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Is Half-Priced Books a good place to score comics or have they jumped the shark?
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25 posts in this topic

Depends on location.  Ours did like three years ago

but there’s one a little farther away that puts the actual price tag on the actual books.  So that’s even worse.

so it varies.  If you have one pretty close, you should pop in every once in a while to check it out

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Just now, revat said:

Depends on location.  Ours did like three years ago

but there’s one a little farther away that puts the actual price tag on the actual books.  So that’s even worse.

so it varies.  If you have one pretty close, you should pop in every once in a while to check it out

thanks. it's in Southern California so I'm sure any comics there will be stupid over priced

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Used to see collectors score big at HPB all the time. I’ve seen BA 12, Batman 635, a couple high value variants, but I think they are becoming more aware of values and we are much less likely to come away with a juicy stealth buy. I’ve never found a deal at one for back issues. Plenty of cheap hardcovers and trades though of course. 

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I stop in to my local one when I’m in the area but I think they have a person designated as the comic pricer and they do a pretty good job of getting close to ebay prices.  

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There are several around my area and I've made some pretty crazy finds there (Action #1 Black boarder RRP for $0.25, rolled up into a ball, but a couple of heavy books got it looking better than I thought possible).  The ones around here will occasionally price the whole store at BV, regardless of grade every so often, it usually doesn't last too long.  I think things just start piling up and they need to make room.  They'll have a locked bin for the pricier stuff, which is half 'about right' and half 'amusingly priced drek'.  It's very hit and miss, even within the same store.

For the price stickers, if you catch them early they can be removed (they usually use the small general store type around here).  I'll carefully peel them, then dab the book with the sticker to try and get as much gum as I can without ripping anything.  Then I'll use a gummy eraser and/or a 'magic rub' (or similar) eraser to very gingerly to clean it up as well as possible.  Given 2-10 minutes I can usually get it to the point where I can't tell.

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I was just in one last week and I found several books for $1 that were steals, but these were books that I know
sell for a lot more, but ebay sales are wont show up because the books aren't put up for sale much.

The party is over for finding great finds at HPB that you can look up on ebay and find a dozen sales or more 
I think. But it depends on the store. Comics are really looked down on at book stores.

 

 

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13 hours ago, fastballspecial said:

I was just in one last week and I found several books for $1 that were steals, but these were books that I know
sell for a lot more, but ebay sales are wont show up because the books aren't put up for sale much.

The party is over for finding great finds at HPB that you can look up on ebay and find a dozen sales or more 
I think. But it depends on the store. Comics are really looked down on at book stores.

 

 

Please show and tell.

Edited by manetteska
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I've never scored a major victory but has found DC Universe UPC's for $1 and a few $15-$20 books from anywhere from $1-$2.50.  It does seem like they do have a comic book person to get price the really good ones.  But he can be way off.  One of the HPB's by me had a first Guy Gardner in a G/G+ for $300 and what they said was a high grade GL 76 for $3000!  It was a 6.0/6.5 at best.  I was pretty much appalled.  But, I do get good deals on TPBs.

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2 hours ago, Brewcrewfan77 said:

I've never scored a major victory but has found DC Universe UPC's for $1 and a few $15-$20 books from anywhere from $1-$2.50.  It does seem like they do have a comic book person to get price the really good ones.  But he can be way off.  One of the HPB's by me had a first Guy Gardner in a G/G+ for $300 and what they said was a high grade GL 76 for $3000!  It was a 6.0/6.5 at best.  I was pretty much appalled.  But, I do get good deals on TPBs.

This one?

https://www.cgccomics.com/boards/topic/440533-green-lantern-76-at-half-price-books/

 

Edited by ygogolak
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The last couple years Half Price Books has become more and more closer to full price books.

The half price by me has a glass case of comics that is usually NM fair market value times 2 or more no matter the grade.

Edited by D84
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2 minutes ago, D84 said:

The last couple years Half Price Books has become more and more closer to full price books.

The half price by me has a glass case of comics that is usually NM fair market value times 2 or more no matter the grade.

I concur. The 'ship' has sailed.  

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4 hours ago, Brewcrewfan77 said:

Well, just as I say the big stuff is gone, I find a Zombie Tramp #1 SR Distro for $1.  So, it seems like they know the major keys but you might be able to find some variants for a good price.

Also, sometimes they may go by eBay, but mine must use last year's overstreet... can still find some deals.

OP if it's nearby then go and report back @NoMan

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I find that there's still gold in them thar hills at HPB, just depends on your timing. I think they do tend to wildly overprice stuff that they think SHOULD be valuable (mid-grade silver superhero books, bronze junk, etc) but there are still plenty of scores to be found in the $1 bins. I stopped at my HPB last week for the first time in a month or so, and found a minty Lady Killer #1 for $1. Sold it for $30 later that day. You just never know. Always worth a look, though. 

PS: The odd thing is that this is the second NM Lady Killer 1 I've found there in the last year, for a buck. Most have been a popular book in the area! Or unpopular, considering the owners let them go for about 2 cents.

Edited by F For Fake
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12 minutes ago, F For Fake said:

I find that there's still gold in them thar hills at HPB, just depends on your timing. I think they do tend to wildly overprice stuff that they think SHOULD be valuable (mid-grade silver superhero books, bronze junk, etc) but there are still plenty of scores to be found in the $1 bins. I stopped at my HPB last week for the first time in a month or so, and found a minty Lady Killer #1 for $1. Sold it for $30 later that day. You just never know. Always worth a look, though. 

PS: The odd thing is that this is the second NM Lady Killer 1 I've found there in the last year, for a buck. Most have been a popular book in the area! Or unpopular, considering the owners let them go for about 2 cents.

I posted in the Garage Sale thread, but the HPB near me has their calendar coupons for next year going now. Spend $30 and get the calendar free, which gives you 10% off a purchase once a month for 8 months in 2019.... I think it's worth it....

I'm surprised that no one in this thread has pointed to the recent gains with HPB stickers in the Garage/Antique thread, which is where I put the HPB's stuff :shy: 

It is worth noting as well that I saw a NM+ copy of "Vengeance of Bane #1" for $75 :( (too expensive), I didn't check to see if it was 1st print, but I'd assume so. They have some good stuff sometimes, and after going so often to find nothing, it is hard to keep going to see if they do. I learned this year that there were several key's that I would have bought if I had a coupon, so I'm prepared for 2019 :whee: 

Edited by ADAMANTIUM
too expensive
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