$1000 is handed to you to invest long-term in CGC Bronze Age what do you do? 3 3

[namisgr]

On 2/15/2017 at 8:32 PM, ComicConnoisseur said:

Looks like a lot of these keys have been better investments than an oz of gold since 2010. 

But not 10 pounds of gold.  Individual bronze age comics may do very well in return on initial payment, but it's hard for me to think of them as investments, since they lack the scale of a true investment.

 

Having bought both GSXM #1 and X-Men #94 when they were new, the excitement was that a brand new team of mutants was introduced to revive an iconic but dormant Silver Age title.  Since the characters were completely new, both books were must reads.  Turned out the stories were fresh, the characters cool, and the artwork more than decent.  I was hooked on the title from then on.

Edited March 3, 2017 by namisgr

[WolverineX]

Honestly, the best thing is still stocks.  However, of all the comics mentioned which one has appreciated the most since 2016?  It's very cool rereading all the guesses since 2010. 

[fizsteeler]

hos92

[Bronx]

Iron Man 55 cgc 8.5 or 9.0 

 

 

[Bronx]

Or a super high grade Marvel Premiere #1 / Strange Tales 178 

[drbanner]

On ‎3‎/‎2‎/‎2017 at 9:44 PM, namisgr said:

But not 10 pounds of gold.  Individual bronze age comics may do very well in return on initial payment, but it's hard for me to think of them as investments, since they lack the scale of a true investment.

I think you're missing the point here Bob, it's not the magnitude of the return...it's the % return that is the question. For you, $1,000 may not be the "scale of a true investment", but for someone making minimum wage, that represents over 3 weeks of labor.

[Dogsupreme]

I agree with those that say comics are not really an investment. They do not have the liquidity that precious metal, commodities and stocks have. I would not recommend comics as a long term investment, HOWEVER, there is no question that had you bought high grade bronze age 10-15 years ago you would see a significant return on some key issues or current hot issues. Ask yourself, why is this? SUPPLY AND DEMAND. A lot of bronze age comics, like the GOLD and SILVER age were still considered DISPOSABLE entertainment and a lot simply did not survive the decade in HIGH GRADE. It is my belief that it was not until the 1980s that comics were being looked at as an true collectible and investment (with the rise of the direct market and comic stores). I think things jumped the shark during the whole DEATH OF SUPERMAN debacle and the start of IMAGE COMICS.

In the case of BRONZE AGE comics there is still a lot of great potential out there if you are willing to look. The thing is getting what you like and if you are willing to hold on to it for 10-15 YEARS! Comics is a hobby for me and not an investment vehicle. Its nice to see that comics I collect go up in value but that is a bonus and not the primary reason for me to have bought the comic. Right now I am collecting obscure 1st appearances as my main thing in super high grade. Things like: OMEGA THE UNKNOWN, SKULL THE SLAYER, RAGMAN, JEMM SON OF SATURN, ARION, ARAK, AMETHYST PRINCESS OF GEM WORLD, NEW GODS, MR. MIRACLE, DEMON, OMAC, KAMANDI, DEVIL DINOSAUR, SHOGUN WARRIORS, MICRONAUTS, KULL, MARVEL MONSTER titles (WEREWOLF, DRACULA, MUMMY, FRANKENSTEIN, etc), MARVEL PREMIERE, MARVEL TEAM-UP, MARVEL FEATURE, MARVEL 2 in 1, WHAT IF, PHANTOM STRANGER, BLACK ORCHID, MANHUNTER, DC 1st ISSUEs, HUMAN FLY, STEEL, ALL STAR COMICS, BRAVE and BOLD, etc. Lots of great potential. Stick to HIGH GRADE copies whenever you can. I go through $1-$2 boxes and I ALWAYS find nice stakes of BRONZE AGE comics in FN and up. I never pass up any comics with a 20¢ cover price. I even look at non-BIG TWO. I will buy HIGH GRADE Charlton, Atlas, etc if they are a $1 or $2 and sometimes they are even 50¢.

The trick is to collect what you like and what you are willing to hold on to.

[seanfingh]

I started doing that in 1985 and it worked out pretty well.

[namisgr]

1 hour ago, drbanner said:

I think you're missing the point here Bob, it's not the magnitude of the return...it's the % return that is the question. For you, $1,000 may not be the "scale of a true investment", but for someone making minimum wage, that represents over 3 weeks of labor.

The topic is a 'long-term' investment.  The first point is that buying comic books to hold for the long-term is far less likely to be capable of a life-changing return, in part because the scale of the investment is so small.  So while, yes, making a return that equates to 3 weeks of minimum wage labor isn't inconsequential, it's hardly a life changing investment considering it plays out over a many year time frame.

 

The second point is that, if minimum wage is what you're making, I for one would be extremely reluctant to recommend to you that precious savings be sunk into a comic book as a long-term investment.

 

Finally, I think the bulk of the 'easy money' has already been made in comics, and it's been made by people buying comics new off the rack, or buying scarce high grade books before or shortly after the advent of CGC.  I paid 25 cents for a Hulk #181 back in 1974, and sold it more than 35 years later as a near mint plus copy.  It's an amazing return on 25 cents.  Still, over that time frame I made a lot more money by committing to serious saving from work, and investing those savings in traditional vehicles that, over the course of those many decades, makes a real difference in my life.

 

Comic collecting is a great hobby.

Edited May 22, 2017 by namisgr

[drbanner]

1 hour ago, namisgr said:

The topic is a 'long-term' investment.  The first point is that buying comic books to hold for the long-term is far less likely to be capable of a life-changing return, in part because the scale of the investment is so small.  So while, yes, making a return that equates to 3 weeks of minimum wage labor isn't inconsequential, it's hardly a life changing investment considering it plays out over a many year time frame.

The second point is that, if minimum wage is what you're making, I for one would be extremely reluctant to recommend to you that precious savings be sunk into a comic book as a long-term investment.

Finally, I think the bulk of the 'easy money' has already been made in comics, and it's been made by people buying comics new off the rack, or buying scarce high grade books before or shortly after the advent of CGC.  I paid 25 cents for a Hulk #181 back in 1974, and sold it more than 35 years later as a near mint plus copy.  It's an amazing return on 25 cents.  Still, over that time frame I made a lot more money by committing to serious saving from work, and investing those savings in traditional vehicles that, over the course of those many decades, makes a real difference in my life.

Comic collecting is a great hobby.

That would be a great response to "$1000 is handed to you to invest long-term for retirement, should I spend it on comics?" because you seem to be giving out retirement planning advice!

However, you still seem to be missing the boat wrt to your point that "...the scale of the investment is so small." so it's "hardly a life changing investment". The entire scenario is based on a set amount of $1,000, so the scale of the investment is $1,000.

Comic collecting is indeed a great hobby, one that has turned out to be a lucrative investment for folks that bought quality gold, silver, and bronze over the last 75 years. 

[Grib]

If we are looking at this as an investment with growth as the goal I would look at what is the next major movie that will get hot. Ms.Marvel is one I feel will only get hotter as the movie gets closer to release. But most people have already jumped, so lets look at what is maybe coming into production, like Moon Knight. Werewolf by Night is already a hot book so lets not go there but Marvel Spotlight 28 I feel would have growth. The Punisher on Netflix is another new show and Marvel Preview 2 should see growth. Thoughts about any other character that might become a movie? 

[Grib]

22 hours ago, drbanner said:

That would be a great response to "$1000 is handed to you to invest long-term for retirement, should I spend it on comics?" because you seem to be giving out retirement planning advice!

However, you still seem to be missing the boat wrt to your point that "...the scale of the investment is so small." so it's "hardly a life changing investment". The entire scenario is based on a set amount of $1,000, so the scale of the investment is $1,000.

Comic collecting is indeed a great hobby, one that has turned out to be a lucrative investment for folks that bought quality gold, silver, and bronze over the last 75 years. 

I often wonder if I bought real gold when I was young instead of gold comics where I would be. Still I do have some great books that I would really have to think twice about if I bought them today with the money I made buying that gold. Very round about thinking.

[ADAMANTIUM]

1 hour ago, Grib said:

I often wonder if I bought real gold when I was young instead of gold comics where I would be. Still I do have some great books that I would really have to think twice about if I bought them today with the money I made buying that gold. Very round about thinking.

that was a good chuckle  

[Dogsupreme]

I would recommend also MARVEL GRAPHIC NOVEL: THE NEW MUTANTS (1st prints) especially in high grade.

[Alawson453]

Try your luck on "The Duck"  I would search for High Grade copies of Howard's first appearance

in Giant Size Man-Thing as well as HTD #1 and the early price variant issues.  We all know what happened

to the early Rocket Raccoon appearances.  If Howard is used properly to the same extent I believe his

popularity would easily make him just as popular if not more so than Rocket.

[Dogsupreme]

37 minutes ago, Alawson453 said:

Try your luck on "The Duck"  I would search for High Grade copies of Howard's first appearance

in Giant Size Man-Thing as well as HTD #1 and the early price variant issues.  We all know what happened

to the early Rocket Raccoon appearances.  If Howard is used properly to the same extent I believe his

popularity would easily make him just as popular if not more so than Rocket.

Isn't his 1st appearance in ADVENTURE INTO FEAR #19?

[ADAMANTIUM]

14 minutes ago, Dogsupreme said:

Isn't his 1st appearance in ADVENTURE INTO FEAR #19?

I could of sworn it was Giant Size Man Thing #5 some said that #4 was the first solo so idk; it is worth looking up, i guess, and see what the CGC label says  

[ADAMANTIUM]

3 minutes ago, ADAMANTIUM said:

I could of sworn it was Giant Size Man Thing #5 some said that #4 was the first solo so idk; it is worth looking up, i guess, and see what the CGC label says  

It's Adeventure into Fear with Man-Thing #19

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fear-19-CGC-9-2-Off-White-Marvel-1973-1st-appearance-Howard-the-Duck-/192054720372?hash=item2cb75a7774:g:-MEAAOSwcUBYU1LX

Edited May 24, 2017 by ADAMANTIUM

[Alawson453]

Actually it's just fear for issue 19 if I am correct.  But my point is by them all while they are still on

the cheap in high grade.  Howard had a crazy cult like following back in the day when we bought

issues off the newsstand and I'm sure some of the OG's would love to see a really good film with

him.

[scooter99]

8 hours ago, Alawson453 said:

Actually it's just fear for issue 19 if I am correct.  But my point is by them all while they are still on

the cheap in high grade.  Howard had a crazy cult like following back in the day when we bought

issues off the newsstand and I'm sure some of the OG's would love to see a really good film with

him.

There was this 1986 movie.

 

I don't know if he will get another film, but if they do, it dang well needs to be better than this one. 

Edited May 25, 2017 by scooter99