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or if you don’t want to read your originals like me here’s an ebook I believe that is complete... https://www.gutenberg.org/files/32759/32759-h/32759-h.htm (the first cover with the women is one of my favorite Brundage covers she did for WT’s)

Post 1963 books in general have always carried more risk due to much larger supply pools of them...

I say your best investment in any portfolio is a nice solid mattress. I’ve been adding to mine for years now...

Yep, I agree with some of that too but I’ve read most of my books at one time and rarely reread things so off they go into protection of some kind. The covers are often the best part on a lot (not all) books so slabbing stuff that has killer cover art works very well for me. I collect a number of other things too like toys. So just because I grew up playing with Hot Wheels or Megos doesn’t mean when I buy them today MIB I have an urge to play with them. As an adult I’m buying them for other reasons than my 9 year old self would have. The amount of TPBs and digital though today is super impressive if anyone likes reading them again. I haven’t done it in a while but I have enough there or available to keep me busy reading for years.

I think that’s only a little bit true. It isn’t the slab that’s preventing someone from reading a lot of slabbed books it’s their value and the threat of damage to them. Reading them is what’s reduced their grade over the years along with storage. When books worth hits thousands of dollars then reading them exits as an option for most. It’s like asking to take out a 20 million dollar car for a spin or touch with your greasy hands a painting by a master. Things fall into the collectible if not historic spot at some point. Not exclusive to comics either. My Beatles butcher block album is never going under the turntable needle. That’s what CDs or digital is for...

I think that’s a good example that can be applied to certain segments in our hobby. Some of my worst auction failures did not involve a lot of bids or bidders. It just takes 2 highly motivated collectors to set record or near record prices. It’s also why when enough of the few are absent it’s possible to get a steal on some things. On the flip side we have a high number of collectors thick on a number of segments from PCH to much of the Marvel and DC material that I’m not to concerned about those areas doing anything more than normal corrections. If anything the last few decades have only added strength to the market with new collectors in and outside the US pushing prices up. That internet thing has also done wonders for comics. There were periods in collecting when I wondered if golden age might cool off as older collectors passed. I thought if that happened the pulp market might be the first to go. The opposite seems to have happened since most of the “original” collectors of both are mostly out of the market today. So yeah I think the above is a great example of what can happen to some of the more niche segments or niche books but just when I think the market is slowing or disappearing on something I’m surprised so I no longer trust “dead” segments for long if they contain worthy collecting material because it seems something will eventually wake them up again. I do hate the “pricing out” that has happened on a number of books to collectors. I grew up with fellow collectors who completed runs of golden age material. How many people on the boards here even think about completing runs of the Timely or DC main golden age titles? There was a time when if you liked Captain America you set out to complete all 78 issues and did it or got close to it. It’d be crazy expensive to do that today with even mid grade copies...

OK so this is strictly an observation on that theory but it’s one I’ve heard repeated a number of times that buying ultra high grade is your best investment over mid grades, etc... when in fact it has to do with what books have the highest percentage of increase dollar for dollar. So if I had paid that 3 million dollars for my Action #1 in HG and it’s worth 6 million today it’s doubled. But it’s very possible to have bought 3 million dollars worth of lower grade but different books that might have 3,4,5 or more times the value. I think the logic of trying to find the best condition copy of any book to invest in is sound advice but the increase in value has far more to do with what you are investing in and not about condition as a universal rule. A 5 million dollar investment today in a Action #1 or Tec #27 or whatever may be greater, equal or far worse than say a 5 million dollar investment into PCH or Matt Baker books or Hulk #181’s or whatever. This is where your skill set in picking the right books for future investment comes in. Ask any dealer or collector on the boards about some of their choices and regrets and you’ll get the idea...

Here was a killer set someone scored... Classic Comics Gift Box Set Group (Gilberton, 1940s). All four Classic Comics Gift Box sets, in their original Gilberton mailing box, are in this incredible group lot. Each set comes in a colorful cardboard box; each box may have a tiny flaw or two, but overall are very attractive, and will display nicely. The contents, with condition, are as follows: Series A: (all with HRN 21): #1 Three Musketeers VF/NM, #2 Ivanhoe VF/NM, #3 Count of Monte Cristo VF+, #4 Last of the Mohicans NM-, and #5 Moby VF/NM. Series B: #6 A Tale of Two Cities HRN 20 VF/NM, #7 Robin Hood HRN 22 VF/NM, #9 Les Miserables HRN 18 FN (looks VF/NM; has tear on back cover, possibly printing error), #10 Robinson Crusoe HRN 20 VF, and Story of Commandos (distributed by Gilberton) FN+; Series C: #11 Don QuixoteHRN 21 NM-, #12 Rip Van Winkle and the Headless Horseman HRN 22 NM-, #13 Dr. Jekyll and Mr. HydeHRN 20 VF-, #15 Uncle Tom's Cabin HRN 21 VF/NM, and #21 3 Famous Mysteries HRN 22 Gilberton ed. NM-; plus Series D: #16 Gulliver's Travels HRN 22 VF/NM, #17 Deerslayer HRN 22 VF+, #18 Hunchback of Notre Dame HRN 18/20 FN/VF, #19 Huckleberry Finn HRN 22 NM-, and #20 Corsican Brothers HRN 22 VF/NM. Approximate Overstreet value for group (comics only) = $4,000.

They show up at auctions often beat up or pricey in grade... This nice one showed up on Heritage one day with goodies but certainly not cheap... Classic Comics Library Gift Box (Gilberton, circa 1943) Condition: Average FN/VF. Rare to find this complete set of second editions of the first five issues of Classic Comics in this special "Classic Comics Library Gift Box" format. The issues include #1 (The Three Musketeers), #2 (Ivanhoe), #3 (The Count of Monte Cristo), #4 (The Last of the Mohicans), and #5 (Moby ), with an average condition of FN/VF. The colorful, attractive box grades about VG+. Approximate Overstreet value for comics = $650. From the collection of Chris Bell.

With both stocks and real estate the best time always is when both markets are on the down side. They cycle up and down and it goes against your human nature but buying when things are bad and selling (if needed) when things are up is usually the strongest business model to follow. That is not to ever say stop buying anything regardless of market conditions if you are convinced what you are investing in is solid. Opportunities always exist at all times. Comics are a bit different with some general likely blue chip investments and others requiring a bit of business skill in how and where the market is heading. Since I left the business of selling comics behind years ago I’m in the camp of enjoying collecting with their value as an added bonus. Most investment advisors will suggest diversifying your assets so just consider your comic collecting as an extension of your investment portfolio in what you own of value. How I determine if what I’m collecting is a good investment or not seems to be fortified by the large number of collectors that seem to go after what I already own or am trying to get. I rarely acquire anything these days without a fight to own it so I must be doing something right...

7-11 carried all the Marvel and Warren magazines as well as a number of others. They also carried pretty much everything else in comics from Marvel to Charltons. There was an occasional “glitch” with finding some issues but I remember the Atlas books being hit and miss but most other stuff OK. I also had other resources from U-Tote-Ums (I think that’s how it was spelled) to newsstands to bookstores like Pickwick. Didn’t hurt having Pacific Comics or Richard Alf, etc. in town when needed. Ads for releases dates were not always accurate as my younger self learned the hard way after expecting certain issues to be out with the new comics that never showed. At 7-11 Tuesday was the biggest release day with some stuff also arriving on Thursdays...

Yep. Short lived title that unlike Motor Trend or Hot Rod failed to find its market (European autos) but left us with some nice covers. I think he did #1,2,3,4, and #6 in the run.

Clothes pins are long before my time but I still remember a number of dealers back in the day displaying their golden age and key silvers up on peg board. Maybe not as harmful but I do remember them occasionally getting knocked off. Also having a stack of gold and silver age comics just sitting there for someone to thumb through seems mind boggling by today’s standards but that’s how it was at times. I used to buy sets of SA comics bundled with string around them at a local flea market too. I picked up a run of FF #12-30 that way...

I really hate looking at photos like these. Makes me scan everything to see what I have including all the non comics stuff... Probably could waste a few hours just browsing the photos for stuff...