New to Current Collecting 0

[cwfields3]

I'm wanting advice on how to get some of my comic books graded and/or sold...These books are primarily Marvel Super-Hero from 1974-1980 +/- and they have been sitting in my closet for the past 40-45 years...just FYI---most were put in Mylar bags with boards around 1980 and are in very good condition for the most part.

My goal, I guess, is to maximize their sales prices and have no idea about the best way to proceed...good news is that it looks like now is a GREAT time to sell(at least from looking at auction prices)...bad news is...it looks like it's crazy expensive to have books graded and auctioned:(.

Any help is GREATLY appreciated!

Thanks,

Chuck Fields

Spartanburg, SC

[theCapraAegagrus]

Assuming this isn't another drive-by post... There are too many variables to provide an easy answer. Your best bet is to do your own research. We have no idea if you have any key issues, what condition they're in, etc. 1974-1980 doesn't make me think that there will be much worth getting slabbed.

[revat]

very general advice:

1.  Take a peek at ebay (SOLD ITEMS) to get an idea about how much your books are worth.

2.  Books from that era need to be VERY HIGH GRADE to be worth something graded, unless they're keys.  (do your own research through google searches or ebay or whatever to find out what keys are)

3.  In the event you think something MIGHT be worth grading, check out the costs of grading, the price you expect to get selling a graded issue vs a raw issue.  Do your own math, factoring in time, additional grading/shipping/insurance fees, other fees and taxes.  Make your own determinations about percentage vs absolute profits, etc. 

4.  Make sure at some point to get an idea of where you want to sell - ebay, auction houses, craigslist, here on the boards, your local comic show/shop, and the advantages/disadvantages of each.

5.  keep in mind that people buying from you in bulk are doing so to make money, so there needs to be meat on the bone if you want to sell in bulk.

6.  Grade matters - probably more than you think.  Look for grading guides.

7.  Lots of the answers to questions you'll have are here on the boards, get familiar.

 

OF COURSE this sounds like it takes a lot of time and effort, maybe your time and money would be spent better taking your comics around 6 local comic shops in one day and taking the highest offer, or soliciting strangers to your house on craigslist for a month and taking the highest offer. Or just posting a list and pictures and running an auction on ebay or here.  Who knows?  Everyone is different.

Edited November 29, 2018 by revat

[ComicLink Rick]

Low Baller—Not sure if you are kidding around, but I don’t think the OP meant the reprint title Marvel Super-Heroes. I think he meant that they were Marvel comics featuring superheroes. 1974 to 1980 could potentially include Hulk #180 and #181, GS X-Men #1, X-Men #94-#140, ASM #129, #149, #194, Werewolf By Night #32 and #33,  the early Miller Daredevils, Marvel Premiere #15, Special Marvel Edition #15, Ms. Marvel #1 and #18, Eternals #1, Marvel Spotlight #32, Starlin Captain Marvel and Warlock, Marvel Preview #4 and #7, Avengers #144, etc. A lot of potential value if they are in nice shape. 

Rick

[Bomber-Bob]

On 11/28/2018 at 4:19 PM, cwfields3 said:

I'm wanting advice on how to get some of my comic books graded and/or sold...These books are primarily Marvel Super-Hero from 1974-1980 +/- and they have been sitting in my closet for the past 40-45 years...just FYI---most were put in Mylar bags with boards around 1980 and are in very good condition for the most part.

My goal, I guess, is to maximize their sales prices and have no idea about the best way to proceed...good news is that it looks like now is a GREAT time to sell(at least from looking at auction prices)...bad news is...it looks like it's crazy expensive to have books graded and auctioned:(.

Any help is GREATLY appreciated!

Thanks,

Chuck Fields

Spartanburg, SC

Yours is an impossible request.  Post some of your books in the PGM(Please Grade My) thread and let's see what you have.

[Karl Liebl]

Just a few thoughts...

Your situation is very similar to mine.  If you didn't buy them yourself off a news stand and read them only once before bagging you are probably going to want them pressed.  That will roughly double the cost for the service.  Easily over 100 buck per book.  You can experiment using the submissions page.  Do not set the value of your books too high because in all likelihood they will be worth far less than you think.

With pressing and mailing the books in you can expect it to take at least a month for even the fastest service available, and you are going to pay dearly for it.

If you do decide to send some in try keeping them on the same invoice so you get them back all at the same time and don't end up chasing the post office around (love them!).  Separate invoices mean separate boxes, shipping dates etc..

I haven't sold any yet, but I believe it is definitely easier to sell slabbed books.

The back cover is as important as the front cover, so examine carefully before submitting!

Everybody wants the KEY books (basically first appearances) but there is low interest in the others.

Lastly, how badly do you really want to know how much your collection is worth?  If you paid cover price for them, sure you will make some money, just probably not as much as you think.  A 9.8 book that old is EXTREMELY rare.  Correction, you actually owning a 9.8 book that old is extremely rare, even though you see them posted daily here...

Good luck!