GM8

A couple come to mind for me. First is Star Wars #9, because of the rabbit on the cover and his comment. This one I bought, no idea why. It sat in my collection for years. And this Marvel Age also lingered in my long boxes forever:

I never, ever, ever buy cardboard to ship comics. I imagine my situation is different than most since I live in nyc where my neighbors and everyone gets boxes sent to them everyday and they are put in the recycling (but even you burbites have recycling day right?). The trick is to use boxes that are not cheap and super-thin (like priority mail boxes). The grain of the box I try to alternate for each comic - one up and down and one side to side. I have a nice box cutter and I simply eye-ball them to fit in the ebay 10 x 12.5 branded sleeves. I use a priority mail mailing envelope to cover the bagged/boarded comic, then tape that to one piece of cardboard, then tape another piece to the first covering the comic. Put in sleeve. Done. That said, I have never been "dinged" by USPS for using priority supplies in the interior packaging even when I've had packages opened on the very rare occasion.

So the 9.8 that sold at auction on HA appears to not be in their buy it now section any longer. However if you view the auction itself it shows the previously shown message "owner is actively entertaining offers.." with the previous $117k starting price. To any HA experts, what does this indicate?

I read a little bit about the history of Turtlemania and Metropolis...but what faux stuff are you talking about that's recent? Not trying to be dense, genuine question.

They have definitely gone up. I put one up for BIN a little while ago with a fantasy asking price and it sold right away. That was a while back and they continue to sell like crazy.

it is very easy. seller just goes to selling>orders>awaiting payment and in the actions column there is a drop down box with "send invoice"

A sale is a sale, and price is what people pay, so to speak. While November will provide more clarity of price it will be no more valid than the $90K sale. I would guess the Nov book falls short of 90K since there are 2 now for sale at the 100K mark and that feels like a top at least in the near term. But it will be Christmas season and things always get a little nutty around then for gift giving so it could be close. I'd guess 70's to 80's.

A fairly large comic dealer just put a 9.8 1st printing up on Ebay for $100K w/ best offer. This particular copy hasn't traded hands publicly since at least 2011 by my records. Interesting note, there are 28 in this grade, and 13 have traded hands since that same year, 2011. The others are sitting in collector's hands. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Teenage-Mutant-Ninja-Turtles-1-CGC-9-8-Origin-1st-TMNT-Splinter-Shredder/193094727902?hash=item2cf557b8de:g:t~kAAOSwwG1dd6ih The same book is also for sale at ComicLink: https://www.comiclink.com/itemdetail.asp?back=%2Fsearch_adv.asp%3Fall%3Dy%26TITLE%3Dteenage%2Bmutant%2Bninja%2Bturtles%26TITLEOPT%3DALL%26ISSUE%3D1%26Condition%3D%26ConditionTo%3D%26CensusRank%3D%26SearchPageQuality%3D%26Pedigree%3D%26PRICEF%3D%26PRICET%3D%26DESCRIPTION%3D%26DESCRIPTIONOPT%3DALL%26SearchRemarks%3D%26SearchCGC%3D%26EXCLUDE%3D%26CATEGORIES%3D-1%26WCATEGORIES%3D-1%26SORT%3DNEW%26_where_forsale%3Dy%26_where_auctions%3Dy%26x%3D47%26y%3D18%26where_forsale%3Dy&id=1341840

The schadenfreude around this book is palpable. There were 35 people bidding on it so they weren't alone. What are the haters going to do when this book eventually hits $500,000?

Well you are right in that the same book that sold at auction for $90K is now listed for $100. However, it says the same owner who bought it has listed it. There's no reason to think this isn't the same person since the day after it sold they indicated it was available for resale immediately for $117K. It seems the owner has just lowered their asking price.

Please tell us where this LCS is, so we all can get rich.

Same exact price the previous 9.4 sold for on HA also back on 5/16/19. Previous to that, one sold on 2/6/19 for $12.5K, then back on 5/27/18 one sold on ebay for $11K. And I know we're living in crazy times, but there is no conspiracy going on with 9.8's. If someone had enough money to stockpile high grade TMNT #1's and "manipulate" the market for, what, ten thousand dollars if they're lucky after commissions and taxes? That's a lunatic and the market will take that person's $ soon enough.

double wow. wait, I thought it said it was live through August 3rd? How does that work?

True, there's that. I meant outside comic book world. Turtlmania Gold's sale recently happened before the whole Jennika thing. But maybe that's all that it takes.

If it makes you feel any better, there's a Magic the Gathering card up in the same auction that some other yahoos have bid up more than this Turtles book. That's what made me think this one could sail way higher, that Gold sale was another level. The amazing thing to me is that this is organic. There's no movie out or any other major news really.

The premium is very clear and obvious. Price is what someone is willing to pay. In this case right now, someone is willing to pay $75,000. It doesn't matter the seller only would get $62.5K. He'll likely get even less with taxes and other costs already spent. So yes, the floor is whatever the final strike price is, including the BP.

Wow. Well, that's what happens when you have few 9.8's come up for auction at a site like Heritage for a year. Ebay has had several 9.8's listed since for far less but no bites. Heritage has the access and trust of wealthy buyers. Pair that with a rare comic and boom.

Interesting observation. Probably the difference in the ages of the buyers.

A little update on these two 9.8 first prints over on Heritage. This competing listing has had its start date changed to November 21, 2019. That's smart. This one currently at auction is priced at $40,800 now with the buyer's premium. A record with 5 days remaining.

Ok thanks, well that's as good a result.

Annnnnnddd it's ended. Nice work guys, looks like the attention made him cave. At least someone isn't out thousands for that garbage.

Now this one I don't know what to say. First of all the "previous owner" had the thing signed by KE in the "80's". The marker used and style looks more like 2000's or later to me. KE and PL used to sign in thin pens back in the day - I don't know when exactly they started using these fat-tipped, light color markers but I didn't notice them until at least starting in the 2000's. Plus the photo of KE looks much later than the 80's. My point being that his description about how noone should ever open this first print is a little concerning. Hmmm.. https://www.ebay.com/itm/TEENAGE-MUTANT-NINJA-TURTLES-1-First-Print-Signed-Mirage-1984-TMNT-FRAMED/283555849012?hash=item42053ee334:g:TCMAAOSwY7hdNL~G

Well I'll have to revise my # now, since there's 2 9.8's on Heritage now. This new listing was a copy previously (or maybe still) owned by nick_bridger of ebay fame. It was listed as sold on ebay back on 12/28/17 for $30.2K, although I messaged with him and he said that the buyer flaked and he 2nd chance offered it to someone for $24K. Either way, it doesn't effect the market value of this book, since sales following this have established $35-38K as the latest price range for this book. But with the second copy now up, I revise my estimate for the listing already on auction (currently at $26K) to $40K. Here's the upcoming listing: https://comics.ha.com/itm/modern-age-1980-present-/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-1-mirage-studios-1984-cgc-nm-mt-98-white-pages/p/7212-26001.s?ic4=ListView-ShortDescription-071515

That's a good question. IH181 has done very well, as has TMNT1 more recently. If I had to guess %-wise increase where each one would be in 10+ years I'd go TMNT1. Wolverine will always be popular and with the Marvel universe, he'll keep gaining new fans every generation. But the MU is big and fans are fickle. Look how strong X-Men were 10 years ago and now its all Avengers. TMNT is owned by Nickelodeon and their heyday was with 90's kids who will be at their peak economic power in the future.

This one is out of the gate and running. Already w/ Buyer's Premium (BP) : $25,200.00. 16 days left. What's your best guess where this one will land? Spiderturtle thinks it will be higher than previous sales of $38,240 and $35,850. I think it will be significantly higher, around $50K since we haven't seen one listed at auction for over a year, stock market highs, and the recent astronomical sale of a Turtlemania gold. We will see!