Shared experiences with buying collections question

[Point Five]

I always try to offer something that can be rounded up by just a small amount. For instance, if you were prepared to offer $10,000...instead offer $9,200 (in almost every case the seller will say, "Make it $10,000 and we have a deal.") or $4,600 if you were prepared to offer $5,000...

 

Very clever.

 

Hey Andy, want to do $47.50 on that SSWS #145?

 

 

Ask Kenny, I am sure he will jump at that price.

I will... It'll be my birthday present to him.

[Rob]

Enjoying this thread. Keep the stories and advice coming.

 

You can find Estate Sale listings in your local newspaper classifieds (or their website), as well as craigslist. I'm using craigslist exclusively now to look up estate and yard sale listings. Not to mention people selling comics (and other things). It takes alot of browsing (refresh the new listings only, as you have to be fast), but you can find some good bargains on there. Or advertise that you buy collections.

[Ringfinger]

I tried the ad in the local paper. Good response, but a lot of 90's drek as well.

[tabcom]

Do share the story of (superman #1).

My net for comic trolling extends into Southern Michigan\Northwest Ohio\Northern Indiana.

Back in March I found an eBay listing 50 miles down the road for a beat up Batman #8 that had in the item description:

 

"I will try to answer all questions as i am selling comics for a friend and have many more to list includeing a superman #1 in poor condition."

 

 

The reserve for the Batman #8 was $500. Hence, it did not sell. I did get the seller's telephone number and we met for lunch. He also had an Action Comics #30 in Fine Condtion that he wouldn't sell me. I should call him and see if he is ready to sell.

[Rob]

Care to share what you paid for the Supes #1?

[tabcom]

Care to share what you paid for the Supes #1?

I'd prefer it not become public knowledge as to how much I paid for it. The day may come that I want to sell. It may end up in the collection of a fellow forumite.

[sckao]

Care to share what you paid for the Supes #1?

I'd prefer it not become public knowledge as to how much I paid for it. The day may come that I want to sell. It may end up in the collection of a fellow forumite.

 

While that is certainly your choice, knowing what you paid for it shouldn't really be a factor for someone buying it (even if it's a fellow forum member.)

 

If you knew I bought a comic off the newstand decades ago for $.12 and it was still NM, I doubt you'd expect me to sell it for a 20% markup off my original buying price.

[Rob]

That's what I was thinking. If someone wants a certain book, they're gonna pay what they want for it, regardless of what the other person bought it for. If someone had a comic I was willing to pay $1000 for, it wouldn't matter to be if they said they found it at an estate sale for $5. I'm not going to then say "HEY! You only paid $5. $1000 is too much!" That's silly.

[ft88]

Yeah but in the middle of negotiating between $3000 and $4000 invariably the buyer is going to say something like. "Yeah but ya only paid $500 bucks for it, share the wealth man.... Do $3200 and we got a deal."

 

Who needs the trouble.

 

Ed

[cd4ever]

Yeah but in the middle of negotiating between $3000 and $4000 invariably the buyer is going to say something like. "Yeah but ya only paid $500 bucks for it, share the wealth man.... Do $3200 and we got a deal."

 

Who needs the trouble.

 

Ed

 

I'm with ft88 there....On a book like that....what he paid is irrelevant.

[sckao]

Yeah but in the middle of negotiating between $3000 and $4000 invariably the buyer is going to say something like. "Yeah but ya only paid $500 bucks for it, share the wealth man.... Do $3200 and we got a deal."

 

Who needs the trouble.

 

Ed

 

I'm with ft88 there....On a book like that....what he paid is irrelevant.

 

Actually, ft88 said that What he paid for it DOES come up as part of the bargaining process... so it's not irrelevant.

 

What I'm saying is that if a buyer does that to you (remind you of what you paid for it instead of what it's worth), then that's not a buyer you want. Especially if that buyer then turns around and flips it immediately.

[Rob]

Yeah but in the middle of negotiating between $3000 and $4000 invariably the buyer is going to say something like. "Yeah but ya only paid $500 bucks for it, share the wealth man.... Do $3200 and we got a deal."

 

Who needs the trouble.

 

Ed

 

I'm with ft88 there....On a book like that....what he paid is irrelevant.

 

I always like encouraging stories that you can get beat up books like that for a great deal.

[tabcom]

Re: Estate Sales.

 

If you are at an estate auction and the other bidders are neophyte dealers that think they can flip the comics they buy on eBay -- DON'T BID. I recently saw an Amazing Fantasy #15 that if it was graded, would probably be 1.8. GPAnalysis shows that at 1.8, the average sales price is $1316.89. I was bidding on it up to $900 -- it was an eye sore to look at. It sold -- for $1700!

 

Another common mistake I've made in the past is knowing what the eBay retail value of a comic is and bidding on an item at an estate auction for a couple dollars less. DUMB! My time is not free. Also, at $3.40 per gallon of gas, I need to include the cost of doing business in my bids. As a rule of thumb, if I know what the average eBay retail value of a comic is, I divide that price in half and work around that number.

 

How do you determind the average eBay retail value? It takes a couple years, but doing searches at GPAnalysis, eBay closed items, mpire\researcher.com, eBay watchlists. After awhile you will get a feel for what a common comic book from different eras will go for.

[tabcom]

I always like encouraging stories that you can get beat up books like that for a great deal.

 

I hate those stories! Why? Because I'll get it in my head that I'll find the next unbelievable deal and end up wasting too much time. Where as, my time would have been better served running my regular business as a computer engineer.

 

Here is an eBay deal that still gets my blood perkin' . . . .

All Winners #1 for $35

[BlowUpTheMoon]

 

Here is an eBay deal that still gets my blood perkin' . . . .

All Winners #1 for $35

 

[Rob]

 

Here is an eBay deal that still gets my blood perkin' . . . .

All Winners #1 for $35

 

 

WOW! Now that's what I like to see! You gotta be watching the BINs all the time!