Are anymore surprises still out there?

As the advent of CGC has caused me to reevaluate my collection and reaquire higher graded books or submit my own high grade copies, I wonder if it is still possible to find high grades in a yard sale, flea market or some other venue. I remember coming across a run of Tales of Suspense from issues 47-70. This was 1987 and the store was named Bayshore Comics and Cards in West Haven, Ct. Sadly, the store is no longer there. The gentlemen who owned it was preparing to overhaul his collection and was pushing a lot of books cheap. I am now a pretty strict grader and fondly remember these books to be in VG/FN (5.0) to VF (8.0) with a few that may have been higher. I paid $2 for most of them and $4 for some of them. I was 15 years old and loved Iron Man. I remember trading those gems for some over priced Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle books in New Haven, Ct. I am sure most collectors have a similar story of great comics gone bad, or a story of finding gold and trading for some Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I have been forced to reevaluate my collection and have decided I want to create a legacy to my family of high graded CGC books. This means a lot of my mostly silver and early bronze age books do not pass muster for the CGC 9.0 and higher (the bar I have set for my submission and collection). I recently sold my Hulk 181 (CGC 5.5), House of Secrets 92 (CGC 5.0), and Giant Size X-Men 1 (CGC 6.0), for that reason. I do admit however to keeping my Amazing Spider-Man books at 6.5 and higher. While I was manning my table at a convention last month, a fellow seller and I debated this practice and CGC in general. He subscibed to the fact that while some older books will not fetch a high grade, they are still worth higher prices due to their scarcity, age, and value of being able to opened and read. None of his books would reach 8.0 or higher and he accepted that. I understand his point and feel that if I have a book CGC'd, I normally have the trade or beat up reading copy to read when I want to. The beauty of CGC is the thrill of the hunt. Case in point, I am actively seeking a 9.0 or higher House of Secrets 92, first Swamp Thing. I have seen 9.0 copies going for $700-800 on E-bay, and several unslabbed books at conventions here in North Carolina. When I see 9.0 and the census still has higher graded copies out there, the question becomes do I shoot for the 9.0 now, or hold out for higher priced higher graded slabbed books, or do I stay in the hunt, browsing every shop, flea market, yard sale and convention I come across. I imagine one day coming across some out of the way odds and ends shop, and finding some still strapped pile of comics from 1971, with the hunted House of Secrets in it. Possible? Though improbable- I think it's more exciting to stay in the hunt! Good luck in you hunt and Happy CGCing!

Dudeman5000