In what Golden Age Line would you buy? 2 2

[NoImSpartacus]

Can all of you with golden age expertise help me out? I have just sold my volkwagon beetle and now have $ 5000 to play with. I know this amount does not allow me to purchase heavy duty golden age books like a low number Marvel, Capt Americas, or Submariner but if you had $ 5000 in line of books would you look to choose one from.

 

Its special cause its the only time I will buy a book for $ 5000 even though I know its not alot in golden age. I would like this book to have nice eye appeal but also be buying this piece as an investment cause I will hold it till Im 75 yrs old or pass it down to my son. So, it has to have investment potential too.

 

Here are my parameters.

1. Nice eye appeal.

2. Investment potential

3. In high grade if possible.

4. Or a key book mid number in slighly lower grade if need be.

 

I can choose the book but need to know what title to look into for future price rise.

 

I dont get $ 5000 to often in one large clump and its small compared to many golden age prices but, if I wanted to enjoy and invest in one book, which title would I look towards. Would I go for an All Star Comics, Submariner, Phantom Lady, Speed, Thrilling, Action, Detective, Capt America, All Flash, Planet, Torch, Batman, Marvel, Military comics, Mystic, Sensation, Startling, USA, Target, Young Allies, etc. etc. etc.

 

I have been collecting Planets for a while now but Fiction house I believe is not a front line title but a secondary line. Also, because of the $ 5000 that I have together this one time, I wish this book to be somewhat of a bluechip and special. Out of all the titles, which title would I go to for a high grade $ 5000 book that will go up in value over the next 20 years. For a high grade, I would assume I would have to buy a mid number of many of the titles mentioned. Which would be better, a higher grade mid numbered book or a lower grade low numbered book?

 

What title line would you choose and why?

Thanks for any help which is very appreciated.

[sfilosa]

I would recommend that you buy a variety of books in VF to VF/NM from several publishers. You should probably look at books in $100-500 range. Obviously, CGC books are the way to go for that type of money. Keep it to SuperHeroes, Sci-Fi or Horror as those genres seem to almost always have a following (and should 30 years from now).

 

I personally believe that:

 

The main title books from DC and Timely have most of their appreciation already built in, once they were CGC'd. In other words, just from a investment point of view:

 

1) if you buy two books, one slightly below guide and one slightly above guide,

2) and they both increase in value by the same percentage,

3) after many years your return on the slightly below guide book will be

4) substantially more than slightly above guide book.

 

 

Also, buying 10-15 books, diversifies your risk and makes a much COOL collection.

 

 

 

[ghoulaid]

Golden Age I was advised many years ago to spend as much as I could afford on the best condition books. That's great advice but I didn't really follow it because I'd only own about 20 comics now if I had. I always tried to get as many books as I could in F/VF or better with however much money I had instead of blowing all on one book. This was pre CGC days so paying many multiples of guide wasn't usually a problem like it is today.

 

You can't go wrong buying DC and Timely superhero titles. All other companies are 2nd tier and I would say Fiction House is 3rd tier (Planet is cool though). I always prefered anthology titles over others: Flash over All Flash, All American over Green Lantern, Marvel Mystery over Human Torch for example. That's just me. I like the variety. The most valuable comics have always been Action #1, Marvel Comics #1 and Detective #27 - all anthologies. As much as I like titles like Speed, Startling and Thrilling, I would stay away from those for investment purposes. Stick with DC, Timely: Action, Detective, Marvel Mystery are proven winners. Nothing wrong with All Star, Adventure, Mystic, USA, etc either. Sounds like you're going to have FUN!

 

 

[NoImSpartacus]

Thanks to both of you. 5 Stars coming both your ways. Anyone else with any thoughts?

 

[Zonker]

If you really don't have a personal favorite, I would go with books that fit the following criteria for a combination of investment and an enjoyable introduction to Golden Age collecting:

 

- iconic characters

- Timely or DC

- I'll second the idea of going for anthologies vs. solo books

- "good" (collectible or potentially-collectible) artists

 

So, I'd steer you towards the early cardboard covers (up to #17) of Worlds Finest Comics-- ya don't get more iconic than Superman / Batman, and many of the books from #5 to #11 have WWII patriotic covers. And as mentioned in this post on another thread Overstreet hasn't gotten the correct notations for Jerry Robinson art. Robinson is in my opinion, one of the overlooked geniuses of the Golden Age.

 

Good Luck!

Z.

 

[stagedoorjohnny]

 

DC and Timely superheroes only, if you are buying only a couple of books. I would target mid-number high grades (VF or better only, unrestored) in those publishers, pre 1945. Go for covers that you like, minor keys, and classic icon covers. WWII covers are always great. My biggest piece of advice is to take your time and wait until a book comes up that really catches your eye. You can only get a couple books tops in this condition at this budget, so be picky and don't get frustrated. As always, buy only the books that you truly like. I, personally, would prefer getting high grade mid-numbers over any low grade key. Pedigrees will always seperate your book from others. Good luck!

[NoImSpartacus]

Hello Stagedoorjohnny,

Thanks for your bit of advice. Between all of your help I am able to form a good opinion as to what area to buy. You all generally have the same opinion so its great cause its not confusing. Time to do some research and determine which books to go after. I THANK YOU all for your posts of advice!!!!

Gave you all 5 Stars for you help. Sincerely, Jeff

[Shield]

I would say if you can find them, Pep Comics 22-49 in high grade always go way over guide, and is pure Americana. Same goes for the first 10 issues of Archie, if you can find them!

[NoImSpartacus]

Thanks Shield,

Your advice is always appreciated. I will look into Pep and Archie as well. I am looking them up as I write and will do some research into them. What is interesting is that years ago I had one of these books in the low numbers but not high grade. Maybe in fine. Didnt think that people collected Archies or Peps but it flew out of here about 1 hour after putting it online. After that moment, I understood that they must be hard to come by. I am sure you have a point about their rarity with these. Thanks again, Jeff

[Shield]

I'm going to send you a link (offline) to my MLJ marketing information; this will totally help you understand what these items have fetched on EBAY....

 

Check your PM...and don't give what I send you out to anyone...

[NoImSpartacus]

Undertstood!!! And Thanks!!! Jeff

[sfilosa]

It appears that I was the only one to say stay away from Timely and DC. It's not that I don't think these books are great and will be in demand in the future.

 

I just think, if the book is already CGC'd, you are less likely to get a good deal.

 

I'm a big believer for investment purposes in:

 

1) Buy Low, Sell High

2) The Glass Ceiling Effect

 

Are you really going to find a good deal on a nice VF CGC'd Timely. Where? I'm looking and I don't see anyone just giving these away.

 

And then say you do buy a nice Timely in CGC VF for $750. If you want to make an 8% annual return on the book and plan to sell it in 25 years, you need to sell it for $6,000. That seems like a steep price (even in the future) for a non-key, non-NM book. That to me is the Glass Ceiling effect, and will almost always be felt on non-key, non-ultrahigh grade books first and foremost.

 

Just my opinion.

 

[FlComicFan]

DC's are overpriced other than the keys Timely's sell for over guide so you wont get no great deal. Buy some esoteric publishers with great ünknown"covers Titles such as Super Mystery, Speed, many MLJ's have killer covers and sell for peanuts by guide and sometimes you can even pick them up below guide since they are not as known as Superman, Batman etc Give me a killer cover from a secondary publisher over yet another drull drab boring DC anyday

[stagedoorjohnny]

 

I agree with the last post on the DC's to a certain extent. I would be much more picky as to what issues of DC to buy and their condition. They, with Timely's, may seem fully/over valued. But IMHO they will always command a premium, especially in high grade. And when the market does soften, they will still be in demand where as with lesser pubs you may have a tough time moving them if you chose to. There are some great covers, though, from the other publishers. I am particularly fond of the Schomburg Nedors. Bottom line, collect what you like and have fun doing it. There is no right answer.

[NoImSpartacus]

Thankyou very much for imput. Gave you all 5 stars. Will take everything into consideration and make a good guided decision from all the info given me.

Thanks again, Jeff

[garthgantu]

I'm fully in agreement with Zonker on this one... I was going to suggest Superman first, Batman second. My reasoning is that you're planning to hold the book(s) for what sounds like 30-50 years (without knowing your age)...

 

And with that type of long-term plan, it seems to me that you want to absolutely stick with the iconic aspect that Zonker mentions.

 

If you had to bet on Golden Age characters who'll *definitely still be around in 30-50 years, who would you put your money on?

Beyond Supes, Batman, and a couple other heros (Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Flash), the only others I can think of are Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck, since it's safe to say that Disney will never let those characters leave the limelight.

But funny animal stuff, much as I love it personally, doesn't have the broad fan base today that will ensure significant appreciation over decades, at least not to the extent that the superhero characters will.

 

World's Finest seems like a good choice, along with the eponymous titles for Supes and Batman, and of course Detective and Action...

 

Good luck!

[Shield]

I'm fully in agreement with Zonker on this one... I was going to suggest Superman first, Batman second. My reasoning is that you're planning to hold the book(s) for what sounds like 30-50 years (without knowing your age)...

 

And with that type of long-term plan, it seems to me that you want to absolutely stick with the iconic aspect that Zonker mentions.

 

If you had to bet on Golden Age characters who'll *definitely still be around in 30-50 years, who would you put your money on?

Beyond Supes, Batman, and a couple other heros (Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Flash), the only others I can think of are Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck, since it's safe to say that Disney will never let those characters leave the limelight.

But funny animal stuff, much as I love it personally, doesn't have the broad fan base today that will ensure significant appreciation over decades, at least not to the extent that the superhero characters will.

 

World's Finest seems like a good choice, along with the eponymous titles for Supes and Batman, and of course Detective and Action...

 

Good luck!

 

What, no Archie Andrews here in 50 years?! GASP....!!!!!!!!!

[garthgantu]

I think in 50 years it'll be all about Jughead, man... he's really the straw that stirs the MLJ drink I mean, you GOTTA be cool to wear a hat like that!

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

18 years later, this advice is about what I’d expect today

[eschnit]

On 8/12/2021 at 10:34 PM, GreatCaesarsGhost said:

18 years later, this advice is about what I’d expect today

I find it funny that the OP specifically said., I want to buy 1 big book, and the advice starts out buy a bunch of books. Smh