Smith CONAN Cover # 5.....to be or not to be? That is the question? 0

[tth2]

15 hours ago, First Upgrade said:

Two CGC graded 9.8, X-Men 101's, same auction, days apart...

Without knowing more about the books, particularly PQ and QP, it's hard to say whether the price differential might be legit or not.  If the cheaper copy has OW pages and is a miswrapped monstrosity typical of the period, and the more expensive copy has W pages and is perfectly wrapped and perfectly square, I could see a basis for the difference. 

[First Upgrade]

7 hours ago, tth2 said:

Without knowing more about the books, particularly PQ and QP, it's hard to say whether the price differential might be legit or not.  If the cheaper copy has OW pages and is a miswrapped monstrosity typical of the period, and the more expensive copy has W pages and is perfectly wrapped and perfectly square, I could see a basis for the difference. 

I failed to download the individual scans of the two books. As best as I can remember, the page quality was different. But, I am not certain which one possessed the 'higher' quality. Both books were under Universal 'blue' labels. As far as the wrap difference, I vaguely recall that one of the books had a very minor and ununiform miswrap, but, again I am not certain which one possessed greater alignment. 

[Bronty]

Again, who cares.   It’s a 20% difference on a nosebleed grade; that happens 

[First Upgrade]

On 3/21/2019 at 7:35 PM, Frank Mozz said:

It sold at Heritage last August for 60k

Regarding the 'valuation' of Conan The Barbarian #5 cover art by Barry Windsor Smith...

$60k includes the Final Bid & Buyer's Premium. But, that price does not include the buyer's State Sales Tax charge, if it sold to a buyer in a taxed state, and nevermind shipping & insurance costs if it was mailed...

...Maybe, with all the trimmings, the cost was ~$65k(?).

While I do not subscribe to a singular  'Silver Bullet' explanation or theory as to why a page of ART may sell for different prices one day to the next, I would agree that at least two critical variables are likely to influence THIS auction resulting in a 'minor' net loss...those two variables being the Venue and proximity to prior sale.

I absolutely do not agree with the argument that the lack of Buyer's Premium and State Sales Tax will encourage potential bidders to bid beyond $60k on this specific piece of art. And, if you tell me that this Venue is better able to 'market' this cover than the 'competition', then I also respectfully disagree.

Regardless of the final bid, this result is not one that I would use to strictly price any BWS Conan the Barbarian pieces I may be holding. For full disclosure, I do not own ANY BWS Conan original comic book art. And, I do not wish to own any during this lifetime. 

If there is no reserve, nor any yet to be revealed 'mitigating circumstances', then the cover will break $54k, but stop short of $61k...