How to determine SS value?

[mackenzie999]

This is probably a stupid question, but I'll ask it anyway. Is GPA the only way to determine value of an SS series book? I'm trying to determine the value of a book, but I am not a subscriber and Ebay has no comparable examples. Are there any other avenues to explore, or is GPA the only game in town? I am not very familiar with the auction houses, any recommendations as to where I might start digging for this type of info?

 

Thanks!

[seanfingh]

 

It's not a stupid question at all. To me, the value is related to the value of the book if it were a blue label, plus a factor for the costs of signing and the rarity/difficulty of the sig. That is how I value the books. Sometimes for me, it means I way overvalue books that may have a small market because they are tough and rare. I also sometimes undervalue books if they seem common or easy to me, but they have a large market. It is a tricky thing, I think. A lot of the witness/sellers around here, I think, do a great job of balancing the "value" of the book with the work that went into getting it.

[Drakeprimeone]

Would it be fair to say that at minimum the value of the book is its blue label equivalent plus SS fees?

[mschmidt]

It's not a stupid question at all. To me, the value is related to the value of the book if it were a blue label, plus a factor for the costs of signing and the rarity/difficulty of the sig. That is how I value the books. Sometimes for me, it means I way overvalue books that may have a small market because they are tough and rare. I also sometimes undervalue books if they seem common or easy to me, but they have a large market. It is a tricky thing, I think. A lot of the witness/sellers around here, I think, do a great job of balancing the "value" of the book with the work that went into getting it.

 

Well said.

 

Then again, there are also a couple of witnesses who seem to take the blue label value and multiply it by a factor or 3 or 4 to get the yellow label price

[seanfingh]

Would it be fair to say that at minimum the value of the book is its blue label equivalent plus SS fees?

 

As a rule of thumb, yes. But it doesn't always play out that way. Plus a lot of books get done where there isn't really a market for the blue label, or there may not be many blue label sales to compare to. Sometimes there is an opportunity cost that also applies. For example. Let's say a Justice League book I want to do is a $75 book in 9.8. I'm doing it for Neal Adams and it is a Bronze book, so let's say $60 in witness and grading fees.

 

Now, I know it will cost me at least $135 to do it myself, so maybe I happily pay $175 for one in 9.8 so i don't have the risks of a grade drop or not being able to find a 9.8 in time for the signing. That is what i refer to as opportunity cost and it plays a big factor in what I will be willing to pay.

[Boozad]

SS books are probably GPA's one downfall. Many times I've tried to look up SS books, but none in grade or with multiple sigs on that issue have sold before.

[mackenzie999]

Soooo...anyone care to hazard a guess on the value of this book? Green Lantern #76, CGC SS 7.0, white pages, Adams signature.

 

Picked this up on the boards a few months ago raw for $150, just got it back from being Chandlerized and am wondering how well I did.

[seanfingh]

Soooo...anyone care to hazard a guess on the value of this book? Green Lantern #76, CGC SS 7.0, white pages, Adams signature.

 

Picked this up on the boards a few months ago raw for $150, just got it back from being Chandlerized and am wondering how well I did.

 

$350-375

[somewhereintexas]

Soooo...anyone care to hazard a guess on the value of this book? Green Lantern #76, CGC SS 7.0, white pages, Adams signature.

 

Picked this up on the boards a few months ago raw for $150, just got it back from being Chandlerized and am wondering how well I did.

 

$350-375

 

12 month gpa for a blue label 7.0 is $372, with the most recent sale being $328. Since this book would be an economy, grading, signature (Adams doesn't sign for free) and shipping could run up to $75, depending on whether that was the only book you got, or whether you were combining shipping with other books. And this book had white pages, which should put it at the top end of the food chain. So if you do the simple math, you end up with a book that at the low end is $400 and at the high end is $450 if you base the price solely on what it would cost to get a blue label book signed, graded and delivered, and this isn't even factoring in how much it should be worth to have a book that has already been signed as opposed to going through the exercise yourself. All that being said, in the current market, my guess is that the book would be around $400, but it could go higher if it were put up for auction and you got at least two Neal Adams fans really interested in it. My

[seanfingh]

 

I am more conservative than George. He is a home run hitter.

[mackenzie999]

Thank for the info guys. This is a book I want to keep. A big part of what makes this fun for me is the bargain hunting aspect, and based on what you are saying I got a reasonably desirable book at about 50%. Still, if things get crazy because of the movie I'd consider unloading it...

 

Thanks again!

[ChasingKingKirby]

I sold three SS copies of 76 before X-mas, 4.0 and two 5.0 copies. I got 250 for the 5.0 copies and 225 for the 4.0. The last 6.0 sold for 500 according to GPA. I think that was an anomaly, I think your 7.0 is probably worth that though.

 

ML

[MutantKeys]

I use my 8 ball to determine SS prices

[Boozad]

I use my balls to determine SS prices

 

Fixed that for ya Danny (thumbs u

[LloydJBailey]

lol

[s-man]

So how would you go about putting a value on an SS book from a deceased artist? For example: Dave Cockrum signing a book in which he only did the cover, but it is the only one that has ever been SS'd, making it a one-of-a-kind that can never be duplicated? The book itself is not an X-book or any HG key book, so for argument sake lets say GPA would be $10 for just the book in its present condition. How would you bump up the value based on the rarity of the sig?

[Turtle]

I think in the case you provided the only way to determine the value would be to sell the book in an open auction. It's pretty much the old cliche: it's worth what someone is willing to pay. As long as there are more than 2 bidders, you'd find the true value at that point in time.

 

[Raphael]

I think in the case you provided the only way to determine the value would be to sell the book in an open auction. It's pretty much the old cliche: it's worth what someone is willing to pay. As long as there are more than 2 bidders, you'd find the true value at that point in time.

 

I agree with that - it's worth what someone is willing to pay.

[lscomics]

That's why I personally don't go by GPA, Overstreet or any other price guide. You also have to keep in mind that just because a book sells for say $100 in 9.8 that doesn't mean that from that point on that's what 9.8 copies will sell for. I know I've paid way more than what would be considered fair market price for things I wanted just because I didn't want to invest the time into trying to track them down at a lower price. On the flip side of that coin I've also from time to time found some items for way less than what any of the price guides list them at.

[mschmidt]

That's why I personally don't go by GPA, Overstreet or any other price guide. You also have to keep in mind that just because a book sells for say $100 in 9.8 that doesn't mean that from that point on that's what 9.8 copies will sell for. I know I've paid way more than what would be considered fair market price for things I wanted just because I didn't want to invest the time into trying to track them down at a lower price. On the flip side of that coin I've also from time to time found some items for way less than what any of the price guides list them at.

 

You can't really compare GPA and Overstreet, though - GPA simply records prices that slabbed books on different venues sell for, it doesn't postulate as to what a fair market value for a comic book might be, it merely shows you what they are right now (and have been in the past). Which is why it's a valuable tool both when it comes to selling & buying.