Can a book's rarity work against it....in regards to its value?

[JiveTurkeyMoFo]

I'd like to hear some feedback re: a question I've been debating.....namely, can a legitimately scarce/rare book have an artificially low Guide value in part because its so infrequently transacted in the marketplace?

 

I know this is certainly the case with some Bronze books I collect in high grade (before you snicker at the thought, read on). I've litterally spent 4 years searching for NM copies of reprint copies of obscure Marvel titles that guide for as little as $7. They simply aren't out there. Dealers don't stock them (many in fact say they had them in their quarter bins for years during the 80s-90s, which probably meant few stayed in NM shape), and most long time collectors disdained them since the day they were printed, contributing to their absence in the marketplace. Since they guide for so little, there is no financial incentive to have them certified and sold off either, so census numbers remain low or non-existent entirely. The question becomes: are these books legitimately scarce or are they out there in original owner collections waiting to come to market? And when will Guide accurately reflect a growing demand if there aren't any transactions out there to base upward revisions on?

 

Of course, GA is a different beast entirely, where the question of rarity/scarcity has a more legitimate answer, but the same principle applies: can a books' Guide value be artifically low because it just hasn't changed hands that often in the marketplace?

[nearmint]

can a books' Guide value be artifically low because it just hasn't changed hands that often in the marketplace?

 

Definitely. And not just guide value, but GPA value, as well. I can't tell you how many times I've looked up a cool Nedor on GPA and found that a copy has not sold in 3 years or more.

[rodan57]

" And when will Guide accurately reflect a growing demand if there aren't any transactions out there to base upward revisions on?"

 

I think you've touched upon a key point here. Rarity needs demand to create value. These reprint books may truly be rare but not enough collectors may value them in order to create any demand.

 

In a related observation, I have noticed an increased interest in Silver Age Marvel reprint titles (e.g., MCIC; Marvel Tales; Fantasy Masterpieces) in high grade. Before the days of local comic book shops, many of these issues provided the only way in which to read early Marvel stories. These reprint books were fun to buy on the newsstand when new and perhaps have a new popularity due to collector nostalgia.

 

My 12¢

Dennis

[Dr_Neff]

yes

[JiveTurkeyMoFo]

I think you've touched upon a key point here. Rarity needs demand to create value. These reprint books may truly be rare but not enough collectors may value them in order to create any demand.

 

True, but if you follow the Reprint market you know that there have been some nutty (as in many multiples of 9.2 guide) sales for reprint titles (Marvel triple Action # 1, Our Love Story # 15, etc.) over the last few years, and still Guide barely budges. So even when sales do occur, Overstreet tends to turn a blind eye.

 

Different issue, different Forum, of course, but worth pointing out.

[adamstrange]

The question becomes: are these books legitimately scarce or are they out there in original owner collections waiting to come to market?

 

I wouldn't count on these being scarce. They are too cheap to bother fishing out and slabbing when you are talking about books that guide for 7 bucks. As far as Overstreet not updating prices, well, we've had several threads about that. Whatever these issues are they are probably low Overstreet's priority list of prices that need to be adjusted since every adjustment requires some amount of effort and a reasonable amount of confirmed sales data.

[adamstrange]

can a books' Guide value be artifically low because it just hasn't changed hands that often in the marketplace?

 

I'd have to own a recent guide to know that the values are artificially low.

[RareHighGrade]

I'd like to hear some feedback re: a question I've been debating.....namely, can a legitimately scarce/rare book have an artificially low Guide value in part because its so infrequently transacted in the marketplace?

 

Yes. Case in point: Double Action #2. In the last decade or so, no copy, regardless of condition, has sold for less than 5x Guide.

[batman_fan]

I can think of a book that fits nicely into this discussion, Green Giant #1. It has a real cool cover, but given how rare it is, the guide price is very low. Wish I had a copy ...

[Bronty]

I'd like to hear some feedback re: a question I've been debating.....namely, can a legitimately scarce/rare book have an artificially low Guide value in part because its so infrequently transacted in the marketplace?

 

Yes. Case in point: Double Action #2. In the last decade or so, no copy, regardless of condition, has sold for less than 5x Guide.

 

 

Agree with everyone's points, but I'd take it one step further and say that a book's rarity can at times work against its value not just from a guide value perspective but also from a market value perspective. Out of sight, out of mind. Less a factor now that we have the internet and ebay, but still at play on rare but unheralded books.

[Bronty]

can a books' Guide value be artifically low because it just hasn't changed hands that often in the marketplace?

 

Definitely. And not just guide value, but GPA value, as well. I can't tell you how many times I've looked up a cool Nedor on GPA and found that a copy has not sold in 3 years or more.

 

Erp, you kind of beat me to my point

[lou_fine]

I'd like to hear some feedback re: a question I've been debating.....namely, can a legitimately scarce/rare book have an artificially low Guide value in part because its so infrequently transacted in the marketplace?

 

Yes. Case in point: Double Action #2. In the last decade or so, no copy, regardless of condition, has sold for less than 5x Guide.

 

 

Agree with everyone's points, but I'd take it one step further and say that a book's rarity can at times work against its value not just from a guide value perspective but also from a market value perspective. Out of sight, out of mind. Less a factor now that we have the internet and ebay, but still at play on rare but unheralded books.

 

Yes, in full agreement with you here.

 

I have also mentioned this several times before, especially in the case of the really early hard to find GA books. Not so sure about the supposedly HTF BA books as I believe a few high profile sales would probably bring them out of the woodwork.

[sacentaur]

Yes...as a long-time Centaur collector I've seen this effect.

 

bat_fan, I have never seen a Green Giant 1 in person. Colossus Comics is another one, but I've passed on several copies over the years.

 

Agreed with RHG on Double Action 2 - good luck finding a copy of that book!

 

STEVE

[batman_fan]

Yes...as a long-time Centaur collector I've seen this effect.

 

bat_fan, I have never seen a Green Giant 1 in person. Colossus Comics is another one, but I've passed on several copies over the years.

 

Agreed with RHG on Double Action 2 - good luck finding a copy of that book!

 

STEVE

 

Hey Steve,

 

Ya know who still has a copy of one of those crappy Green Giants, not worth much but may be cool to have around in my collection as an oddity for the right price.

 

Greg

[sacentaur]

No help on a Green Giant 1, sorry

[Moondog]

Double Action 2 was a good example, as are ashcans. When I finally started selling a few of mine, the prices rose quickly, but recently no new issues have been listed in any of the big auctions and therefore the interest starts to wane again.

 

They're just too darn rare! (And I'm really not interested in selling any more of mine at this time.)

 

And the fact that this year's Guide did not update any ashcan prices (even though Mark and I supplied them with all pricing info for 2006) the listings are now 2 years old - making them seem even more stagnant.

 

Rarity is cool. But demand and rarity is the best equation for big prices.

[Silver Surfer]

I think the best way to sell ultra rare stuff like the Double Action, Aschan's, etc is to list them real high and be prepared for them to sit for a while. Eventually some rabid collector will break down and pay for it. Problem is you most likely have to do that when your not in a hurry to liquidate the book or motivated to sell it.

[tth2]

I think the best way to sell ultra rare stuff like the Double Action, Aschan's, etc is to list them real high and be prepared for them to sit for a while. Eventually some rabid collector will break down and pay for it. Problem is you most likely have to do that when your not in a hurry to liquidate the book or motivated to sell it.

I disagree. I think that having something constantly "on sale" but not successfully selling would be the best way to make something that's rare appear non-rare (and also undesirable).

[Crowzilla]

A chance to post an old photo.

It was about 10 years ago when this was taken, but the Green Giant was by far the toughest book out of these three to move (the other two are the Paycopy SS#1 and the Allentown Wonder #1). The GG is now the top census one in the upcoming Heritage auction, so it will be interesting to see how much interest it has now.

 

Definitely the rarity of this hurt it's marketability - I'm not talking about it's Overstreet value, we all know that is useless (in a world where Detective #1 has a total of a 6% increase in value in FN over a 5 year time we know guide is useless) OS is artificially low on practically everything of value. But it was frustrating not to be able to at least point to any sales to show that this book consistently sells for over guide (or at least near guide or something).

There certainly can be something that is too rare.

 

[batman_fan]

A chance to post an old photo.

It was about 10 years ago when this was taken, but the Green Giant was by far the toughest book out of these three to move (the other two are the Paycopy SS#1 and the Allentown Wonder #1). The GG is now the top census one in the upcoming Heritage auction, so it will be interesting to see how much interest it has now.

 

Definitely the rarity of this hurt it's marketability - I'm not talking about it's Overstreet value, we all know that is useless (in a world where Detective #1 has a total of a 6% increase in value in FN over a 5 year time we know guide is useless) OS is artificially low on practically everything of value. But it was frustrating not to be able to at least point to any sales to show that this book consistently sells for over guide (or at least near guide or something).

There certainly can be something that is too rare.

 

 

Can you post a link to the Green Giant 1?