Bronze age comics that are heating up on eBay... 38 38

[the blob]

On 8/13/2019 at 3:13 PM, 1Cool said:

Doubtful unless its a 1st appearance I don't know about.  There just seems to be a TON of these Miller issues floating around that I tend to even pass them up in the $2 boxes unless they are ultra high grades.

I think there is a different perception for 182-181 vs. 158-181. Yes, 181 was a spec book, but is special. 181 afterward everyone started to speculate on the miller books, even more than before. I have sold nice copies for $5-8 with some waiting, but cracked double digits on earlier than 181 (and sold 181 for $30+). I am way more selective (shooting for nm in a $2 box) on any but the punisher issue after 181 because paying $2 for a potential $5 sale is a hassle outside a bulk sale maybe.

Edited August 17, 2019 by the blob

[Hamlet]

1 hour ago, the blob said:

I think there is a different perception for 182-181 vs. 158-181. Yes, 181 was a spec book, but is special. 181 afterward everyone started to speculate on the miller books, even more than before. I have sold nice copies for $5-8 with some waiting, but cracked double digits on earlier than 181 (and sold 181 for $30+). I am way more selective (shooting for nm in a $2 box) on any but the punisher issue after 181 because paying $2 for a potential $5 sale is a hassle outside a bulk sale maybe.

Yeah, the problem with paying $2 for a $5 sale is the shipping work and cost.  Unless you are setting up at shows, how do you sell a $5 book so that it is worth the work/expense?

The later McFarlane Spideys have had the same issue for me.  I was buying them for two dollars until I realized that I was just buying myself a low-wage chore that I will always be too lazy to actually do.

Sometimes I justify it with the idea that I am building convention stock for after I retire, but that is really just me enabling my hoarding nature.  🙂

 

 

[FlyingDonut]

1 hour ago, Hamlet said:

Yeah, the problem with paying $2 for a $5 sale is the shipping work and cost.  Unless you are setting up at shows, how do you sell a $5 book so that it is worth the work/expense?

The later McFarlane Spideys have had the same issue for me.  I was buying them for two dollars until I realized that I was just buying myself a low-wage chore that I will always be too lazy to actually do.

Sometimes I justify it with the idea that I am building convention stock for after I retire, but that is really just me enabling my hoarding nature.  🙂

 

 

My eBay net on a book for $5 is about $3.50. My time for that $3.50 is about two minutes. I can put $40 in my pocket for half an hour of "work" that involves me listening/watching to a baseball game.

[Hamlet]

1 hour ago, FlyingDonut said:

My eBay net on a book for $5 is about $3.50. My time for that $3.50 is about two minutes. I can put $40 in my pocket for half an hour of "work" that involves me listening/watching to a baseball game.

Yes, but you are really good at it and are able do it in volume.  I would need to learn how to scan and list books effectively and start making trips the post office.  For the number of books I’m going to find in the 2-3 conventions per year I make it to, it really doesn’t make sense.

You are also ignoring the cost of the books in that example.  We were talking about buying the books for $2.  That makes the net $1.50, which is a lot less exciting.  I’m betting you aren’t bothering to pull late Miller Daredevils out of $2 boxes.  I’m betting you have so much of that stuff from collections you’ve bought for the keys that you consider them pretty much free.

[kimik]

3 hours ago, Hamlet said:

Yeah, the problem with paying $2 for a $5 sale is the shipping work and cost.  Unless you are setting up at shows, how do you sell a $5 book so that it is worth the work/expense?

The later McFarlane Spideys have had the same issue for me.  I was buying them for two dollars until I realized that I was just buying myself a low-wage chore that I will always be too lazy to actually do.

Sometimes I justify it with the idea that I am building convention stock for after I retire, but that is really just me enabling my hoarding nature.  🙂

 

 

Agreed re: a lot of books not being worthwhile. My experience is that you are better off focusing on keys/1st appearances/classic covers than trying to sell a $2 bin book for $5. Blow out the cheap run filler stuff at shows and keep the better stuff from collections for the long haul. It is much less work, and the high demand books appreciate faster than the other stuff does. Besides, one long box of better books takes up way less space than 20 - 40 longs of drek.

Edited August 17, 2019 by kimik

[Hamlet]

20 minutes ago, kimik said:

Agreed re: a lot of books not being worthwhile. My experience is that you are better off focusing on keys/1st appearances/classic covers than trying to sell a $2 bin book for $5. Blow out the cheap run filler stuff at shows and keep the better stuff from collections for the long haul. It is much less work, and the high demand books appreciate faster than the other stuff does. Besides, one long box of better books takes up way less space than 20 - 40 longs of drek.

On the other hand, I love pulling books like these out of cheap boxes for my collection, when I don’t already have them.  There are also some books that I pull out of these boxes when I see them because I am speculating/hoarding.  

I also own a lot of VG+ cheap SA DC ( late 60s Jimmy Olsen, Superboy, Adventure, Lois Lane, etc ), because I couldn’t pass up a 12 cent cover priced book in decent shape for $1-2. 

It will all make great convention stock when I retire. 🙂

[1Cool]

1 hour ago, Hamlet said:

Yes, but you are really good at it and are able do it in volume.  I would need to learn how to scan and list books effectively and start making trips the post office.  For the number of books I’m going to find in the 2-3 conventions per year I make it to, it really doesn’t make sense.

You are also ignoring the cost of the books in that example.  We were talking about buying the books for $2.  That makes the net $1.50, which is a lot less exciting.  I’m betting you aren’t bothering to pull late Miller Daredevils out of $2 boxes.  I’m betting you have so much of that stuff from collections you’ve bought for the keys that you consider them pretty much free.

Pretty spot on.  For me to grab books from $2 boxes I have to feel confident I can get $10 at least and those later Daredevil Miller books are just not $10 books unless they are perfect.  Which is a shame because I think they are great books but simply too many of them out there.

[Hamlet]

5 minutes ago, 1Cool said:

Pretty spot on.  For me to grab books from $2 boxes I have to feel confident I can get $10 at least and those later Daredevil Miller books are just not $10 books unless they are perfect.  Which is a shame because I think they are great books but simply too many of them out there.

I consider it good for the hobby that there are still great books that are available to collect at a “buying purely for entertainment” price point.  I bought the whole Miller Daredevil run as a lot on the boards for about $150 a few years back.  They weren’t high grade ( 158 and 168 were about fine, the rest varied from VG to VF ).  I had a blast reading them for the first time, with no worries about whether I was going to leave a finger print on a 9.6 copy.  

Can’t afford to collect the Byrne X-men?  His runs of FF, Alpha Flight, and Superman are awesome and were still cheap last I looked.  The Simonson Thors are all still pretty cheap with one notable exception.

 

[1Cool]

2 hours ago, FlyingDonut said:

My eBay net on a book for $5 is about $3.50. My time for that $3.50 is about two minutes. I can put $40 in my pocket for half an hour of "work" that involves me listening/watching to a baseball game.

Dan I know you are the man but I highly doubt it’s only 2 minutes per book once you factor in picture taking (scanning), posting on eBay, getting books and packing them up and mailing them out.  I know you do a lot of multi book purchases but even then 2 minutes may be a bit light on time.  I assume 10 minutes per order with some a bit less and some a bit more if there are a few books in an order.  

Edited August 17, 2019 by 1Cool

[FlyingDonut]

2 hours ago, Hamlet said:

Yes, but you are really good at it and are able do it in volume.  I would need to learn how to scan and list books effectively and start making trips the post office.  For the number of books I’m going to find in the 2-3 conventions per year I make it to, it really doesn’t make sense.

You are also ignoring the cost of the books in that example.  We were talking about buying the books for $2.  That makes the net $1.50, which is a lot less exciting.  I’m betting you aren’t bothering to pull late Miller Daredevils out of $2 boxes.  I’m betting you have so much of that stuff from collections you’ve bought for the keys that you consider them pretty much free.

Yes. I track buys at the collection level, so books are free after I clear my number per buy.

[the blob]

5 hours ago, FlyingDonut said:

My eBay net on a book for $5 is about $3.50. My time for that $3.50 is about two minutes. I can put $40 in my pocket for half an hour of "work" that involves me listening/watching to a baseball game.

I am fine selling books I pay nothing for at $5. With that said it never takes me 2 minutes to scan, list, pack, and mail a book. Always more. Realistically, probably 5-8 minutes when I am working efficiently.

[kimik]

1 hour ago, Hamlet said:

On the other hand, I love pulling books like these out of cheap boxes for my collection, when I don’t already have them.  There are also some books that I pull out of these boxes when I see them because I am speculating/hoarding.  

I also own a lot of VG+ cheap SA DC ( late 60s Jimmy Olsen, Superboy, Adventure, Lois Lane, etc ), because I couldn’t pass up a 12 cent cover priced book in decent shape for $1-2. 

It will all make great convention stock when I retire. 🙂

Don't count on it. My guess is that those VG+ cheap SA DCs and Marvels will still be $1-$2 if you want to sell them. I have been selling at shows since 1999, and the price on low grade low demand SA and Bronze Marvel and DC titles has remained constant over the past 20 years. As the market moves more towards key/1st app/hot cover collecting only the demand for run books is dwindling. I put the common issues of pretty much every title into my 50% off boxes in sub 9.0 grades. If it is not worth slabbing, then it takes time to move.

[Hamlet]

2 hours ago, kimik said:

Don't count on it. My guess is that those VG+ cheap SA DCs and Marvels will still be $1-$2 if you want to sell them. I have been selling at shows since 1999, and the price on low grade low demand SA and Bronze Marvel and DC titles has remained constant over the past 20 years. As the market moves more towards key/1st app/hot cover collecting only the demand for run books is dwindling. I put the common issues of pretty much every title into my 50% off boxes in sub 9.0 grades. If it is not worth slabbing, then it takes time to move.

It’s worth $2 to me to read and own a SA comic in decent shape. 

I have to hunt to find books like these at $1-2  -

Most dealers have them priced much higher (say $4-$6).  I assume they must occasionally sell a few or they wouldn’t keep dragging them to the shows.

 

 

[kimik]

12 hours ago, Hamlet said:

It’s worth $2 to me to read and own a SA comic in decent shape. 

I have to hunt to find books like these at $1-2  -

Most dealers have them priced much higher (say $4-$6).  I assume they must occasionally sell a few or they wouldn’t keep dragging them to the shows.

I agree it is worth $2 to read it, but buying them to resell later when you are retired at a higher price is not something I would bank on. Those books are even in the $1 and $2 at LCSs since they are so common in low grade. For every one or two that a dealer will move at $4-$6, it is not worth the storage cost. I see dealers all the time that have the same stock at shows year after year, some of it coming from my $2 boxes and 50% off GA/SA/BA boxes. They may just barely or may not cover costs, which is not worthwhile IMHO. 

FWIW, if you are a collector the 50% off GA/SA/BA stock that we (ClobberinTime Comics) have at the local shows is better than the good stock most other dealers have. 

Edited August 18, 2019 by kimik

[Hamlet]

14 minutes ago, kimik said:

I agree it is worth $2 to read it, but buying them to resell later when you are retired at a higher price is not something I would bank on. Those books are even in the $1 and $2 at LCSs since they are so common in low grade. For every one or two that a dealer will move at $4-$6, it is not worth the storage cost. I see dealers all the time that have the same stock at shows year after year, some of it coming from my $2 boxes and 50% off GA/SA/BA boxes. They may just barely or may not cover costs, which is not worthwhile IMHO. 

FWIW, if you are a collector the 50% off GA/SA/BA stock that we (ClobberinTime Comics) have at the local shows is better than the good stock most other dealers have. 

Trust me, I’m not counting on any of my comics ever selling for anything.  The little smiley face after my comment about convention stock meant that I was mostly joking.

 

[spreads]

On 8/18/2019 at 12:12 PM, kimik said:

I agree it is worth $2 to read it, but buying them to resell later when you are retired at a higher price is not something I would bank on. Those books are even in the $1 and $2 at LCSs since they are so common in low grade. For every one or two that a dealer will move at $4-$6, it is not worth the storage cost. I see dealers all the time that have the same stock at shows year after year, some of it coming from my $2 boxes and 50% off GA/SA/BA boxes. They may just barely or may not cover costs, which is not worthwhile IMHO. 

FWIW, if you are a collector the 50% off GA/SA/BA stock that we (ClobberinTime Comics) have at the local shows is better than the good stock most other dealers have. 

I'm convinced there are a lot of dealers that are more concerned about having expensive wallpaper, than to create a sale transaction.  I've even made bulk deals to larger dealers before if I felt it was a decent price to move a chunk of stuff out.....

[1Cool]

On 8/17/2019 at 11:37 PM, Hamlet said:

It’s worth $2 to me to read and own a SA comic in decent shape. 

I have to hunt to find books like these at $1-2  -

Most dealers have them priced much higher (say $4-$6).  I assume they must occasionally sell a few or they wouldn’t keep dragging them to the shows.

 

 

What are the tan wooden things in the corner?  Bowling pins?

I use to have a lot of luck grabbing these type of books out of the $1 boxes and selling them in bulk to a couple board members or local buyers for $3 - $4 a piece but all those buyers have moved on or gotten buried in product - not sure.  I did run a garage sale a couple years ago and these type of books did very well in a $5 box.  People see old books and think they are priceless.

[Hamlet]

13 minutes ago, 1Cool said:

What are the tan wooden things in the corner?  Bowling pins?

I use to have a lot of luck grabbing these type of books out of the $1 boxes and selling them in bulk to a couple board members or local buyers for $3 - $4 a piece but all those buyers have moved on or gotten buried in product - not sure.  I did run a garage sale a couple years ago and these type of books did very well in a $5 box.  People see old books and think they are priceless.

I'm actually not sure what those things are.  I was kinda wondering that myself when I dug up the picture.

I love finding this kind of stuff for $1-2.  I've never been able to find a whole lot of it locally here in Minneapolis, because I generally don't grab it if it isn't at least a clean VG+, or something I actually actively collect.  

It's been a year or two since I've been to the local conventions.  I'll probably go to a couple this Fall and see if the cheapo boxes look any different.

[divad]

On 8/17/2019 at 4:56 PM, the blob said:

I am fine selling books I pay nothing for at $5. With that said it never takes me 2 minutes to scan, list, pack, and mail a book. Always more. Realistically, probably 5-8 minutes when I am working efficiently.

I smoke two joints in the morning, I smoke two joints at night. . . 

[MyNameIsLegion]

Wondering aloud: 

will the Sony/Disney split over Spider-Man hurt or put a dent in Spidey back issue speculation if future Spidey movies aren’t part of the MCU? MCU movie speculation seems to get a premium over non- MCU.