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So, Why Has AF #15 Continued to Drop In Value?
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1,031 posts in this topic

31 minutes ago, c_mkv said:

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Seems a weak 5.0 imho. 

Couple of long CBC's

Bad chipping, fuggly stamp and poorly centred.

Way higher grade than I have, so don't get me wrong I'd love to have it - but price seems in line with a 4.0 - which it presents (again in my humble opinion) exactly like. Buyer paid spot on the 4.0 price, so I feel that's what has happened.

This book is cyclical - it's a mega key and always will be.

Lot of upward pressure from some decent movies has been replaced by a poor (again IMHO) animated film and ongoing uncertainty about who and when the movie franchise will move forward again.

The world economy is weakening, and threats of massive political instability in the USA and UK make this a 'think about buying' book for people without huge disposable incomes.

It's a good time to buy as it's quite weak, despite the 2 recent strong outliers (7.5 @ $150,000 and a 6.0 @ $58,000), the overall trend on all lower grades is downward.

HOWEVER - it's an AF #15 - one of the top 5 - 6  books ever and the circle will eventually turn again when things in the world settle and a good new film is made.

In 10 yrs I'd imagine we all wished we had paid this price.

As always!

 

2c

Edited by Beige
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It's heartening to see the market ignoring the CGC grade and spending using their eyes. The 5.0 I sold was markedly better in every way than this one. I'd actually give this  a 3.5. It's not just the chipping. It's the ink stamp, the creases, the wrap, the tear  and abrasions . It goes back to me to my observation about being allowed to crack a slab and really inspect the book. I believe that the higher the grade, the more having the book evaluated costs.  Is that not true? Value tied to fees? 

Edited by Glassman10
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11 hours ago, jeffreyk said:


This is interesting as while the CGC 5.0 sold for only $28,800 on 9/29/19, a 4.5 sold for $31,122 on 8/8/19 while a 4.0 recently sold for $28,500 on 9/26/29.  Perhaps the low 5.0 sale was due to the appearance of the book?

That’s the nail on the head. If I’m going to spend that kind of money, it better be the best looking book aesthetically for the grade. As many of you had said, it’s not a very good looking 5.0 as it presents more like a 3.5-4.0.

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On 10/3/2019 at 10:15 PM, drbanner said:

Plenty of deals out there on this book now, weak sales lately for low/mid-grade copies.

I looked at some recent sales & maybe I am missing something but a typical 3.0 with chipping is getting 18-20k which is about where the book has been over the past few years ( yes I know there are exceptions either way)

 " I never meet an AF 15 I didn't like" 

Here is my personal history with the book, I bought my first one in 1988 for $1500 on time payments ( I picked Bluberries all summer to buy that book) from Rainbow comics here in South Jersey, it was raw and when graded came back a VF 7.5 and after being pressed last year its a 8.0 OW it is my personal book and will stay with me until I need some type of medical attention I can't afford lol   Net gain a lot

As a store owner since late  2006 I bought my first AF15 in 2005 on ebay with time payment again ( picked it up at a Nathans parking lot in NY) for $6500 it graded Blue 5.0 no chipping and in 2007ish I sold  it on ebay for $11,999 to a buyer in Germany ( top $$$ sale for that grade at the time) to help start the store. Net gain apx 4k 

Two weeks later 2008 I bought a Blue 4.5 witth tape on the insdie cover and chipping on an ebay BIN for $4500 ( sat there for 4 days) 2 years later it sold in the store for $8500 apx net gain 4k

2009 l am at the once a month Wayne NJ comic/toy show and I buy a stunning 4.0 no chipping ow for 10k & trade it in 2013 for a Star Wars figure that I sell for 18k net gain apx 8k

2017/18 I buy a 3.0 with chipping here on the boards for apx 17k and net gain thus far 0, then I am offered another typical 3.5 chipping for 20k (time payments again) again net gain 0 ( I still have both almost sold one here on the boards last year but the buyer backed out)

However,  discounting the 8.0 but counting the profit on the sold/traded AF15s since 2007 ( apx 15/16k) I am about 21k into the 3.0 & 3.5  so for me AF 15 has always been a solid winner and I will always buy one at a FAIR DEAL if I see it for sale, the recent sales on ebay for thr 5.0 and on Heritage will be money makers for the new owners at some point imho. Like I said  " I never meet an AF 15 I didn't like" 

I would love to hear other boardies AF #15 history good or bad?

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I don't suscribe to the notion that AF15 is dropping in value as much as I note that the mid range books are still seeking  a reliable  semi consistent value and we're seeing a lot of books between 2.5 and 5.0 that  don't have the stability that the 6.0 and up books seem to retain.  What is showing up is a glaring inconsistency in the grading of the book in this lower range. It does seem that the market takes note of the actual presentation rather than being seduced by the grading.  Auction Houses? They make money when they're auctioning stuff. Right now, putting a decent quality 5.0 up for auction is risky. It's unlikely to see a new high for a sale. 

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The Spidey image is nice & clean.  And the colors are vibrant.  The chipping is the killer.  5.0 is generous, IMO.  Without the chipping, I could see 6.0.  The tape pull is a killer or it could be 6.5.

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4 hours ago, Glassman10 said:

I don't suscribe to the notion that AF15 is dropping in value as much as I note that the mid range books are still seeking  a reliable  semi consistent value and we're seeing a lot of books between 2.5 and 5.0 that  don't have the stability that the 6.0 and up books seem to retain.  What is showing up is a glaring inconsistency in the grading of the book in this lower range. It does seem that the market takes note of the actual presentation rather than being seduced by the grading.  Auction Houses? They make money when they're auctioning stuff. Right now, putting a decent quality 5.0 up for auction is risky. It's unlikely to see a new high for a sale. 

I mean you're not wrong, but it's not a rare book. It's in high-demand, but that demand is weakening as there's concern about the future of Spider-man in the MCU.

Grading inconsistencies are the name of the game. It's an art, not a science.

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4 hours ago, Howling Mad said:

I mean you're not wrong, but it's not a rare book. It's in high-demand, but that demand is weakening as there's concern about the future of Spider-man in the MCU.

Grading inconsistencies are the name of the game. It's an art, not a science.

Spidey has always been popular among collectors and in the media. He, Superman and Batman are here for the long haul. We're simply seeing spikes in demand & prices. That's all.  :preach:

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7 hours ago, peewee22 said:

Spidey has always been popular among collectors and in the media. He, Superman and Batman are here for the long haul. We're simply seeing spikes in demand & prices. That's all.  :preach:

100%....  ^^

 

:gossip: plus, its an ugly 5.0

Edited by GAMBIT
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