12/29/2020
Topic:
Grading and other Questions: Been Away for 25 yrs+
Dynamic2
|
First: Thank you for the great information on this site. So cool to someone who never had such available resources.
I am an "old time" dealer/collector who stopped selling comic books in the mid-1980s. I still invested heavily (typically anywhere from 20 to 100 copies of special appearances and most number 1 to 10s) until the mid-1990s.
At my peak, I was investing a ton of money a week on new comics, as well as spending much more on vintage comic books. I started selling in the 1960s when I was a kid (in comic book pubs) and set up at all of the larger NY shows in the 70s and 80s, including the Phil Seuling and Creation cons.
I was lured in the late 1970s to another collectible where I am still involved heavily since then.
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Second, I have the latest Overstreet and have studied it slowly page by page, and have also gone slowly through your list for the hottest 800+ comics.
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Question 1: I have looked at the grading guidelines that you have and many others posted on numerous websites.
I was concerned about the grades that allow for creasing and small folds and other defects. In my day, I would never have considered a comic book to be in FN or VF or above with any such defects including a "piece out of the corner".
Obviously, if grading standards have been relaxed a bit, and spread out to allow for variations, then I will personally under grade such comics. Is that the best approach?
NONE of my comics are graded, but a high percentage of my comics have never been read as I primarily stopped reading them in 1967 when I became a comic book dealer.
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Question 2: I had a near death experience a little over a month ago (NOT Covid), and while I was in the hospital, I returned to my roots, and pondered what I had accumulated over my career. I was thinking of selling my comic books in two lots: My private collection, and My Comic Book Selling business. My collection is diverse and ranges from 1938 to the 1980s, whereas my business ranges too from the 1940s to the mid 1990s.
I saw some responses to someone who owns 6,000 comics and it hit home as I have probably 15-20 times that amount.
I am just NOT ready to sell comic books at this time or at larger shows (after Covid) or through this and other websites.
What do you think about the marketplace for golden, silver age and bronze/copper age comics?
Should I sell it all in two lots (to someone like me) or should I start preparing to sell individual copies?
I am already in the process of buying the supplies that would enable me to get ready to respond post-Covid. I know that I could sell everything to one person at 20% to 30% of retail if lucky, but I am just not there and probably never will be. Because of the diversity of my collection and business, I suspect that selling to one person will not work. I did all superhero marvels and DCs (for the most part) and funnies and war and independents and magazines like Vampirella and Eerie and Crazy, etc.
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I am confused and also lured by the value of my investments.
What do you really think?
P.S. Administrator: If I violated any site rules, please let me know and revise or delete anything at your discretion.
Collectors: Since I am not ready to sell individual items, please recognize that for the most part, I know what I have but does anyone really know everything they own?
Happy Hunting!!!! |
12/29/2020
Topic:
Grading and other Questions: Been Away for 25 yrs+
Dynamic2
|
Thank you Donald. I haven't ordered the supplies yet but will check out your suggestions. I appreciate it. I can't help you at all with your major needs. I was always a Batman collector and have long runs from around Batman 47 through 300 or so and Detective 225 or so to over 400. I don't think I will ever break that run up but you never know. During my selling times, I did have the comics you seek but money lured me to turn them for a profit as I had a family to support. Looking at their values now, what a huge mistake, but their sales allowed me to keep buying more and more, so I am sorry but not too much. I would never have accumulated what I have. Thanks again. Steve |
12/30/2020
Topic:
Fake Batman 1, Detective 27 and Action 1
Dynamic2
|
Got a call from an old friend, heard I was back in Comics and wanted to sell me Action 1, Batman 1 and Detective 27.
I was almost positive that he was trying to peddle fakes. But I played along.
I had him send me pix of the insides, the spines and the covers.
The insides and spines looked authentic but the covers were all fakes, but really really good ones. Best fakes I had ever seen.
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SO, be careful -- these are really good fakes out there that a novice might not catch onto quickly.
Steve |
12/31/2020
Topic:
Fake Batman 1, Detective 27 and Action 1
Dynamic2
|
Actually, the last ones I bought of these three was actually in the late 1970s when they were only worth $1000 to $5000 each. At that time, I had Superman 1-30 plus so much more. It was easier to come up with those funds at that time. If I could have got originals now, I would have found a way to consign them and sell them for a large profit. It wouldn't be difficult to flip them to make a $100 k profit or more. You just have to know the key players.
Most of my competitors have passed on or quit the business. But some are still out there to be found in the Overstreet guide and elsewhere. Most didn't even know I was continuing to invest after dropping out.
But seriously, the dimensions of the three were fine, but there were a number of missing parts of the covers to flag them all as fakes.
Happy New Year!!
Steve |
