Sale pending @ 85k

[COMICLINK]

If someone bumps this thread 5 years from now, I would like to be on record as saying I think the buyer got a great deal. That was a very decent looking 2.0, and if I was in a position to afford it I would definitely have pulled the trigger.

\

 

You are right - it was a very nice 2.0. Compare it to the 2.5 that was sold awhile ago with the big ugly chunk out and it looks like a VG! Don't and it is still a good looking 2.0 (GD 2.0 = bad and it really had a nice presence to it). -Josh

[COMICLINK]

Somebody pays 76X guide for a Spider-man 86, or 13K for Reform School Girl, 18K for Detective 35, and they're "lucky" or a "savvy collector."

 

But if they pay merely double guide for the most famous and important book of all

 

 

it's all good Bluechip.....meaning it's all good for all of us. Whether you are talking about FFB's record price Spidey sale, or my record price Reform School Girl! sale, or this Action #1 record price in grade? sale, this is all a sign of a very healthy, robust comic book market. The news reports about our industry are almost all focused on new issue sales being down....I don't think I have ever heard a report about the back issue market we all deal in. Kids have replaced reading with video games, but it's grown-ups like us who have replaced investing in Wall Street with investing in DC comics, and it is paying off big time. You don't see Batman being convicted of reporting false earnings to artificially inflate his own stock value.

 

Everytime a new record price is achieved, we alll have a little boost to our own collections, big or small. It proves that we are smart, and know what we are doing, and comics are not just a hobby for geeks with pocket protectors and Superman pillow cases, but it is a serious and intense collectibles market with plenty of room to expand and grow and prosper. It always puzzled me a little that a US coin can and did sell for $7 million or $8 million ( can't rememeber which ),. a Honus Wagner baseball card sold for $2.3 million ( from memory ), but the most expensive comic book ever sold was $500,000? ( again from memory ). Well if baseball cards and coins can be worth million and millions, I believe it is only matter of time before Action #1 and Detective #27 join the multi-million dollar collectibles club (probably won't be a 2.0, but you get the idea).

 

I hope the next Actioin #1 2.0 sells $125,000.....not because I want to be further priced out of the market for the key of all keys, but I'm convinced it makes my Tec 35 that much more special and desirable, in a trickle down sort of way.Congrats to both the buyers and sellers for the record prices being set on all comic books....they both did great.

 

Steve M

 

You have hit the nail on the head. Nothing is set in stone, but I am still a bull. In ten years, I predict that Action #1 2.0 will be worth $250,000. The All Star #8 8.5 on ComicLink will be worth $200,000. The Batman #1 9.0 on ComicLink will be worth $1,000,000. Comic books and comic art are still underachievers in the overall collectible market and characters like these - Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, are timeless and popularity is only growing. The value of the keys should follow.

 

-Josh

[Aman619]

Somebody pays 76X guide for a Spider-man 86, or 13K for Reform School Girl, 18K for Detective 35, and they're "lucky" or a "savvy collector."

 

But if they pay merely double guide for the most famous and important book of all

 

 

it's all good Bluechip.....meaning it's all good for all of us. Whether you are talking about FFB's record price Spidey sale, or my record price Reform School Girl! sale, or this Action #1 record price in grade? sale, this is all a sign of a very healthy, robust comic book market. The news reports about our industry are almost all focused on new issue sales being down....I don't think I have ever heard a report about the back issue market we all deal in. Kids have replaced reading with video games, but it's grown-ups like us who have replaced investing in Wall Street with investing in DC comics, and it is paying off big time. You don't see Batman being convicted of reporting false earnings to artificially inflate his own stock value.

 

Everytime a new record price is achieved, we alll have a little boost to our own collections, big or small. It proves that we are smart, and know what we are doing, and comics are not just a hobby for geeks with pocket protectors and Superman pillow cases, but it is a serious and intense collectibles market with plenty of room to expand and grow and prosper. It always puzzled me a little that a US coin can and did sell for $7 million or $8 million ( can't rememeber which ),. a Honus Wagner baseball card sold for $2.3 million ( from memory ), but the most expensive comic book ever sold was $500,000? ( again from memory ). Well if baseball cards and coins can be worth million and millions, I believe it is only matter of time before Action #1 and Detective #27 join the multi-million dollar collectibles club (probably won't be a 2.0, but you get the idea).

 

I hope the next Actioin #1 2.0 sells $125,000.....not because I want to be further priced out of the market for the key of all keys, but I'm convinced it makes my Tec 35 that much more special and desirable, in a trickle down sort of way.Congrats to both the buyers and sellers for the record prices being set on all comic books....they both did great.

 

Steve M

 

You have hit the nail on the head. Nothing is set in stone, but I am still a bull. In ten years, I predict that Action #1 2.0 will be worth $250,000. The All Star #8 8.5 on ComicLink will be worth $200,000. The Batman #1 9.0 on ComicLink will be worth $1,000,000. Comic books and comic art are still underachievers in the overall collectible market and characters like these - Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, are timeless and popularity is only growing. The value of the keys should follow.

 

-Josh

 

nah, but 1 out of 3 aint bad. Action 1s are money in the bank. the other two are a different ballgame. Great books but no comparison cayse they need an explanation.

[Norrin_Radd]

Comic books and comic art are still underachievers in the overall collectible market...

 

But the thing is, they will probably always be the underachiever compared to coins or fine art. I don't think comics and comic collecting will ever be much more popular than it has been in the last five years. Comics have hit the mainstream in a big way and yet comics are still the underachiever.

 

Under what scenario would comics rise in popularity to the level of other more established collectibles?

 

 

That being said, I think Batman and key Batman comics will always have a following as long as people still collect comics.

 

(But will they? )

[dizzyfoxx]

Comic books and comic art are still underachievers in the overall collectible market...

 

But the thing is, they will probably always be the underachiever compared to coins or fine art. I don't think comics and comic collecting will ever be much more popular than it has been in the last five years. Comics have hit the mainstream in a big way and yet comics are still the underachiever.

 

Under what scenario would comics rise in popularity to the level of other more established collectibles?

 

 

That being said, I think Batman and key Batman comics will always have a following as long as people still collect comics.

 

(But will they? )

 

(But will they? )

 

I sure will.

[COMICLINK]

Comic books and comic art are still underachievers in the overall collectible market...

 

But the thing is, they will probably always be the underachiever compared to coins or fine art. I don't think comics and comic collecting will ever be much more popular than it has been in the last five years. Comics have hit the mainstream in a big way and yet comics are still the underachiever.

 

Under what scenario would comics rise in popularity to the level of other more established collectibles?

 

Good question. What needs to happen is more of what is already happening. Geppi's museum, for example, is a great thing for establishing comic books and comic art as a more mainstream investment. The more museums and galleries that showcase items from our hobby, and take it seriously, the more mainstream the collector-investor reach. Some of these are important and timeless items historically, and have become so much a part of American, and even Canadian and British culture that most people could not even imagine a world without Superman or Batman. Comic books like those I've mentioned have mainstream appeal already, which is growing with the movies and books about them, and with the passing of time. Comic book creators are gaining more exposure and power than ever before as comic books transitions into movies and entirely new movies with comic themes are created. It was impossible to make the Human Torch or Spider-Man look cool before but now everyone is jumping on the superhero bandwagon. More books are also being written about comics and by comic book writers. My favorite TV show is Heroes. Record sales continue to be reached for comic books - a lot more $50K+ sales have been reached within the last few years then ever before. Prices dealers and collectors would have thought laughable only 5--7 years ago are now realistic and seen as potentially good investments ($21K for a Hulk #181?). Of course I was of the same opinion, but I have been proven wrong.

 

The reality is, you only need a little bit of "big money" to come in to move this market because the scarcity is certainly here. If the Batman #1 sells for $375,000 and there are only two in 9.0, what will the next one sell for? When someone else wants one, and none are on the market to buy, what will the next offer for it be? Probably $500K? $500K is $200K LESS than the cost of a 2 bedroom apartment in Brooklyn Heights, NY. It is not unreachable for many thousands of collectors out there. One thing that certainly doesn't help, is when people within our own industry, talk down the stuff. That said, even with the naysayers, the momentum is there. CGC did wonders, the Geppi Museum is great, the movies are great, the creators are making bucks and getting respect, the comic art is moving up by leaps and bounds. It is looking good and the best of the best is close to breaking through to the other side. Soup cans are in the Metropolitan museum of art and so are some baseball cards. At some point, select comics and comic art will get there, and when it does, there will be a lot of people looking back and saying, "I should have bought that," "I should have bought that." -Josh

[Aman619]

Under what scenario would comics rise in popularity to the level of other more established collectibles?

 

Being so far behind the other mainstream collectibles in prices and awareness and acceptance, comics have a real shot at being considered a CHEAP up-and-comer to the "powers that be" in antiques etc. Parrino was drawn to comics by that hook and the gamble that he could lead others to riches by getting in on the ground floor. Who's to say others wont come to the same conclusion in the next 10 years? If and when they do, it might stick after 10 years of top grossing everywhere you look licensing/marketing of comics characters.

 

Its gonna be a GOLD RUSH, I tell ya! yeehahh!

[MrBedrock]

 

Soup cans are in the Metropolitan museum of art and so are some baseball cards. At some point, select comics and comic art will get there, and when it does, there will be a lot of people looking back and saying, "I should have bought that," "I should have bought that." -Josh

 

I am looking for a 9.0 Campbell's Tomato in the 1930's label style. Unopened. Label must be White to Off-White. Have Cream of Mushroom and Chicken Noodle to trade!

[Aman619]

and, theres also inflation at work and the increasing gap between rich and poor. Theres a lot of money out there buying tiny apartments (like Josh says) in the remaining good markets... and buying 3 dollar gas and 5 dollar coffee without flinching. Anyway, theres lots of cash around, enough to find its way to our brand of collectibles.

 

or not.

[bluechip]

[quote

. One thing that certainly doesn't help, is when people within our own industry, talk down the stuff. -Josh

 

 

 

 

Could not agree more.

 

 

And how often is that the person who talks down the sale of on Action 1 sold for 85K in good -- is the SAME person who tells you five figures is a bargain for a meaningless book just because it's in high grade.

 

Never considered it my business if the Franklin Mint sold people a spider-man pocket knife for an absurd sum of money. But that's because the Franklin Mint never went out of its way to talk down the value of spider-man comics.

 

You want people to sit back and stay silent when they see you sell a nothing book for big money, fine. Happy to do. I'll even applaud your sale. But only so long as you're not out there trying to slam down everything else.

[Ze-man]

Soup cans are in the Metropolitan museum of art and so are some baseball cards. At some point, select comics and comic art will get there, and when it does, there will be a lot of people looking back and saying, "I should have bought that," "I should have bought that." -Josh

 

I am looking for a 9.0 Campbell's Tomato in the 1930's label style. Unopened. Label must be White to Off-White. Have Cream of Mushroom and Chicken Noodle to trade!

 

 

I thought it but did not type it out. It still made me laugh though.

 

Sounds really silly, but then again no more silly then what we do for fun around here with comic books.

 

But as soon as I see a sealed Soup Can in mylar, I am outta here.

 

Ze-

[MrBedrock]

Soup cans are in the Metropolitan museum of art and so are some baseball cards. At some point, select comics and comic art will get there, and when it does, there will be a lot of people looking back and saying, "I should have bought that," "I should have bought that." -Josh

 

I am looking for a 9.0 Campbell's Tomato in the 1930's label style. Unopened. Label must be White to Off-White. Have Cream of Mushroom and Chicken Noodle to trade!

 

 

I thought it but did not type it out. It still made me laugh though.

 

Sounds really silly, but then again no more silly then what we do for fun around here with comic books.

 

But as soon as I see a sealed Soup Can in mylar, I am outta here.

 

Ze-

 

I went to an antique show a number of years ago and a guy was set up with a huge collection of condom tins from the early 1900's. Weirdest thing I ever saw.

Some of them had the finest lithography and were amazing. That's when I realized there was a collector for everything.

[Aman619]

do you still the address???

[G.A.tor]

do you still the address???

evans, do NOT give out my address again

[FFB]

And how often is that the person who talks down the sale of on Action 1 sold for 85K in good -- is the SAME person who tells you five figures is a bargain for a meaningless book just because it's in high grade.

 

Can you point to one example of a person doing both of these things?

[bluechip]

And how often is that the person who talks down the sale of on Action 1 sold for 85K in good -- is the SAME person who tells you five figures is a bargain for a meaningless book just because it's in high grade.

 

Can you point to one example of a person doing both of these things?

 

 

While I've clipped quotes from time to time that I found interesting or enlightening, I have not made a point of doing that with this type of quote because I didn't think it'd be constructive to single people out to mnke a point. And while I can think of a few people who've said things of that sort repeatedly, I don't see the point in starting a fight or jumping through hoops to find quotes when we have all seen numerous examples of people denigrating the sales figures for low grade gtolden age keys like action1 and detective 27 but far more rarely do you ever see on this board somebody say that a high grade book (any book) has sold for too much.

 

In any search about values on these boards you'll see people applauding sales of little known books or even common books in high grades regardless of how many times guide the sale was, and at the same time (or in relatively concurrent posts) saying that any low grade book regardless of how famous should be purchased if and only if the buyer is not considering it an investment.

 

On this very thread you see people decrying the sale of a low grade Action 1 and implying the seller was overly anxious to pay double guide for a book-- even though the book sells for mulitples of guide and even (though the guide's value hasn't doubled iin more than ten years, so to double now would scarcely be equivalent to a ten percent annual increase over the past ten years.

 

I think we've all seen the big keys go fo rmuch more than guide and increase steadily in every way except in the guide. So when people keep insisting that high grade antyhing is an investment yet low grade action 1s and detective 27s et al. are somehow not an investment it seems at best, way off the mark.

[ciorac]

Comic books and comic art are still underachievers in the overall collectible market...

 

But the thing is, they will probably always be the underachiever compared to coins or fine art. I don't think comics and comic collecting will ever be much more popular than it has been in the last five years. Comics have hit the mainstream in a big way and yet comics are still the underachiever.

 

Under what scenario would comics rise in popularity to the level of other more established collectibles?

 

Good question. What needs to happen is more of what is already happening. Geppi's museum, for example, is a great thing for establishing comic books and comic art as a more mainstream investment. The more museums and galleries that showcase items from our hobby, and take it seriously, the more mainstream the collector-investor reach. Some of these are important and timeless items historically, and have become so much a part of American, and even Canadian and British culture that most people could not even imagine a world without Superman or Batman. Comic books like those I've mentioned have mainstream appeal already, which is growing with the movies and books about them, and with the passing of time. Comic book creators are gaining more exposure and power than ever before as comic books transitions into movies and entirely new movies with comic themes are created. It was impossible to make the Human Torch or Spider-Man look cool before but now everyone is jumping on the superhero bandwagon. More books are also being written about comics and by comic book writers. My favorite TV show is Heroes. Record sales continue to be reached for comic books - a lot more $50K+ sales have been reached within the last few years then ever before. Prices dealers and collectors would have thought laughable only 5--7 years ago are now realistic and seen as potentially good investments ($21K for a Hulk #181?). Of course I was of the same opinion, but I have been proven wrong.

 

The reality is, you only need a little bit of "big money" to come in to move this market because the scarcity is certainly here. If the Batman #1 sells for $375,000 and there are only two in 9.0, what will the next one sell for? When someone else wants one, and none are on the market to buy, what will the next offer for it be? Probably $500K? $500K is $200K LESS than the cost of a 2 bedroom apartment in Brooklyn Heights, NY. It is not unreachable for many thousands of collectors out there. One thing that certainly doesn't help, is when people within our own industry, talk down the stuff. That said, even with the naysayers, the momentum is there. CGC did wonders, the Geppi Museum is great, the movies are great, the creators are making bucks and getting respect, the comic art is moving up by leaps and bounds. It is looking good and the best of the best is close to breaking through to the other side. Soup cans are in the Metropolitan museum of art and so are some baseball cards. At some point, select comics and comic art will get there, and when it does, there will be a lot of people looking back and saying, "I should have bought that," "I should have bought that." -Josh

 

You are right Josh. I was one of the naysayers back in the mid 90's saying that AF 15 had "topped out". I should have bought five high grade copies then for the $15K they wer going for.

 

I won't be caught in that trick bag again. Prices will continue to go upward!

[Silver Surfer]

I also agree with Josh and Ciorac as I see all kinds of examples where "retro" collectibles appear to have a cult like following and comics are experiencing a resurgence that we haven't seen in the likes of in decades. Not sure about some of the lesser known titles but the main stays will just continue to get more and more expensive. I'm hoping that one day I will be one of these 60+ year guys that dusts off his small collection and chuckles at how cheap I was able to acquire some of this GA gold.

[adamstrange]

[quote

. One thing that certainly doesn't help, is when people within our own industry, talk down the stuff. -Josh

 

 

 

 

Could not agree more.

 

 

And how often is that the person who talks down the sale of on Action 1 sold for 85K in good -- is the SAME person who tells you five figures is a bargain for a meaningless book just because it's in high grade.

 

Never considered it my business if the Franklin Mint sold people a spider-man pocket knife for an absurd sum of money. But that's because the Franklin Mint never went out of its way to talk down the value of spider-man comics.

 

You want people to sit back and stay silent when they see you sell a nothing book for big money, fine. Happy to do. I'll even applaud your sale. But only so long as you're not out there trying to slam down everything else.

 

I'm happy to see you object to people that "talk down" or "slam down".

 

SAME person who tells you five figures is a bargain for a meaningless book just because it's in high grade

 

they see you sell a nothing book

[Aman619]

ooops.. hoisted on one's own petard, methinks!