Raw comics

[Kevin76]

No, it's more like cough, cough, Not really a boston copy, cough, cough

 

Not really a Boston?!!?!!?...say it isn't so.....but,but...he says he has the certificate at home and will mail it to me.......

 

J.D.

 

Jonny,

all he has to do is take his pre-typeset certificate and write down the issue number and sign it,I've seen him do it,it's a cheap certificate...he can get just about any NM book post 65 the boston notation. Kevin

[jkrk]

 

 

"nobody likes to overpay, but on good stuff its not the end of the world. More often than not for the prime high grade books you DO have to overpay. And as the value increases, you get your money back and then some.

 

For midgrade its tougher. The only solution is to become proficient at grading, and even better, to be able to grade just as CGC will grade the book. Then you can walk away if you cant negotiate the price down to the condition you say it is. Nice thing is, in midgrade, another copy will come along shortly. Not so in high grade"

 

.

 

I don't know what you do (collector, investor, etc.) but I showed the post to my wife (who is the real authority in my collecting hobby ) and she said you sound like a dealer. It was uncanny but that was exactly my sentiment. I wouldn't be so cavalier to believe that the value will increase as sure a day follows night. Time will tell. Anyway, high grade multiples of price doesn't really apply to me so I do have a choice in what I buy.

 

Reading through the thread it does seem to be a battle between those sellers who need impulsive buyers who will pay any price for a book that wish to obtain and buyers who have been around the block with a number of dealers. I understand that the seller has all the cards if the buyer wants to buy a unique item. The guide is worthless if the buyer must own the book. Every buyer approaches the hobby differently. I am not saying I am correct in my approach but do I need to understand how or why others overpay? I am willing to accept it and I am more than happy since I sell some books as well. I will sell every book I own if undisciplined collectors or dealers need some books that I have.

 

I recently attempted to buy a book on E-Bay and was amused with a sellers response. I was high bidder in the auction and conatcted him after the sale (a major seller). I asked him how much he wanted for the book? He indicated that he lists the book for $1500 in his catalogue but would let the book go for $1300. Recognizing that he was positioning himself for a negotiation I passed since my high price was around $975. He E-mailed me again saying I should make a bid. I explained that we were far apart and disclosed that I could only bid $975 based on

a number of recent transactions regarding that book. He wanted to know if I was a dealer? Was he saying that customers are unsophisticated or stupid? I recognize that dealers are in business to make money and so I am beginning to suspect that dealers are mainly interested in retail customers. Whatever. I will continue to buy a total package (nice book at a good price). That makes me happy. The real key is that everyone should do what makes them happy.

 

 

 

 

[Kevin76]

she said you sound like a dealer. It was uncanny but that was exactly my sentiment.

 

Oh I guess you two were just made for each other

[jkrk]

She's the smart one. I just copy what she say's.

[supapimp]

No, it's more like cough, cough, Not really a boston copy, cough, cough

 

really?

[jkrk]

I read BB's post and here is the message I picked up. Everyone is having their comics graded by CGC so it is becomming increasingly difficult to buy material. Most dealers do not undergrade. Often you can buy CGC books at a slight premium. So what is the point for collectors who don't wish to spend as much time as dealers in finding material? Buy CGC graded books or you are probably buying overgraded books or are wasting your time negotiating for raw books that are probably selling slightly below CGC graded books. My added thought is :

 

Are you buying the book at enough of a discount to account for the restoration risk?

 

The nuggets are getting smaller and smaller and I suspect some fool's gold is starting to appear.

[sfilosa]

I read BB's post and here is the message I picked up. Everyone is having their comics graded by CGC so it is becomming increasingly difficult to buy material. Most dealers do not undergrade. Often you can buy CGC books at a slight premium. So what is the point for collectors who don't wish to spend as much time as dealers in finding material? Buy CGC graded books or you are probably buying overgraded books or are wasting your time negotiating for raw books that are probably selling slightly below CGC graded books. My added thought is :

 

Are you buying the book at enough of a discount to account for the restoration risk?

 

The nuggets are getting smaller and smaller and I suspect some fool's gold is starting to appear.

 

 

For me, there are really only three reasons to buy ungraded books:

 

1) You are buying a book that you believe if CGC'd in the condition you think it is, is worth substantially more than what you have to pay. In other words you plan on selling the book and feel you have got a good/great deal on the price. Basically, what a dealer hopes to accomplish. I would only buy an expensive book like this at a convention so I could have it CGC'd immediately, since even good dealers can't detect all types of restoration.

 

2) More importantly to me, the book is such that it isn't worth buying CGC'd. If I can buy the book for $20-25 raw and $40-45 CGC'd, I'm really paying a high percentage for CGC's services (i.e. 50% of the cost of the book is because it's graded). Most late Silver-Age and newer books in less than NM- fall into this category except Keys.

 

3) Lastly, if so few copies of a book are graded and a book comes from a reputable pedigree, I might buy a raw copy. This is simply because graded copies are not available. The book has to come from a known dealer and a pedigree that is not known for have any restoration done (i.e. most of pedigrees that have come to the market in the past 7 years of less). Unfortunately, there are a lot of older pedigrees (especially Mile Highs) that have had some restoration.

 

To sum it up, I don't buy very many raw books, but would like to find a dealer that grades strictly on those Non-Expensive books (#2).

 

[Darthdiesel]

And for the record many of the High end collectors do nothing more than rant and rave about how tight their grading is when buying and yet go blind when selling.