Collectors, help me wrap my mind around 9.6 vs 9.8 1 1

[oakman29]

First thing first I don't mind owning a 9.6 Copper if it looks great. For some people a 9.6 post 1980 might as well be a PLOD but that is personal preference(I don't mind certain PLOD books either).

 

That being said there are a couple thing I look at.

 

First is the multiple you pay. At 2:1 I probably more willing to buy a 9.8 over a 9.6 versus 3:1 or 4:1

 

Is it a nice 9.6 or bad 9.6. A nice 9.6 can often times look just as good as an average 9.8. I love picking up nice 9.6 books and it usually quells any urge to upgrade.

 

Is it a nice 9.8 or a bad 9.8. Whenever I am willing to pay the extra cash for a 9.8 it better be a real 9.8 and not a gift 9.8, simple as that.

 

You can also afford to be more picky when it comes to books where there are tons of 9.6 and 9.8 on the census.

 

Bottom line is buy what you like and don't let the stigma of 9.6 books deter you if they are okay to you and buy the book, not the grade.

 

From my experience, I personally like 9.8 copies from late Silver Age and early Bronze but the only thing I am not willing to throw my money away. From the same age group, I can afford on those 9.6 copies for example Batman #227 and Hulk #181 because those prices have been steady for few years - sometimes it does some drops in the price but it is easy to predictable. The price for 9.8 copy is unpredictable and may be unstable. I remember few years ago, ASM #129 9.8 could be sold for $10,000 or more but it is now $5000. Hulk #181 9.8 was insanely overpriced during the time when Wolverine movie was around and the price is now mellowed down. You will never know if the price for 9.8 copies will stay top for a long time. I feel comfortable with the price for 9.6 copies only for late Silver Age and early Bronze Age. After that age group, the price for either 9.8 or 9.6 is never guaranteed. I think the most dangerous age group is Modern. It doesn't matter which 9.6 or 9.8 but it goes down fast and faster. It is just a vibe or fad.

 

I think it is safer to own any books from late Silver or early Bronze in either 9.6 or 9.8. My money too.

Plenty of people lost a lot of money when buying 9.8s years ago, particularly on Bronze books. Back when there weren't many 9.8s around they commanded a significant premium but once the census filled up through people digging out all their old copies and other copies being pressed up the grading scale, there was no way that those kind of prices were sustainable.

 

Those people would've lost a lot less money if they'd bought 9.6s. Now 9.9 is more like what a 9.8 was and people who have spent a massive load of money for the only 9.9 on the census will be the ones standing to make a big loss in the future.

I agree with this, except for the last part. 9.9's-10.0's are so rare, and those grades so protected by CGC, that they'll never take a dive like the bronze 9.8's did.

Ask the guy who paid 12K for a New Mutants #98 a few years ago that same question.

[B-Smooth]

First thing first I don't mind owning a 9.6 Copper if it looks great. For some people a 9.6 post 1980 might as well be a PLOD but that is personal preference(I don't mind certain PLOD books either).

 

That being said there are a couple thing I look at.

 

First is the multiple you pay. At 2:1 I probably more willing to buy a 9.8 over a 9.6 versus 3:1 or 4:1

 

Is it a nice 9.6 or bad 9.6. A nice 9.6 can often times look just as good as an average 9.8. I love picking up nice 9.6 books and it usually quells any urge to upgrade.

 

Is it a nice 9.8 or a bad 9.8. Whenever I am willing to pay the extra cash for a 9.8 it better be a real 9.8 and not a gift 9.8, simple as that.

 

You can also afford to be more picky when it comes to books where there are tons of 9.6 and 9.8 on the census.

 

Bottom line is buy what you like and don't let the stigma of 9.6 books deter you if they are okay to you and buy the book, not the grade.

 

From my experience, I personally like 9.8 copies from late Silver Age and early Bronze but the only thing I am not willing to throw my money away. From the same age group, I can afford on those 9.6 copies for example Batman #227 and Hulk #181 because those prices have been steady for few years - sometimes it does some drops in the price but it is easy to predictable. The price for 9.8 copy is unpredictable and may be unstable. I remember few years ago, ASM #129 9.8 could be sold for $10,000 or more but it is now $5000. Hulk #181 9.8 was insanely overpriced during the time when Wolverine movie was around and the price is now mellowed down. You will never know if the price for 9.8 copies will stay top for a long time. I feel comfortable with the price for 9.6 copies only for late Silver Age and early Bronze Age. After that age group, the price for either 9.8 or 9.6 is never guaranteed. I think the most dangerous age group is Modern. It doesn't matter which 9.6 or 9.8 but it goes down fast and faster. It is just a vibe or fad.

 

I think it is safer to own any books from late Silver or early Bronze in either 9.6 or 9.8. My money too.

Plenty of people lost a lot of money when buying 9.8s years ago, particularly on Bronze books. Back when there weren't many 9.8s around they commanded a significant premium but once the census filled up through people digging out all their old copies and other copies being pressed up the grading scale, there was no way that those kind of prices were sustainable.

 

Those people would've lost a lot less money if they'd bought 9.6s. Now 9.9 is more like what a 9.8 was and people who have spent a massive load of money for the only 9.9 on the census will be the ones standing to make a big loss in the future.

I agree with this, except for the last part. 9.9's-10.0's are so rare, and those grades so protected by CGC, that they'll never take a dive like the bronze 9.8's did.

Ask the guy who paid 12K for a New Mutants #98 a few years ago that same question.

I was referring more to bronze books. With copper books, maybe getting 10.0 would be more sufficient.

[Monstro]

 

Keeping that in mind 9.8's have proven to bring many multiple of guide compared to their 9.6 counterparts, despite the sometimes negligible condition of the actual book. So when you buy, if you tend to lean more towards the buy then sell side of the hobby, I would go with buying the 9.8's.

 

The price for 9.8 copy is unpredictable and may be unstable. I remember few years ago, ASM #129 9.8 could be sold for $10,000 or more but it is now $5000. Hulk #181 9.8 was insanely overpriced during the time when Wolverine movie was around and the price is now mellowed down. You will never know if the price for 9.8 copies will stay top for a long time.

 

There's the rub, the 9.8 will sell for more than the 9.6, but will it sell for more than you paid for it.

 

Well yes you should be carful not to buy at the height of a particular issues bubble.

[eastcoaster]

On 10/27/2013 at 11:12 AM, rjpb said:

I'd venture that 99% of those who insist on CGC 9.8 and nothing less would have been more than satisfied with a raw NM+ prior to the advent of CGC. What they seek is not consistency in grading, but in labeling of the books in their collection, and possibly an easier sale at FMV if they choose to liquidate.

Correct. Back when I read and collected comics, it just had to be a nice NM or M copy. Now mint copies are like unicorns and NM isn't good enough. I find it very hard to tell the difference between a 9.6 and 9.8. Thanks to CGC I don't have too! or

[Hamlet]

35 minutes ago, eastcoaster said:

Correct. Back when I read and collected comics, it just had to be a nice NM or M copy. Now mint copies are like unicorns and NM isn't good enough. I find it very hard to tell the difference between a 9.6 and 9.8. Thanks to CGC I don't have too! or

I’ll let you in on a little secret - you can usually buy a nice raw VF for peanuts ( heck, often from a dollar box ) compared to a CGC’d book of any grade, and the story is the same inside.  Some people really enjoy having a “perfect” book - but if you aren’t one of them, I don’t see much reason to buy most copper books slabbed.  

 

[RockMyAmadeus]

On 10/30/2013 at 6:52 AM, Monstro said:

 

Well yes you should be carful not to buy at the height of a particular issues bubble.

You're missed around here....

[eastcoaster]

On 9/20/2019 at 6:28 PM, Hamlet said:

I’ll let you in on a little secret - you can usually buy a nice raw VF for peanuts ( heck, often from a dollar box ) compared to a CGC’d book of any grade, and the story is the same inside.  Some people really enjoy having a “perfect” book - but if you aren’t one of them, I don’t see much reason to buy most copper books slabbed.  

 

Why buy any mint book slabbed? Well... getting a book you love in the best condition you can find is part of the hobby. Obviously I can buy busted dollar bin books. 

[eastcoaster]

On 10/30/2013 at 4:46 AM, B-Smooth said:

I was referring more to bronze books. With copper books, maybe getting 10.0 would be more sufficient.

A 10.0 is so rare it's not worth spending energy on.