Insane Half Price Books Pricing? 0

[Meeklo]

Has anyone gone to a Half Price Books lately and found their pricing to be completely insane? I saw a Guardians of the Galaxy #1 (2008) today in a NM condition and they wanted $150 for it. I asked a guy about it and he checked eBay right in front of me and saw a bunch of NM sold for $30-50 and then told me that the price was firm and they wouldn't negotiate on it.

I know a couple in my area use Comic Book Realm to price their comics which I believe is a useless site for value since the pricing always seems off. But to latently ignore the eBay sold values is completely insane.

Anyone else run into stupidity like this?

[oakman29]

That's when I say thank you for your time I'll never shop here again. I don't negotiate with comic terrorists (copyright oakman29 )

Seriously though, that would be the last time I shop there.

[Ken Aldred]

1 hour ago, oakman29 said:

That's when I say thank you for your time I'll never shop here again. I don't negotiate with comic terrorists (copyright oakman29 )

Seriously though, that would be the last time I shop there.

Terrible attitude from a clerk over such a very common book.  It's getting close to the release of the second film and possible that they believe there's a mug out there who'll be desperate and ignorant enough to pull the trigger.

I've experienced far too much self-important comic terrorism over 40 years of collecting.  Good description.

 

Edited March 5, 2017 by Ken Aldred

[Batman1fan]

The Half Price Books here isn't quite that bad, but their pricing is all over the place.  There used to be one person who was more or less in charge of the comic books, but I haven't seen her lately.  I've also seen one of the HPB employees at the nearby LCS, and when I saw him, I thought, , there goes my chances of finding anymore bargains.  In reality though, their pricing is about the same as usual.  They are higher than a kite on some books, way low on others, and priced at about what I could buy the same book for at the comic book store a quarter mile down the road.  This tells me that there's more than one person pricing this stuff, and I agree that their pricing can be infuriating.  They will have common silver age books in good to very good condition priced like a very fine.  However, I've been going to this particular HPB since it opened, about 7 years now, and almost every time I see a book priced so insanely high that i want to ask an employee how they came up with that price, I eventually find something priced way lower than it should be.  The last 3 things I bought from there that were noteworthy was a copy of the black bag edition of Superman 75, sealed, for 50 cents.  Not a huge find, but the LCS down the street has a copy on the wall for $30.00, so I'm happy with it.  Next up was a copy of Classics Illustrated 35, The Last Days of Pompeii, original edition from 1947 in good condition, for $2.00.  The last one wasn't a comic book, but they had a small box of old Life magazines from the 1960s and 1970s for $5.00 each.  In the middle of the box was the March 11, 1966 issue with Adam West as Batman on the cover, in solid fine condition, with a bright white cover, and I got it for $5.00.  So, whenever I'm at HPB and run across comics with absurdly high prices on them, I just sigh and keep on looking.  There are still bargains to be found, but sometimes you have to sift through the overpriced stuff to find them.

[ADAMANTIUM]

The HPB I go to has a VG/VG+ Fantastic Four #75 priced at get this $75 hahahahaha

 

[Limited66]

I used to live in Austin and the HPB there was only good for cheap trade paperbacks. The comics are fun to look through, but have always been overpriced and/or graded poorly for the pricing they want.

Their rare books room though can sometimes have some interesting stuff at a decent price, but it's more in the realm of esoterica (and sometimes pulps.)  

Since there's not much of a bargain to be found at HPB, better to go to ABC since their grading is decent. 

[1950's war comics]

and the worst thing about places that sell way over priced comics (like the FF75 for $75.00) is that if you tried to sell them the same or similar issue they would offer you a dollar for it

[DeadOne]

3 hours ago, oakman29 said:

I don't negotiate with comic terrorists (copyright oakman29

I could have used that the other day when emailing with a local guy about his "collection" on craigslist.

[jcjames]

2 hours ago, ADAMANTIUM said:

The HPB I go to has a VG/VG+ Fantastic Four #75 priced at get this $75 hahahahaha

 

Bring in your VF copy of FF75 to sell or trade, lay it down on the counter right next to their $75 VGFF75 - and let the negotiating begin....

[telerites]

Not worth the effort to look for GA/SA books at decent prices at HPB.  I've looked through the 4 stores in the past that are near or close enough for a quick drive and just utter garbage in terrible condition and precious prices.  Their storage of the books begs for someone to add even more damage. 

 

 

[Batman1fan]

2 hours ago, 1950's war comics said:

and the worst thing about places that sell way over priced comics (like the FF75 for $75.00) is that if you tried to sell them the same or similar issue they would offer you a dollar for it

You'd be lucky to get a dollar for any comic from HPB.  The one in my area will offer you ten cents apiece for any comics you bring in.  You bring in a box of comics and they will count them and offer you ten cents each.  It makes no difference what the books are, it can be a box of Golden Age or a box of the worst drek you can think of, the offer is the same.  

[jcjames]

1 hour ago, telerites said:

Not worth the effort to look for GA/SA books at decent prices at HPB.  I've looked through the 4 stores in the past that are near or close enough for a quick drive and just utter garbage in terrible condition and precious prices.  Their storage of the books begs for someone to add even more damage. 

 

 

I was able to find a YTLM#1 9.8, Runaways #1 9.6, Goon#1 Albatross 9.2 and a Goon#1 DH 9.6  at HPB for under $2 each all on the same day. Those were most likely a fluke, though I have found a VF 1st Hellcat App., full Civil War 1-7 set VFNM, Marvel Spotlight #28 VF and other minor goodies there for under $2 each.

It's really hit or miss now though, I think the comic-screener became a bit more attentive after I pulled the YTLM1-20 complete run out of the bins and the girl at the counter's eyes popped out of her head (she obviously knew what she was seeing more than the comic-screening guy).

 

 

 

Edited March 5, 2017 by jcjames

[telerites]

16 minutes ago, jcjames said:

I was able to find a YTLM#1 9.8, Runaways #1 9.6, Goon#1 Albatross 9.2 and a Goon#1 DH 9.6  at HPB for under $2 each all on the same day. Those were most likely a fluke, though I have found a VF 1st Hellcat App., full Civil War 1-7 set VFNM, Marvel Spotlight #28 VF and other minor goodies there for under $2 each.

It's really hit or miss now though, I think the comic-screener became a bit more attentive after I pulled the YTLM1-20 complete run out of the bins and the girl at the counter's eyes popped out of her head (she obviously knew what she was seeing more than the comic-screening guy).

 

 

 

Yeah I mentioned GA/SA specifically as that is what I collect.  Some BA may be found and after 1978 or so, I couldn't tell you what a book would be worth nor would I be interested even if it seemed like a good price.

[jcjames]

41 minutes ago, telerites said:

Yeah I mentioned GA/SA specifically as that is what I collect.  Some BA may be found and after 1978 or so, I couldn't tell you what a book would be worth nor would I be interested even if it seemed like a good price.

I've never even seen any GA at my local HPB. Rarely any SA either.

 

[Rip67vdub]

1 hour ago, jcjames said:

I've never even seen any GA at my local HPB. Rarely any SA either.

 

Same here.  Just a bunch of random Copper and Modern books. 

[ADAMANTIUM]

There is some silver at the Dallas one. Less 10 cents though and more 12 cents....

I've found moderns though too, like a Wolverine 10 for $3.50 and Uncanny Xmen Annual 14 for $6.50 all these are tax included.(Copper)

Also a Conan 23 for $16.50 but come to think of it all these are pretty much market price for the condition they're in. (Bronze)

I did find a Suicide Squad the new 52 #1 for $1.50 at the height of speculation and sold it to the LCS for $60 along with the Batman Detective Comics the new 52 #1 2nd print that I also found at HPB(that's a lot of title to type lol) but was it worth it? Yes because I was going those places for other things and it worked out well. The LCS CGC'd the SS #1 and it was a 9.4, they had it on sale for $120 or something like that....and this was last year sometime... (Modern)

some of their stuff is OUT OF THIS WORLD, and OVER THE MOON  with their prices..... I did find a Batman Jae Lee Black and White Statue for $24.00, idk it's not for e'rybody  

 

Edited March 5, 2017 by ADAMANTIUM

[JollyComics]

In general, I have no problem with Half Price Book store so far.  Sadly, one of two local stores was closed down due to low sales.

[01TheDude]

seems like a good place for people to unload their drek -- even if they only get 10 cents a book

[ygogolak]

On 3/5/2017 at 6:53 AM, Ken Aldred said:

Terrible attitude from a clerk over such a very common book.  It's getting close to the release of the second film and possible that they believe there's a mug out there who'll be desperate and ignorant enough to pull the trigger.

I've experienced far too much self-important comic terrorism over 40 years of collecting.  Good description.

 

Very common?

See lots more Bronze and Copper keys than 2008 GotG #1 (36k N.A. distribution ain't to shabby either).

[STORMSHADOW_80]

On 3/5/2017 at 2:38 AM, oakman29 said:

That's when I say thank you for your time I'll never shop here again. I don't negotiate with comic terrorists (copyright oakman29 )

Seriously though, that would be the last time I shop there.