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Incredible Hulk #181 - is it *that* red-hot?
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1,931 posts in this topic

People who are passionate about their hobbies HAVE paid a ton for comic books for years:

Action 1: $2.16 million

Amazing Fantasy 15: $1.5 million

Detective 27: $1.075 million

X-Men 1: $493,000

...and on and on.

If you’re going to claim that a Hulk 181 9.2 is somehow undervalued, there has to be some quantification of that. It seems to me like you’re just mentioning dollar amounts, but dollar amounts much, much higher than $8000 have been paid for thousands of comics for years. What needs to be addressed is why this comic in this grade is undervalued. 

Edited by Paul_Maul
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17 hours ago, shane1956 said:

I know I'm just one single owner of a Hulk 181 9.2 , however if you offered me $8000 U.S right now for my copy I would respectfully decline. I wouldn't even consider it. 

Wanna buy a 9.2 for $7,000?  :wishluck:

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I don't know that the comparison with Strats or the vintage guitar hobby is really valid since you're paying, what, a couple grand just for a new Strat off the rack as opposed to comics where many of these issues started at pocket change. I get that there's apparently goofy money out there across the board in most hobbies, but I don't think IH 181 is necessarily undervalued because other hobbies are more expensive. 

The thing that I find a little concerning is just how much disposable income everyone seems to have suddenly. I'd still like an IH 181, but I'd have to pay with credit to do it and it would take maybe the rest of the year to pay that off. And this would be with the realization that I'm paying waaayyyy more than it was last year. The people that are scooping these up at the drop of a hat are throwing 3, 4, 5, 6 thousand dollars or more at the book as if it's nothing. I just wonder if it is disposable income because of the surging economy or if other people are over-extending themselves to get a piece of the pie. That could spell real trouble if the strong economy proves unstable and people have to liquidate.

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3 hours ago, Supraman16 said:

High grade CGC Universal available on Ebay are starting to dwindle down:

CGC 9.0:  2

CGC 9.2:  1

CGC 9.4:  1

CGC 9.6:  2

CGC 9.8: 1

I say get them while you can before they are gone for awhile locked up in personal collections.

No one here has a crystal ball, but let's not act like there won't always be a metric ton of these books available. I recognize the basics of supply and demand, but right now you're likely seeing speculation and new collectors/resellers at play.

I don't disagree that now may be the time, at least in the short term, if that's what you're aiming for. However, I'm not sure why people think the book will continuously explode...forever...just because Disney and Fox will merge. Wolverine's not exactly new to the spotlight by any means, Marvel has just been struggling to come up with any good modern content lately so he, Deadpool, and Hulk have been on blast.

It will always be a cool book no doubt.

EDIT: let us not forget that it was one, if not the hardest, hit book when the market crashed in 2007/2008.

Edited by Howling Mad
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Wasn’t the main crash reason the newly conceived notion that pressing would no longer be considered restoration?  That can’t ever happen again...so other than a huge economy crash or horrible job by Disney with the character....I don’t see this coming down for a long time. 

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Similar to the bitcoin craze of last year, people are afraid of being left out.  We may start seeing a slow down in price appreciation but Wolverine has such a following that a price correction of any major magnitude is not likely.

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1 hour ago, jason4 said:

Wasn’t the main crash reason the newly conceived notion that pressing would no longer be considered restoration?  That can’t ever happen again...so other than a huge economy crash or horrible job by Disney with the character....I don’t see this coming down for a long time. 

No, I don't believe so. That assumes that the majority of the individuals buying this book--at least at that time--were "in the know", or collectors or resellers. The crash was certainly due to the economy.

Possibly, possibly not. Maybe it'll correct and have a new standard value base, which seems most likely. You can see this over a shorter time frame with FF52 and in the future MSH 13.

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Fantastic Four 52 is significantly harder to get in 9.2 vs Hulk 181 in 9.2. However, aside from Black Panther's popularity in the past few years has there ever really been any comparison in the popularity of these characters? Wolverine vs Black Panther hasn't even been close. I'm convinced that long term if people will pay around $10,000 for a FF #52 they are going to pay it for a Hulk 181. Yes, I'm aware of the differences in census numbers but based on historic popularity of the character it's not even close.

Let me know when, not if, Hulk 181 9.2 reaches $10,000 U.S. It's going to happen and people are certainly going to pay it. There are too many Wolverine/comic collectors with too much money not to pay that price at some point. I'm using 9.2 as the number given it's entry to "near mint" . Hulk 181 9.2 will reach $10,000. Not overnight but it will get there. 

 

Edited by shane1956
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1 hour ago, Tazmaster83 said:

Similar to the bitcoin craze of last year...

Good analogy...up, up, and away! :headbang:

20171201-Bitcoin-Value.png

Edited by drbanner
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4 hours ago, Howling Mad said:

No, I don't believe so. That assumes that the majority of the individuals buying this book--at least at that time--were "in the know", or collectors or resellers. The crash was certainly due to the economy.

Possibly, possibly not. Maybe it'll correct and have a new standard value base, which seems most likely. You can see this over a shorter time frame with FF52 and in the future MSH 13.

 

7 hours ago, Howling Mad said:

EDIT: let us not forget that it was one, if not the hardest, hit book when the market crashed in 2007/2008

Curious what "crash" are you referring to??? It was mainly flat in most grades until 2012 according to GPA. Infact you could almost track it's ascension directly from 2012 as it's starting point!

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2 minutes ago, MGsimba77 said:

 

Curious what "crash" are you referring to??? It was mainly flat in most grades until 2012 according to GPA. Infact you could almost track it's ascension directly from 2012 as it's starting point!

There was a major crash in 2008 or 2009 among a number of keys, bronze was hit particularly hard.

I don't recall where I've seen some of the numbers, but the fall was extremely significant. We're talking falls of 50%+ for record 9.8 to recent 9.8 prices. Granted IH 181 looks to have virtually fully recovered at this point, but similar to the stock market a lot of people who panicked and sold lost their rear-end.

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Need some help deciding. Worth it: Cgc 8.5 qualified, missing mvs for $2000? It would be a huge upgrade to my current copy. I prefer blue label if getting a slab since book would be complete, but don’t think I can find the extra cash.

Or, just keep my low grade and get it signed by Stan Lee? Or both? hm

Edited by rogue14
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So a bunch of  you already knew i suffer from depression and took some time away from comics to try and get better mentally, which caused me to put off buying a hulk 181 i wanted momths back, do you guys think the prices on a 5.0-7.5 will come back down to january prices or at this point, the book is at a price point of no return and not attainable?

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1 hour ago, rogue14 said:

Need some help deciding. Worth it: Cgc 8.5 qualified, missing mvs for $2000? It would be a huge upgrade to my current copy. I prefer blue label if getting a slab since book would be complete, but don’t think I can find the extra cash.

Or, just keep my low grade and get it signed by Stan Lee? Or both? hm

I say save your money and get one that's complete/universal grade.

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1 hour ago, Supraman16 said:

I say save your money and get one that's complete/universal grade.

Yeah, that’s what I’m thinking just couldn’t help and think it’s a decent price. I’ll just get my low copy signed by Stan, and look for a higher blue label.

Worth getting a low grade pressed? All spine ticks look to break the color so probably not but figured I’d ask.

Edited by rogue14
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12 hours ago, Lazyboy said:

???

At one time cgc considered pressing restoration. Purple label of death. After 2008(not sure of this date) cgc started to recognize pressing as not restoration and blue label and partnered with ccs....tons of hulk 181s came back to cgc for the crack press reslab routine and you then had a big amount of new 9.6’s and 9.8 flood the market lowering prices on everything beneath. Same for lots of Bronze Age books. Correct me if I’m wrong.

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