Hibou Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 Good choices and tough books! Best of luck... I've always wanted a Showcase 4 myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uchiha101 Posted June 17, 2015 Author Share Posted June 17, 2015 Good choices and tough books! Best of luck... I've always wanted a Showcase 4 myself. Thanks I think flash is funny and it helps that it's a safe investment and and movies and tv shows about him help and Peter Palmer if you're reading this I'm not ignoring you you gave me a lot to think about and I'm also listing the rest of my collection and responding to pm's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revat Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 Also, if you're not already reading it, you should read ft88's journal about starting a 1 man comic business http://boards.collectors-society.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=8273076&fpart=1 he goes into a lot of the day to day operationals and logistics and rationales. Of course not everything will apply to you, and everyone has different preferences, but I have zero desire to start a comic business (mostly because I don't have the capital, the connections, the comic book base, the comic knowledge, the market knowledge) and I still learned a ton from his thread. I imagine you'll get a lot out of it. Also, if you're going to have some long term comic investments (no problem, but you should diversify too), unless you have tons of capital, you should make sure its not coming out of your operating funds for your business. For example if you want to buy a 5k AF 15 to hold for yearsj and years, probably better to separate (save) $500 per month for 10 months then buy it, as opposed to spending $5K directly out of your operating funds. This helps teach you to save money, and operate more efficiently, and provide a safety net should the need arise for one. Of course if your company is still in its fledgling stages, survival may be more important than long term investment. And while I'm feeling long winded.... When you're trying to sell something, consider your potential customer base. If you're selling a 'lot' of random comics (or really anything), consider who the potential customer might be. Lot of 30 spider-man comics: Potential buyers include spiderman fans (who might actually read or collect) or dealers who sell a lot to spider man fans. Lot of 30 random silver comics: What are the odds that someone wants the exact combination of comics you're selling (or even close to it)? What kind of person would want 2 low grade slabbed versions of the same key plus a bunch of unrelated comics? The answer is .... "someone who thinks there's money to be made buying in bulk and selling individually" And what kind of margins do those people typically prefer to buy at (note that the margins might be different for keys and non-keys)? And how do the margins compare with your sale price? Add that to the fact that you advertise you're moving (definition=desperate to sell, possibly tough for returns or problem resolution), you advertise that you're in this for the money (definition=you will absolutely be profiting), your reputation is still young (definition=questionable to some), you live in Canada (definition=higher shipping, higher insurance, potential customs issues, trickier returns), and .... you get 'nice bomics'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HighStakesComics Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 Revat has a way with words Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uchiha101 Posted June 18, 2015 Author Share Posted June 18, 2015 Revat has a way with words haha so he does it may be a long read but I always appreciate input that's constructive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HighStakesComics Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 Hes a terrific writer, no doubt. See, you can coax great material out of people here, Gabriel. No matter what happens you should stick around. It's easy to get frustrated and capitulate when things don't go the way we plan. It is entirely possible that you could come up short with the comics, but parlay the valuable life lessons here into a different successful business venture. It's hard enough to buy comics at a price where you can sell them at a profit, let alone when you are telegraphing every move on a public chat board. Sometimes it's best to adapt and move on. Like this 'lil guy here. And remember, even if the comic book dealer/speculator in you doesn't pan out you will always find brotherhood here shared amongst fellow passionate collectors. Godspeed, Sir...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uchiha101 Posted June 18, 2015 Author Share Posted June 18, 2015 Hes a terrific writer, no doubt. See, you can coax great material out of people here, Gabriel. No matter what happens you should stick around. It's easy to get frustrated and capitulate when things don't go the way we plan. It is entirely possible that you could come up short with the comics, but parlay the valuable life lessons here into a different successful business venture. It's hard enough to buy comics at a price where you can sell them at a profit, let alone when you are telegraphing every move on a public chat board. Sometimes it's best to adapt and move on. Like this 'lil guy here. And remember, even if the comic book dealer/speculator in you doesn't pan out you will always find brotherhood here shared amongst fellow passionate collectors. Godspeed, Sir...... haha thanks I needed a laugh today with that dog but your right if the comic books as a business don't work out they can be a hobby or a side business as I want to be a voice actor though I hate "nice comics" I should make a thread about why I did it so people understand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uchiha101 Posted June 20, 2015 Author Share Posted June 20, 2015 Today's thoughts I'll wait to more days and if no one is interested in my collection I'll just sell off the raws and keep the slabs. Recent purchases ST125 CGC 5.0 (couldn't resist) renew your vows variants Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Semicentennial Posted June 20, 2015 Share Posted June 20, 2015 This is a strange and entertaining thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uchiha101 Posted June 20, 2015 Author Share Posted June 20, 2015 This is a strange and entertaining thread. glad you like it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uchiha101 Posted June 22, 2015 Author Share Posted June 22, 2015 (edited) Today's thoughts time to sell my drek comics Today's purchase Star wars #1 Edited June 22, 2015 by uchiha101 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uchiha101 Posted June 23, 2015 Author Share Posted June 23, 2015 Action comics 15 update I've found a coverless copy with the centerfold but missing the 1st page and I'm going to buy it if the person before me doesn't Big Decision I'm going to buy either a coverless bat #1 or buy all the wraps and covers till I can marry one together and I'm watching a couple auctions to see what they go on average Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revat Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 Action comics 15 update I've found a coverless copy with the centerfold but missing the 1st page and I'm going to buy it if the person before me doesn't Big Decision I'm going to buy either a coverless bat #1 or buy all the wraps and covers till I can marry one together and I'm watching a couple auctions to see what they go on average you don't have to give too much away about your profit margins, but when you have bought coverless/incomplete in the past, has it been worth it to take the time to collect and complete the other parts of the book before restoring, grading, etc.? Because it seems like you're tying up some money for an indefinite amount of time until the right pieces come up, with a somewhat limited market for rebuilt comics (even if they are keys and/or very old). Or maybe the parts come up easily (I know very little about buying parts)? Or have you been able to successfully arbitrage the incomplete comics? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red84 Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 Action comics 15 update I've found a coverless copy with the centerfold but missing the 1st page and I'm going to buy it if the person before me doesn't Big Decision I'm going to buy either a coverless bat #1 or buy all the wraps and covers till I can marry one together and I'm watching a couple auctions to see what they go on average Are you sure this is a good idea? You've already had difficulty selling your incomplete Action 15, now you are buying a second one and you still won't have a complete copy, let alone a cover, between the two books. Consider this about the Batman 1; the value of that book is primarily the cover; its iconic. Why do you think you will be able to sell the coverless batman 1 for more than you're paying now. From what you've been relaying to us, you don't have the capital that a dealer has and now you are tying up most of your money in books that have limited resale potential. I think you really need to decide whether you want to be a dealer or a collector. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uchiha101 Posted June 23, 2015 Author Share Posted June 23, 2015 Action comics 15 update I've found a coverless copy with the centerfold but missing the 1st page and I'm going to buy it if the person before me doesn't Big Decision I'm going to buy either a coverless bat #1 or buy all the wraps and covers till I can marry one together and I'm watching a couple auctions to see what they go on average you don't have to give too much away about your profit margins, but when you have bought coverless/incomplete in the past, has it been worth it to take the time to collect and complete the other parts of the book before restoring, grading, etc.? Because it seems like you're tying up some money for an indefinite amount of time until the right pieces come up, with a somewhat limited market for rebuilt comics (even if they are keys and/or very old). Or maybe the parts come up easily (I know very little about buying parts)? Or have you been able to successfully arbitrage the incomplete comics? not yet I'm working on that part it usually happens that it appears right after I sell my incomplete comic so this time I'll be keeping it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uchiha101 Posted June 23, 2015 Author Share Posted June 23, 2015 (edited) Action comics 15 update I've found a coverless copy with the centerfold but missing the 1st page and I'm going to buy it if the person before me doesn't Big Decision I'm going to buy either a coverless bat #1 or buy all the wraps and covers till I can marry one together and I'm watching a couple auctions to see what they go on average Are you sure this is a good idea? You've already had difficulty selling your incomplete Action 15, now you are buying a second one and you still won't have a complete copy, let alone a cover, between the two books. Consider this about the Batman 1; the value of that book is primarily the cover; its iconic. Why do you think you will be able to sell the coverless batman 1 for more than you're paying now. From what you've been relaying to us, you don't have the capital that a dealer has and now you are tying up most of your money in books that have limited resale potential. I think you really need to decide whether you want to be a dealer or a collector. for the action comics 15 I'd marry the better copy and sell off the other worse one and the bat #1 I'd buy the covers as well to make a complete married copy. Who says I can't do both and as for the limited capital I'm working on that but I know for sure I don't want a physical store front as it costs too much. Why I think it'll be worth more than it is today? simple the value of the comic will go up as it will take me a while to be able to complete this task. Edited June 23, 2015 by uchiha101 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W16227 Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 Action comics 15 update I've found a coverless copy with the centerfold but missing the 1st page and I'm going to buy it if the person before me doesn't Big Decision I'm going to buy either a coverless bat #1 or buy all the wraps and covers till I can marry one together and I'm watching a couple auctions to see what they go on average Are you sure this is a good idea? You've already had difficulty selling your incomplete Action 15, now you are buying a second one and you still won't have a complete copy, let alone a cover, between the two books. Consider this about the Batman 1; the value of that book is primarily the cover; its iconic. Why do you think you will be able to sell the coverless batman 1 for more than you're paying now. From what you've been relaying to us, you don't have the capital that a dealer has and now you are tying up most of your money in books that have limited resale potential. I think you really need to decide whether you want to be a dealer or a collector. for the action comics 15 I'd marry the better copy and sell off the other worse one and the bat #1 I'd buy the covers as well to make a complete married copy. Who says I can't do both and as for the limited capital I'm working on that but I know for sure I don't want a physical store front as it costs too much. Why I think it'll be worth more than it is today? simple the value of the comic will go up as it will take me a while to be able to complete this task. I think you missed the point - Red is referring to the fact that most dealers have more capital to invest than you - and can afford to pick up some of the items you are discussing as they will not be putting a large % of t heir cash into the deal. They are also diversified (well, a lot of them) - in that they have different segments for sale. Some of the big hitters are back from Heroes - and they describe selling $1 books and lower end items - alongside the big books. The items you are talking about - while incomplete are still a significant investment. They also may sit for a while to get the price you want. Lets say that you put in $3000 (and that batman 1 cover will probably be more than that on its own) - and you have to wait a year for you to put together something - and sell for $4000. Or - you can invest $1000 in 200 smaller books and flip for $2000 in that same time frame. It will me more overall work - but you will learn more - and build a better rep and a better business because of it. You may also find quicker buy/sell opportunities with that other $2000 you did not spend and keep that cash working for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uchiha101 Posted June 23, 2015 Author Share Posted June 23, 2015 Action comics 15 update I've found a coverless copy with the centerfold but missing the 1st page and I'm going to buy it if the person before me doesn't Big Decision I'm going to buy either a coverless bat #1 or buy all the wraps and covers till I can marry one together and I'm watching a couple auctions to see what they go on average Are you sure this is a good idea? You've already had difficulty selling your incomplete Action 15, now you are buying a second one and you still won't have a complete copy, let alone a cover, between the two books. Consider this about the Batman 1; the value of that book is primarily the cover; its iconic. Why do you think you will be able to sell the coverless batman 1 for more than you're paying now. From what you've been relaying to us, you don't have the capital that a dealer has and now you are tying up most of your money in books that have limited resale potential. I think you really need to decide whether you want to be a dealer or a collector. for the action comics 15 I'd marry the better copy and sell off the other worse one and the bat #1 I'd buy the covers as well to make a complete married copy. Who says I can't do both and as for the limited capital I'm working on that but I know for sure I don't want a physical store front as it costs too much. Why I think it'll be worth more than it is today? simple the value of the comic will go up as it will take me a while to be able to complete this task. I think you missed the point - Red is referring to the fact that most dealers have more capital to invest than you - and can afford to pick up some of the items you are discussing as they will not be putting a large % of t heir cash into the deal. They are also diversified (well, a lot of them) - in that they have different segments for sale. Some of the big hitters are back from Heroes - and they describe selling $1 books and lower end items - alongside the big books. The items you are talking about - while incomplete are still a significant investment. They also may sit for a while to get the price you want. Lets say that you put in $3000 (and that batman 1 cover will probably be more than that on its own) - and you have to wait a year for you to put together something - and sell for $4000. Or - you can invest $1000 in 200 smaller books and flip for $2000 in that same time frame. It will me more overall work - but you will learn more - and build a better rep and a better business because of it. You may also find quicker buy/sell opportunities with that other $2000 you did not spend and keep that cash working for you. I'm also thinking about that and it's true if I use my capital I'm stuck until it sells so what I'm trying to do as of late is buy comics for quick flips and if the deal is good buy comics I can wait on for a year or two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hibou Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 Looking at GPA, I'd say on average, single CGC'd Bats 1 pages go for around $450. Just doing the quick math on that, it may be more cost effective to try and locate a complete (or close to) coverless copy. Again, based on GPA, you might be able to find one in the $4000 - $6000 range. Good luck with the Action 15! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revat Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 nothing wrong with a long term view and/or diversifying. The problem is that for MOST businesses that people want to survive day-to-day on, quicker inventory turnover is generally more valuable, even if its a lot more work. There's at least two reports from dealers for Heroescon, you should take a look. I think someone mentioned buying a collection where essentially, the keys end up being sold at just 10-20% profit, with the 'drek' boxes being so for actual the actual 'profit'. For example: I could buy a lot of 2,000 comics. There's some nice keys, which I estimate I can sell for $1,000 dollars. So I offer $800 for all 2000 comics. I end up selling the keys for my $1,000 (relatively quickly), and the rest for $2 per over the next year. So that's a net positive of $4,200 over a year, on just $800 investment. Of course there's a lot of other time spent and selling costs, but that's part of the life of a dealer. And you've potentially made a 'connection' with every person you sold a comic to. OR you can take your $800 and buy something that is currently worth $900....and wait for the next piece to come up, put in another $300, then pay for resto and grading and sell for $3,000 in a year. Yes you did a lot less work, but your return on investment for the same time period is much lower. At this point in your career, you probably have more time than you do money, which means you probably need the money a lot more than you need the free time. And at the end you've made a connection with 1 person you sold a comic to. Ask any or all of the successful dealers how they started. Of course these are different times, and not all of them may answer or tell the truth, but there's a lot to be learned. And honestly, the quickest way to buy and sell a $1M comic is not by buying and selling comics. Its probably way easier to go to college and get an MBA or law degree and work really really hard. You can still buy and sell comics on the side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
