PGC Mint Sales

[Tarboosh]

Hello, I am new to posting on the boards, but I have been collecting comics for a long time.

 

I noticed several books sold on PGC Mint's web site, and wondered what others thought of these purchases (insane prices paid? good investment? etc.) In general, I'm interested in people's thoughts about the ultra-high grade market (way overpriced or will prices continue to go up?)

 

Just a few examples of recent sales on PGC's page:

$1200 Green Lantern 30 9.6

$3750 Strange Adventures 180 9.8

$1050 Amazing Spider-Man 76 9.6

$850 Jimmy Olsen 93 9.8

$3750 Doom Patrol 86 9.8

$1950 Swamp Thing 1 9.8

$1150 Swamp Thing 1 9.6

$2250 Werewolf By Night 1 9.8

[g-man]

the ASM #76 price is very high. Speculation during movie hype?

Any silver/bronze key or semi-key will usually demand a premium.

Swamp Thing #1 in 9.6 for $1150? Yikes! I would rather have so many other books and pick up a 9.4 for like $200 or so on a good ebay day.

 

[greggy]

Hello, I am new to posting on the boards, but I have been collecting comics for a long time.

 

I noticed several books sold on PGC Mint's web site, and wondered what others thought of these purchases (insane prices paid? good investment? etc.) In general, I'm interested in people's thoughts about the ultra-high grade market (way overpriced or will prices continue to go up?)

 

Just a few examples of recent sales on PGC's page:

$1200 Green Lantern 30 9.6

$3750 Strange Adventures 180 9.8

$1050 Amazing Spider-Man 76 9.6

$850 Jimmy Olsen 93 9.8

$3750 Doom Patrol 86 9.8

$1950 Swamp Thing 1 9.8

$1150 Swamp Thing 1 9.6

$2250 Werewolf By Night 1 9.8

 

Are sure that they sold these books recently? I recall seeing the Strange Adventures 180 CGC 9.8 Pacific Coast copy at ComicLink for almost $3,000 recently but it's not on their site anymore. I'll be surprised that someone paid that much for it recently.

[fantastic_four]

Overpriced for the short term, but those prices should go up over the long term. The primary risk is an increase in the supply of those issues in high grade. You know the supply will go up, but it's hard to say by how much.

[Rip]

$1150 Swamp Thing 1 9.6 that's CRAZY

What's he smokin??

There a lots of em in high grade. Many many more than the census reflects.

[sfilosa]

Overpriced for the short term, but those prices should go up over the long term.

 

I think this is what all the analysis said about the INTERNET STOCKS in 2000.

 

 

There is no guarantee that these books haven't already hit their high in our lifetime.

 

So yeah, I think if these are actual sales, then the prices are in general way too high.

 

I said this many times, but CGC changed everything regarding the value of true NM books And as time goes on, that "irrational exhuberance" that followed for CGC NM and better books, will slowly dwindle.

[Aces]

Be careful with newer comics!

There may be only 1 or 2 9.8s today, but 5 to 10 years from now there may be a dozen.

 

[Rip]

I don't think these are current sales.

Swamp Thing 1 9.6 prices for this year avg. a little over $500 (IMO still too high)

Ouch that guy got burned!!!

[COI]

The thing about Mark Wilson is that it seems he does not hesitate to pay absolute top-dollar for his books. As a result, you have to pay over-the-top dollar to get them from him. And because he pays well, he gets access to stuff you don't see anywhere else. And some hard-core collectors see this, and realize they have to pay up if they want these books, so he does make sales. I also would think that he has at least a couple of pure investors on his client list. That seems to me to be his M.O, and it seems to work for him. Some of the stuff on his site is mind-boggling.

[Rip]

I've been questioning how much in sales he really does on these books. That's quite a lot of money to have tied up that could be turned around much faster with smaller profit per book sales.

 

[COI]

True, but we don't really know a lot. He says he's only part time, which means he probably dosen't do this for a living as he dosen't seem to be in any hurry to sell books. We also don't know how much private business he does, or how many of the books on his site are owned by investors/backers, or on consignment.

[MrNice-migration]

Agreed! And also agreed upon that Mark pays very well for books in his unique inventory. But there's sometimes a reciprocal effect in pricing items well beyond full boat. It draws attention.

 

For every 10 collectors/investors that the prices chase away, 1 will be actually attracted towards an otherwise "insanely" high price (If it's that expensive...it must be better). Some folks actually pride themselves on paying through the nose for something as if bragging rights go along with the top dollar amount they paid.

 

Never underestimate that effect. The fact that someone can afford it and prides themself in that fact that price is of no object.

 

There's a famous Tea Room in Japan that serves only two different cups of tea. The standard cup of tea on the menu is $1.00. The "special" cup of tea is $250.00. Along with the $250.00 cup of tea, there is a special ceremony involving the preparation, pouring, and presentation of the beverage, but, in essence, it is the exact same cup of tea that is on the standard menu for $1.00. No difference. The fact that a person can afford to spend $250.00 for a cup of tea, and brag about it, is the draw and popularity of this much ordered item!!

[Rip]

Good points both of you. But while checking his site over the last few months I see few sales/decrease in inventory.

However I did see a little more activity earlier in the year.

Who knows? But I'm sure these aren't just his books.

[Aman619]

For every 10 collectors/investors that the prices chase away, 1 will be actually attracted towards an otherwise "insanely" high price (If it's that expensive...it must be better). Some folks actually pride themselves on paying through the nose for something as if bragging rights go along with the top dollar amount they paid.

 

thats true..these buyers exist....and but theyre victims many dealers pray for.

It IS VERY possible to overpay for something you want, including something special, rare, or even one-of-a-kind.

[panhandlefool]

I never saw this website until this thread. He definitely has some amazing stuff. He has 1265 listed CGC books listed as "Highest Graded", most of which are still available. Some of the "highest graded" books have other copies in the same grade. I'm fortunate to have some of these "tied" "highest graded" copies, and from my records I've paid about 60% of his asking price. Yes, they do seem expensive, but given his financial/business situation, if it works for him, more power to the guy, I say. Good luck to all.

[Aman619]

send him an email and he will exlain how he has mortgaged his family's assets buying these books at far above retail...totally blissfully (hes very religious) confident that hes gotten them cheap and prices will skyrocket in the future. I kid you not.

 

Sounds like Ralph Kramden to me!!

[panhandlefool]

Well, I could understand an independently wealthy individual buying these books, enjoying them, and then putting high prices out there on a website they'd learn how to design and maintain. Kind of a way to make $$ on the side. I'd love to give that a try. I've thought about putting my own books out there on a website with a high price, not giving them away, but if someone really wanted to buck up for them, so be it. After all, EVERY ONE has their price. And if the books don't sell - so be it, I'd own them, and I'd enjoy them. But time constraints, and that "to-do" list of priorities and things to do that we all have seems to get in the way of doing this, and learning to play an instrument, and getting in better shape, and adding on to the house... You get the picture.

 

But mortgaging personal assets and convincing oneself that everyone should be buying them from you right now seems ridiculous.

 

Just my thoughts. Regardless, a fantastic collection of books he has.

 

Good luck to all.

[MrNice-migration]

Bear in mind that alot of these "highest CGC graded examples" are their own hype vehicle created by the extremely limited number of submissions due to surpressed value rather than rarity of numbers.

For example:

 

World's Finest 298..highest graded copy: 9.8...total submissions: 1

Superboy 242 ... Highest graded copy: 8.0...total submissions: 1

 

Sure there are many examples of these that exist at the bottom end of the submission spectrum, but many times, the total amount of copies submitted may be misleadingly omitted from consideration in these "highest graded copy surefire investment" books.

[NoImSpartacus]

I've thought about putting my own books out there on a website with a high price, not giving them away, but if someone really wanted to buck up for them, so be it. After all, EVERY ONE has their price. And if the books don't sell - so be it, I'd own them, and I'd enjoy them.

 

The theory is sound. The only problem is that the finest books will sell leaving you with the lowest books you have. I have found in the past and regret later that I sold them cause I found they are very very hard to replace. I found this even more so when owning a store. After 4 to 6 months collectors wipe you out of everything with eye appeal or rarity leaving you only with low grade items. It also leaves you on an unending inventory hunt for rare items again to resell. Which at times can get very hard. I only wish now that I still owned the books that I flipped 10 or 12 years ago which would each be worth a fortune at this time. Hold on to your books unless you can really use the bucks.

[panhandlefool]

The theory is sound. The only problem is that the finest books will sell leaving you with the lowest books you have. I have found in the past and regret later that I sold them cause I found they are very very hard to replace. I found this even more so when owning a store. After 4 to 6 months collectors wipe you out of everything with eye appeal or rarity leaving you only with low grade items. It also leaves you on an unending inventory hunt for rare items again to resell. Which at times can get very hard. I only wish now that I still owned the books that I flipped 10 or 12 years ago which would each be worth a fortune at this time. Hold on to your books unless you can really use the bucks.

 

Definitely good advice. But one could temper that by putting even higher prices on the "finest books", and if they sell, you have the $$ to go to ebay (or elsewhere) and hunt for equal replacements. It appears that's what he has done. And the unending inventory hunt could be part of the joy of collecting, depending on how you view the situation. But, there is always "the one that got away", the issue that became key for whatever reason, or the title that appreciates in value substantially and you "once had a copy of that". Thanks for the reply.