in almost every grade.

 

So, at what point does the Overstreet Guide become pointless?

 

I can only see prices fluctuating even more wildly in the future; will OPG become as much of a joke as baseball card price guides?

[lizards2]

So, looking through the Guide when determining what I'd want to pay for assorted books; non-key midgrade Golden Age, F-VF silver age, VFish bronze age, and NM copper, I always end up discounting the Guide price by anywhere from 20-90%. I'm sure most collectors do the same. On the flip side, I see higher grade collectors multiplying the top guide price for books they look to purchase. I use the same equation when looking to sell books.

 

I think you just answered your own question, for the most part.

 

OSPG prices are perfect world, retail prices. Few of us operate in that world or in a retail environment, and we're more acutely aware of supply and demand. And, we temper our purchases with our experiences, so that we can determine what we're willing to pay on a given item.

 

OSPG is still an invaluable resource for ballpark estimates of value, and for determining other items like reprints, artists, issue #s, etc. That's why I only buy one about every five years, but I still buy one none the less.

[1Cool]

I use it kind of like an equation starting point. If I am buying - Its OPG x .2 through .3 depending on grade. I try to set my prices between .3 - .4 depending on the same criteria. I actually need less calculations at my engineering job than is needed to derive a good price for comics.

 

I had a person e-mail me with a list of pretty nice Modern books that they would sell for 35% off guide and I had to laugh. He wouldn't budge below 50% guide and I had to walk. Would end up losing big money on all but a few modern books at 50% guide.

[nik]

I use it as dividers for my books

[SuperBird]

I had until recently thought that midgrade GA books were about right in guide, but am finding more and more dealers starting to add 25-50% guide to even semi-desirable non-key VG books. I suppose OPG is useful still as a reference.

[skybolt]

mattbird, I feel the same way you do. I've purchased the OS guide each of the past 5 years, and have become more and more disappointed each time. The first couple of years I was really enthused to get a copy and read the market reports, check out the pricing, and learn about various GA titles that I'd never even heard of before. However, now that I've been a part of these boards for the past 2.5 years, a lot of that information seems a bit obsolete or behind the times IMO. No direspect intended, but the market reports seem redundant year after year, the dealer advertising hardly ever changes, I don't read the platinum section, and the pricing is sometimes bewildering.

 

It just seems to me that someone just spends a few minutes looking over each major title and making a broad decision. "Hmmm, raise all Batmans by 3% (even though a lot of these issues could be had for 75% guide in mid grade), the Silver Surfer is hot so let's bump up those issues by 10%, I have no clue what's going on with these Jungle books so let's keep the prices stagnant, etc." I just don't get the feeling that someone spends days upon days analyzing this stuff, checking GPA, asking dealers, etc. to really update the guide to meet reality.

 

I personally don't understand how dealers can note a book as a classic cover (war, GGA,etc.), charge 4X guide for it (rightly so in most cases), but not mention this to Overstreet (since they're on the committee). Now if this informaton is shared and Overstreet thinks it's too time consuming to break out these issues and conduct all this research, then shame on him! I'm beginning to feel the same way "Lizard" does and perhaps only pick-up a copy every 3 or 4 years. As long as their sales are strong they'll never change a thing and keep giving us a guide that takes the "good" value multiplies it by 2 to get the "very good" value, and then adds the 2 to get the "Fine" value. Wow, I personally think this is useless since we can all perform basic math.

 

Sorry for the

[Wally's Comics]

They should sell the market reports and articles reperately in a small book with the

price guide (in pdf form) on a CD attached. That way if you ever wanted

to get a prices you just print it.

 

It should would be nice for those that want to be enviormentally conscience.

 

 

[seank]

For pricing, knowing the market is key. I use OS, eBay and Heritage closed auction data, these boards, and my own knowledge from going to shows. Thus, OS is only part of the equation.

 

I agree that for many books, it's useless. I hate that they list everything at cover price or above. I believe the one thing OS needs to become more relevant as a PRICE guide, is to reflect that many books have nominal value, very much under cover price.

 

On the other hand, I do find OS valuable as a reference for dates of publication, artist and writer credits, and character appearances. For me, it's easier to open a book than to turn on the computer and search the Internet. I also highlight certain areas of the book to show that I have certain comics so I don't buy duplicates.

 

That said, I buy OS every two years, just so the prices I have don't get too out of whack. I don't think the book is so valuable that I need one every year.

[Wally's Comics]

That said, I buy OS every two years, just so the prices I have don't get too out of whack.

 

ya know, I think I am going to do that starting this year.

 

I used to buy every year, but the covers look so weak this year and

the fact that I will be cutting back because of my newborn

(here is a place I could easily cut and not miss it)

 

 

[deathlok]

The OSPG is a great resource, just not for prices. I use the overstreet all the time to refer to the issues notes as well as print runs, artist info, key notation, etc.

[OldGuy]

I use the overstreet all the time to refer to the issues notes as well as print runs, artist info, key notation, etc.

 

That's 90% of why I use it. If for nothing else, it will always be useful for the reasons you listed.

[divad]

The OSPG is a great resource, just not for prices. I use the overstreet all the time to refer to the issues notes as well as print runs, artist info, key notation, etc.

 

I agree . . . I think it's just fashionable to bash it. (except for Nik's comment, I think you're all wannabe's)

 

. . . and D' and and OG's and . . .

[Silver Surfer]

Personally I think its a waste of time as they are just going through the motions and adjusting values a small percentage each year, no real effort to do this properly from what I can tell. To me GPA is the way of the future.

[deathlok]

Personally I think its a waste of time as they are just going through the motions and adjusting values a small percentage each year, no real effort to do this properly from what I can tell. To me GPA is the way of the future.

 

GPA doesn't track raw sales, nor should slab prices reflect raw books prices.

[deathlok]

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.

[Silver Surfer]

Personally I think its a waste of time as they are just going through the motions and adjusting values a small percentage each year, no real effort to do this properly from what I can tell. To me GPA is the way of the future.

 

GPA doesn't track raw sales, nor should slab prices reflect raw books prices.

 

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

[toro]

I always love to read the market reports and try to figure out who is being truthful and who is trying to pump up a book or a certain age of books.

 

You read one report, and it will say "Silver Age War are Blazing, Red Hot!!!!!!" The next advisor writes "I almost have to give away Silver Age War", but look out for those rare Archie Teen Age Mutant Ninja Turtles,,,,with the new movie coming out this one is taking off! It's always some kind of stupid c rap like that. Or they might say CGC books have cooled off,,,,no, it is just the fact that people mostly aren't paying big bucks for a 9.8 Ultimate Spider-Man #86, or paying insane prices for a non-key silver age in 9.0.

[deathlok]

Personally I think its a waste of time as they are just going through the motions and adjusting values a small percentage each year, no real effort to do this properly from what I can tell. To me GPA is the way of the future.

 

GPA doesn't track raw sales, nor should slab prices reflect raw books prices.

 

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

It's not BS. Every dealer I talk with about the price of a book, refers to guide price, which is adjusted based upon the book in question. It's not like the dealer says, "Oh yeah, NM- Alpha Flight #8, that's $120".

[heinlein99]

I enjoy flipping through the guide, and I enjoy reading the market reports. I also use it for my website (see sig) to check issue numbers & so forth (though I don't need a new Guide every year for this).

 

In the modern era, though, an annual price guide is simply too obsolete, especially when we've got GPA, Heritage, eBay, and other sources to refer to.

[OldGuy]

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.