• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

The ones that slipped away...

33 posts in this topic

Everyone loves a good sob story, right? Misery loves company?

 

This thread is dedicated to those that came in 2nd place...or first to get in last place as they say.

 

Let's hear about "The ones that slipped away".

 

 

This can be situations like (but not limited to):

- Auctions that you thought you had in the bag that you got knocked out on. :makepoint:

- Comics on Sites that you missed by waffling way to much on but had the means to pull the trigger. :busy:

- Comics here in the forums that you missed out on due to being a Johnny come Lately. doh!

 

What do you got? This is meant to provide collector catharsis :gossip:

 

Post, Pictures, Links anything to lead to discussion (thumbs u

 

 

 

- b :insane: unty

Link to comment
Share on other sites

While I have WAAAY too many of these stories when it comes to original art, luckily there aren't any that really stand out for me when it comes to comics. I DO remember, however, the last time I had money in one hand, and an Action Comics #1 in the other. That was the Summer of 1985. It was a sizable sum for me at the time, and the Action wasn't a beauty queen, either. It would have wiped out my entire convention budget, so I opted to spend it on a bunch of pre-hero DC books instead. It would be cool to have that Action now, if just for bragging rights.....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The one's that kill me and I think about to this day are from the early days of my comic searching and being a teenager with almost no money and finding comics at flea markets and antique stores that I didn't have enough money for or having to pick a few and leave the rest behind. I left behind a stack of Sheena comics once and a stack of early Archies, all because I didn't have the five bucks or whatever it was to buy them. Or more stupidly passing up on things entirely I regreted later, like great pulps I saw for next to nothing or a huge box full of big little books for basically nothing, or a 40s superman wood doll, because it was 50 bucks and I thought that was ridiculous amount to pay.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I definitely think about this more and more now. The cost of something, and the possibility of me seeing another one in the near future that I would like equally as much. Helps jump the fence sometimes. But man...And Action #1. Eh-wee.

 

While I have WAAAY too many of these stories when it comes to original art, luckily there aren't any that really stand out for me when it comes to comics. I DO remember, however, the last time I had money in one hand, and an Action Comics #1 in the other. That was the Summer of 1985. It was a sizable sum for me at the time, and the Action wasn't a beauty queen, either. It would have wiped out my entire convention budget, so I opted to spend it on a bunch of pre-hero DC books instead. It would be cool to have that Action now, if just for bragging rights.....
Link to comment
Share on other sites

This was a more recent one for me (earlier this year). I was really locked in on this Weird Terror #7. I've become fond of Heck's art style, love dark covers, the artist perspective and really liked the colors on this book.

 

It was on auction on eBay, and I thought for sure I was going to come away with it. Nope. Was squashed at the buzzer.

 

After a few weeks, I saw the same book on the forum by a fellow boardy (JunkDrawer) and reached out to him just to say congrats on the book and that I was the one who fiercely battled for it but lost.

 

A few months later I posted up a "Sell me some GA PCH books" for my Birthday thread. And to my surprise JunkDrawer offered the book to me. I am now the proud owner of it. So while it started out as one that slipped away...it gravitated back into my orbit :cloud9:

 

 

CF2EE8C1-A7B5-40AC-8047-DC8723ED0C9A.jpg

 

 

- bounty

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For me, I think I most regret not marshaling every bit of birthday and grass cutting money as a teenager and not seeking out one good page of Kirby art. It would have been tight, but possible. With the prices nowadays, it remains an unlikelihood that I'll ever have one to hang on my wall. :(

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

 

A few months later I posted up a "Sell me some GA PCH books" for my Birthday thread. And sure enough JunkDrawer offered the book to me. I am now the proud owner of it. So while it started out as one that slipped away...it gravitated back into my orbit :cloud9:

 

 

 

 

- bounty

 

Gotta love a happy ending. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In 1983, an elderly farmer walked into a comic book store I frequented. He had a paper grocery bag full of books. The owner made the deal, the farmer left. The owner called me over.

 

"Look in the bag".

 

I knew this was going to be tough.

 

The top book was Batman #52 (Which I bought)

 

There was a complete run of Batman books from # 52 all the way to #1

 

There were 2 #3's, 3 #2's And 3 #1's.

 

I freaked when I pulled out the #1's. They were all roughly 6.0's (At least my memory says so)

 

Now, I says: "You don't need three #1's! You have two at home already!" (She did. She had every DC golden age key. EVERY one of them. Her collection was astounding.

 

She says: "I will sell you one of your choice for (Drum Roll) $3,000.

 

I did not have $3,000 in 1983.

 

So, I ended up buying a #9 and the #52. My wife at the time shredded the #9 in the heat of battle and I let the #52 go to a collector several years later.

 

But, those #1's will be burned into my memory until I die.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

WOW...

 

In 1983, an elderly farmer walked into a comic book store I frequented. He had a paper grocery bag full of books. The owner made the deal, the farmer left. The owner called me over.

 

"Look in the bag".

 

I knew this was going to be tough.

 

The top book was Batman #52 (Which I bought)

 

There was a complete run of Batman books from # 52 all the way to #1

 

There were 2 #3's, 3 #2's And 3 #1's.

 

I freaked when I pulled out the #1's. They were all roughly 6.0's (At least my memory says so)

 

Now, I says: "You don't need three #1's! You have two at home already!" (She did. She had every DC golden age key. EVERY one of them. Her collection was astounding.

 

She says: "I will sell you one of your choice for (Drum Roll) $3,000.

 

I did not have $3,000 in 1983.

 

So, I ended up buying a #9 and the #52. My wife at the time shredded the #9 in the heat of battle and I let the #52 go to a collector several years later.

 

But, those #1's will be burned into my memory until I die.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

At a Dallas Fantasy Fair, around 1992 or so, a guy had a table with nothing but brown paper bags on it. A crowd had gathered around the table by the time I found it and I saw people walking away with many, many bags and seeming really happy. I get to the front of the line, not knowing what was in the bags but dying to know, and I hear the guy repeat his story probably for the umpteenth time that day. His dad, Uncle? Fairy godmother?, delivered comics to the local newsstands during the 60s and any that did not make it to the stands were stored in his garage. Now the old man has died and his son, nephew? Fairy godson?, is selling what was in the garage.

 

He only brought 1 comic to the Fantasy Fair but he brought a couple hundred of them: Iron Man #1. The rules were simple: you could buy up to 3 bags for $300 each. You cannot look in the bag before buying and, after paying, if you do not like the contents, you can trade out each bag once. Again without looking. People were tossing money at this guy like he was the guy selling blue pills in Amsterdam. I regret I only bought 2 copies. Instead, I bought an Amazing Spider-Man #1 that came back a CGC 5.0. For the investment, My future wife and I would have been better buying 4 more Iron Man #1s. Unpressed, the 2 Iron Man #1s came back from CGC as 9.4s and a friend, who bought 3, had (1) 9.2, (1) 9.4 and a 9.6. Again, unpressed.

 

The guy told me that he also had Submariner #1 and Iron Man Submariner #1s in like quantities. If he sold out of Iron Mans he was going to come back with the others. I was not able to attend on the second day so I do not know if he did.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In 1983, an elderly farmer walked into a comic book store I frequented. He had a paper grocery bag full of books. The owner made the deal, the farmer left. The owner called me over.

 

"Look in the bag".

 

I knew this was going to be tough.

 

The top book was Batman #52 (Which I bought)

 

There was a complete run of Batman books from # 52 all the way to #1

 

There were 2 #3's, 3 #2's And 3 #1's.

 

I freaked when I pulled out the #1's. They were all roughly 6.0's (At least my memory says so)

 

Now, I says: "You don't need three #1's! You have two at home already!" (She did. She had every DC golden age key. EVERY one of them. Her collection was astounding.

 

She says: "I will sell you one of your choice for (Drum Roll) $3,000.

 

I did not have $3,000 in 1983.

 

So, I ended up buying a #9 and the #52. My wife at the time shredded the #9 in the heat of battle and I let the #52 go to a collector several years later.

 

But, those #1's will be burned into my memory until I die.

 

Did I read this right, your ex-wife tore your Batman #9 into pieces? I wonder how many other wives have wanted to do that to their husband's comic collection!

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good Lord! That is wild. Must have been exhilarating purchasing them in that fashion.

 

By the way the USA #14 in your sig line is awesome! :gossip: never seen that book before.

 

At a Dallas Fantasy Fair, around 1992 or so, a guy had a table with nothing but brown paper bags on it. A crowd had gathered around the table by the time I found it and I saw people walking away with many, many bags and seeming really happy. I get to the front of the line, not knowing what was in the bags but dying to know, and I hear the guy repeat his story probably for the umpteenth time that day. His dad, Uncle? Fairy godmother?, delivered comics to the local newsstands during the 60s and any that did not make it to the stands were stored in his garage. Now the old man has died and his son, nephew? Fairy godson?, is selling what was in the garage.

 

He only brought 1 comic to the Fantasy Fair but he brought a couple hundred of them: Iron Man #1. The rules were simple: you could buy up to 3 bags for $300 each. You cannot look in the bag before buying and, after paying, if you do not like the contents, you can trade out each bag once. Again without looking. People were tossing money at this guy like he was the guy selling blue pills in Amsterdam. I regret I only bought 2 copies. Instead, I bought an Amazing Spider-Man #1 that came back a CGC 5.0. For the investment, My future wife and I would have been better buying 4 more Iron Man #1s. Unpressed, the 2 Iron Man #1s came back from CGC as 9.4s and a friend, who bought 3, had (1) 9.2, (1) 9.4 and a 9.6. Again, unpressed.

 

The guy told me that he also had Submariner #1 and Iron Man Submariner #1s in like quantities. If he sold out of Iron Mans he was going to come back with the others. I was not able to attend on the second day so I do not know if he did.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In 1983, an elderly farmer walked into a comic book store I frequented. He had a paper grocery bag full of books. The owner made the deal, the farmer left. The owner called me over.

 

"Look in the bag".

 

I knew this was going to be tough.

 

The top book was Batman #52 (Which I bought)

 

There was a complete run of Batman books from # 52 all the way to #1

 

There were 2 #3's, 3 #2's And 3 #1's.

 

I freaked when I pulled out the #1's. They were all roughly 6.0's (At least my memory says so)

 

Now, I says: "You don't need three #1's! You have two at home already!" (She did. She had every DC golden age key. EVERY one of them. Her collection was astounding.

 

She says: "I will sell you one of your choice for (Drum Roll) $3,000.

 

I did not have $3,000 in 1983.

 

So, I ended up buying a #9 and the #52. My wife at the time shredded the #9 in the heat of battle and I let the #52 go to a collector several years later.

 

But, those #1's will be burned into my memory until I die.

 

Did I read this right, your ex-wife tore your Batman #9 into pieces? I wonder how many other wives have wanted to do that to their husband's comic collection!

 

Mine have been threatened to be added to a bonfire...

 

I hide matches and lighters in my house...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Plenty of missed opportunities, but the one I always recall is not buying a high grade Pep #34 from Harley for around $500 at SDCC in 1996, even though the book was on my classic cover want list, but I was hoping to find a decent mid-grade for around $200. I had just expanded my cover collecting to superhero books, and didn't really have any idea how hard it was going to be to find some books. I would have sold it by now, as I have with just about all my other superhero Golden Age, but still, would have been a sweet buy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I still remember this one time going to the local swap meet in the early seventies, and seeing a seller with a table displaying various EC horror titles in Fine condition, but the guy wanted $6-$8 each for them, and I just didn't have that kinda jingle in my jeans. :eyeroll:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good Lord! That is wild. Must have been exhilarating purchasing them in that fashion.

 

By the way the USA #14 in your sig line is awesome! :gossip: never seen that book before.

 

At a Dallas Fantasy Fair, around 1992 or so, a guy had a table with nothing but brown paper bags on it. A crowd had gathered around the table by the time I found it and I saw people walking away with many, many bags and seeming really happy. I get to the front of the line, not knowing what was in the bags but dying to know, and I hear the guy repeat his story probably for the umpteenth time that day. His dad, Uncle? Fairy godmother?, delivered comics to the local newsstands during the 60s and any that did not make it to the stands were stored in his garage. Now the old man has died and his son, nephew? Fairy godson?, is selling what was in the garage.

 

He only brought 1 comic to the Fantasy Fair but he brought a couple hundred of them: Iron Man #1. The rules were simple: you could buy up to 3 bags for $300 each. You cannot look in the bag before buying and, after paying, if you do not like the contents, you can trade out each bag once. Again without looking. People were tossing money at this guy like he was the guy selling blue pills in Amsterdam. I regret I only bought 2 copies. Instead, I bought an Amazing Spider-Man #1 that came back a CGC 5.0. For the investment, My future wife and I would have been better buying 4 more Iron Man #1s. Unpressed, the 2 Iron Man #1s came back from CGC as 9.4s and a friend, who bought 3, had (1) 9.2, (1) 9.4 and a 9.6. Again, unpressed.

 

The guy told me that he also had Submariner #1 and Iron Man Submariner #1s in like quantities. If he sold out of Iron Mans he was going to come back with the others. I was not able to attend on the second day so I do not know if he did.

It was exciting. Opening the bag and seeing the condition of the book is something I remember to this day. I did not trade out either of my bags.

 

USA #14 is one of my all time favorite covers. :cloud9:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

a more recent one... i remember when i first jumped on the boards here someone dropped a blue action 23 graded 6.0 to the sales forum and was asking 10k. i wasnt at a 5 figure book comfort level yet considered it for a fleeting moment. ultimately i passed and someone else quickly picked it up there after. im not even sure if it was completely legit and the sale went through. but if it was what a great get.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I still remember this one time going to the local swap meet in the early seventies, and seeing a seller with a table displaying various EC horror titles in Fine condition, but the guy wanted $6-$8 each for them, and I just didn't have that kinda jingle in my jeans. :eyeroll:

 

That was slightly stiff even back then. I remember $4-$5 was the going rate in my area. Believe it or not, when you were making $2.50 an hour those extra couple bucks made a difference.

 

I do live by the creed "you are rarely sorry what you do buy but very often sorry what you leave behind"

Link to comment
Share on other sites