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ASM # 1 deal if it sounds too good to be true.......
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18 posts in this topic

parusing EBAY I came across this book

https://www.ebay.com/itm/264278995634?ul_noapp=true

 

27 watchers no bids great looking book, Messaged the seller and responded lightning fast absolutely guarantees the book to be original cover/staples/book. 

red flags on this one to me are:

limited ebay transactions in the past 3 mos. nothing as a seller.

statement that he bought this for more than what he is selling for

if you are looking to maximize profit why not get the book graded so you know exactly what you are selling

with buyer protection unsure if you are able to take the time to get the book graded and if not as he states repo cover etc can you return the item

hoping to get other peoples feelings on this one

please discuss

 

 

 

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I emailed the seller requesting a pic of the centerfold and staples in the center of the book and have not heard back yet from him. still have some interest in this book but still unsure how ebay protection would work if it needed to be sent outn for grading to determine if original how long I would have to be able to return the book if it was deemed reproduction. I know book would get a restored label as seller has disclosed some restoration but reproduction is what I would be concerned with

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2 hours ago, The Lions Den said:

Hi. It appears this book was taken apart at some point. The last picture showing the top staple is pretty revealing, as well as the pictures of the interior. It's almost impossible to find a book from this era with such a clean, white interior cover. Also, I find it interesting the seller took pictures of several interior wraps but not the centerfold, and he's actually refusing to answer any more questions at this point. Usually a book that's been taken apart will have several other things done to it as well. With that said, I'd certainly like to hear what other folks think about this...it's actually a pretty nice looking copy, IMO...   :)

 

Lion, I'm not sure if you noticed it; you probably did. This book is huge, top to bottom! Although it's not unusual to see mid-Silver age comics whose widths vary by a considerable amount, some even approaching 7 inches,  quite a bit above the normal range of tolerances, it's so unusual to see a mid-Silver age book exceeding 10 and 1/4" in height that I can't say I ever remember seeing one! Normal range for top bottom length is typically 10 and 3/16" by 10 and 1/4" , with 99% of all untrimmed books falling within this very narrow band of size. But by virtue of how much art shows at the top, the space above the IND and how large the area is beneath the green band at the bottom, it's obvious that this book exceeds 10 and 1/4" by a significant amount, a very unusual top to bottom size for this era. Unless there's been some type of a compression of the art on the cover, this appears to be one of a kind size-wise, top to bottom.

Looking at it further. That's my initial reaction. The size is off, but opposite of when trimmed. This is unsettlingly too big top to bottom.

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12 minutes ago, James J Johnson said:

Yes. That's the main concern here. Going by the scans alone, the paper and unusually large size, top to bottom, is what strikes me as not right.

james thank you for saving me  a lot of grief and $7k that is why I appreciate this site so much. much more expertise than I certainly have. 

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8 minutes ago, anstettoman said:

james thank you for saving me  a lot of grief and $7k that is why I appreciate this site so much. much more expertise than I certainly have. 

You were right to recognize the red flags, you didn't need me, you've got great hobby sense on your own. But it's always good to run it by the forum for a second opinion. IMO, you're making the right call to walk away. (thumbsu 

I would love to get a look at this in person. It's not one of those reprinted covers that a few ebay people sell for about $35 a pop. I get a sense that it's some type of knockoff. Maybe something new. Something we may not have seen. I'll tell you why. The book is well over 10 and 1/4" high. But well over, I mean, not on the cusp of 10 and 1/4, but at least a full 16th over. Very unusual to see larger than 10 and 1/4". Measure your books and you'll see. While books vary widely left to right the top to bottom dimensions are much more uniform.

So, one of two things is happening here. Either the book is as big as I think it is, and if so, that's too big to be a 1963 comic produced on that period machinery. And here's the rub. If the book is 10 and 1/4" high, then the artwork on the cover is compressed! About 3% down. The art elements are 3% smaller than a normally produced issue.

So there's something strange going on here and since there isn't another AS 1 alongside, a verifiably 1963 published one, I can't pinpoint for sure exactly which of the two scenarios this is. Either way, good decision to stay away.

Edited by James J Johnson
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7 minutes ago, comicquant said:

I'm pretty sure thats a repro cover

 

They're making repros of the entire book:

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Amazing-Spider-Man-1-complete-newsprint-facsimile-/392265495020?hash=item5b54d871ec%3Ag%3AKIoAAOSwKqNcl765&nma=true&si=U62yaoeFqpZI%2BK5ZqeqA4tEijiU%3D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557 

 

Although this #1 being discussed here is not that one. CGC's already incalculable value to this hobby has recently taken a quantum leap upward with these and others like them out there now.

Edited by James J Johnson
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9 minutes ago, The Lions Den said:

hm

 

If this is the age of knockoffs, a thing we feared for decades, but would say "forget about it; nobody can make a convincing knockoff of a silver age comic book", as usually intoned when the possibility of that is brought up, CGC better hire an extra grader or two as submissions certainly increase!  :gossip: 

And like most knockoffs, isn't their production and sale illegal? None of these are in public domain, are they?

Edited by James J Johnson
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1 minute ago, James J Johnson said:

If this is the age of knockoffs, a thing we feared for decades, but would say "forget about it; nobody can make a convincing knockoff of a silver age comic book", as usually intoned when the possibility of that is brought up, CGC better hire an extra grader or two as submissions certainly increase!  :gossip:

That's one of the biggest headaches when you grade books for a living---there's always someone trying to pull some sneaky stuff...

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