Popular Post trmoore54 Posted August 10, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted August 10, 2019 (edited) Last time I compiled an ASM 1-50 HG Census list was exactly 5 years ago in August 2014. So it’s time to take stock again and check the current status. And not surprisingly, ASM 11 is still king having moved from a total of 31 graded copies in 9.0 or better to 39 (of course as we all know the numbers could always be less with resubs). And holding 2nd place, despite most likely hundreds of more books submitted than #11 is good old #1 having moved from 32 copies to 43 copies but the gap has widened by 3 books. Interestingly, the Top 10 has seen little change with #11, 1, 2 and 4 holding the top 4 spots and 5, 7 and 3 holding spots 5-7 but changing their order. 28, 12 and 6 round out the Top 10 same as in 2014 with a little shifting. Kind of a head-scratcher why #12 is so scarce. And now we have 8 books totaling less than 100 copies while 2014 Census had 16. The focus today is on #11. A check of the Registry’s highest ranked sets (Top 30 as I am #26) show only 10 boardies with books higher than 9.0 and only 3 others with a 9.0 which two of those are mine and Jeff's. Also, interestingly, 10 of the Top 25 Registry participants do NOT have an 11 in any grade...even in 4th Place Doc Ock doesn't have one...man that must be a slow burn. Boardies jordysnordy (Jeff), Dutch74 (Elmer in Holland) and I actually have a current active PM titled “ASM 11” we started in August 2016 with our focus on the book and each getting a 9.0 into our set…which has been completed with Jeff acquiring his this year in February 2019. Jeff paid a little over $4K (that’s the only sale listed on GPA currently) for his book and Elmer and I paid a little less. I recall a 9.0 selling for $5K on Doug’s/Pedigree site a few years ago. So what’s the book worth? Or, asked differently, what should the book be worth? (I’ve done an update on FF 1-52 as well and issues 7 and 11, both dark covers, are similarly scarce and similarly high (or low in numbers) in the Census rankings as well…and both, if you go by recent sales, valued in the $3500 range…or less.) Well, we just so happen to feel like at least one other collector thinks this book is incredibly hard to come by in grade and incredibly undervalued. Through Heritage’s resource whereby someone can make an anonymous bid, or bids, for books purchased through Heritage, the current offer just so happens to be $12600!! And that offer has not been accepted. Nor has it enticed the other two of us to offer up our book. Thing is, if you sold it where and when would you replace it. That is a key reason why these books stay in collections. We seem to have drifted somewhat into a key-focused collecting world. Perhaps not as many completists anymore that want every book in a given grade. I get it, books in HG can be expensive and if you are after the keys you are saving your money for those, and obviously we all have varying economic means and for some people paying a $100 for a book is an outlandish thought and for others dropping $10K on a book is no big deal. So…anyone want mine for $15K. Lemme know…it just might be available. LOL. Edited August 11, 2019 by trmoore54 Martin Sinescu, SECollector, MGsimba77 and 7 others 9 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
namisgr Posted August 10, 2019 Share Posted August 10, 2019 This copy coming up for auction isn't too shabby: obiedagod 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Jordysnordy Posted August 11, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted August 11, 2019 That’s 9.6 is just beautiful. It will be fun to see where it finishes up. Tom - terrific work putting all of this together. It really helps putting things into perspective seeing 1-50 with their census numbers. I’m very happy to have finally picked up a higher grade copy after searching for many years to find a nice copy, as many 11s have a lot of white showing along the spine. Like Tom, it will also be hard to pry my copy away from me. I was twice close to acquiring a 9.2 this year but each time the buyer decided to hang onto his copy, each realizing how rare higher grade copies are. An upgrade will be really hard to me to acquire. Comic-Fan, DST, SECollector and 7 others 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trmoore54 Posted August 11, 2019 Author Share Posted August 11, 2019 4 hours ago, namisgr said: This copy coming up for auction isn't too shabby: Hey Bob...hope all is well. Which auction house so I can track it. Only three (3) 9.6s here for Registry owners...even Barton's/Ghosttown's book is a 9.4. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post trmoore54 Posted August 11, 2019 Author Popular Post Share Posted August 11, 2019 Meant to add Elmer's copy is distinctly superior to both Jeff's and mine...but I am more than happy with my copy (from Bob Storms...thx Bob!) after ditching my CBCS copy a few years ago... mysterio, Philreal, KirbyJack and 7 others 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jordysnordy Posted August 11, 2019 Share Posted August 11, 2019 15 minutes ago, trmoore54 said: Hey Bob...hope all is well. Which auction house so I can track it. Only three (3) 9.6s here for Registry owners...even Barton's/Ghosttown's book is a 9.4. Comiclink. Starts August 15. This auction features TONs of high grade early ASMs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trmoore54 Posted August 11, 2019 Author Share Posted August 11, 2019 I have another theory to float...c'mon boardies...don't be shy Share your thoughts and opinions we'd love to hear 'em. And of course any of you closet/secret 9.0 or better holders let's see those scans (it's 2019...coming out of the closet is OK). Here's the theory...the book is so scarce that it often does not result in a bidding war to push the price further. By that I mean if you are not completely tracking the book 24/7 when one does come available for bidding you could completely miss it. Thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mosconi Posted August 11, 2019 Share Posted August 11, 2019 (edited) 13 hours ago, trmoore54 said: I have another theory to float...c'mon boardies...don't be shy Share your thoughts and opinions we'd love to hear 'em. And of course any of you closet/secret 9.0 or better holders let's see those scans (it's 2019...coming out of the closet is OK). Here's the theory...the book is so scarce that it often does not result in a bidding war to push the price further. By that I mean if you are not completely tracking the book 24/7 when one does come available for bidding you could completely miss it. Thoughts? Very cool info! #11, #4, and #28 are the only Spidey issues without a CGC 9.8 to date. And I've always admired this cover and the 2nd app of Doc Ock. Never seen a CGC 9.6 for sale, can't imagine where that one will end up No where near that stratosphere, but still extremely happy with my copy: Edited August 11, 2019 by mosconi Larryw7, Jordysnordy and MGsimba77 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
namisgr Posted August 11, 2019 Share Posted August 11, 2019 My old copy suffered from a common production problem with this issue, a slight miscut that made the top of the comic a little narrower than the bottom: Jordysnordy, Larryw7, MGsimba77 and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Straw-Man Posted August 11, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted August 11, 2019 i've been after a 9.0 to upgrade this one for a looooong time. it ain't easy. MGsimba77, Philreal, SECollector and 4 others 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philreal Posted August 11, 2019 Share Posted August 11, 2019 (edited) Thanks(?) for the info Tom, now everyone will know how hard it is to acquire in high grade! Afraid this is probably the best I'm going to be able to do since the cost of early Ditko issues continue to see a surge in price once you get above mid-grade! Edited August 11, 2019 by Philreal Jordysnordy, mosconi, MGsimba77 and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SECollector Posted August 11, 2019 Share Posted August 11, 2019 23 hours ago, trmoore54 said: We seem to have drifted somewhat into a key-focused collecting world. Perhaps not as many completists anymore that want every book in a given grade. I get it, books in HG can be expensive and if you are after the keys you are saving your money for those, and obviously we all have varying economic means and for some people paying a $100 for a book is an outlandish thought and for others dropping $10K on a book is no big deal. This is correct, but some runs including of course ASM and FF have retained their collecting base and even "fillers" will always have a demand (if one would dare calling issues like 11 and more all less every issue up to 100 or even up to 200 a filler). With that said, I personally came to realise how tough and sought after #11 in higher grade is, right after I completed adding the early keys in my run and started more seriously researching for the rest. "Fortunately" for me, my focus is on 7.5 - 8.0 grades for Ditko issues, so it shouldn't be impossible to find one, but definitely not easy either. Thank you for your very interesting post Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamlet Posted August 11, 2019 Share Posted August 11, 2019 1 hour ago, SECollector said: This is correct, but some runs including of course ASM and FF have retained their collecting base and even "fillers" will always have a demand (if one would dare calling issues like 11 and more all less every issue up to 100 or even up to 200 a filler). With that said, I personally came to realise how tough and sought after #11 in higher grade is, right after I completed adding the early keys in my run and started more seriously researching for the rest. "Fortunately" for me, my focus is on 7.5 - 8.0 grades for Ditko issues, so it shouldn't be impossible to find one, but definitely not easy either. Thank you for your very interesting post 7.5-8.0 Ditko Spideys are easy to find, but expensive to purchase. MGsimba77 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mosconi Posted August 11, 2019 Share Posted August 11, 2019 12 hours ago, namisgr said: My old copy suffered from a common production problem with this issue, a slight miscut that made the top of the comic a little narrower than the bottom: Interesting, didn't realize that this issue had a common miscut at the top. Wonder if any other Spidey's had this as a common problem as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MGsimba77 Posted August 12, 2019 Share Posted August 12, 2019 Just looking through gpa in past several months it looks like silver age dark covers for asm & FF have been on a tear! I haven't checked other major titles but I don't think they would be any different. That C-link auction for 11 is going to be coo coo for Cocoa puffs! Asm 28 in probably every grade have been like a straight line up. I'm trying to save my pennies for an 8.5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jordysnordy Posted August 12, 2019 Share Posted August 12, 2019 14 hours ago, namisgr said: My old copy suffered from a common production problem with this issue, a slight miscut that made the top of the comic a little narrower than the bottom: Curious to know - is that why you sold this copy and did you ever upgrade? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jordysnordy Posted August 12, 2019 Share Posted August 12, 2019 2 hours ago, mosconi said: Interesting, didn't realize that this issue had a common miscut at the top. Wonder if any other Spidey's had this as a common problem as well Me neither and I have owned several copies over the years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
namisgr Posted August 12, 2019 Share Posted August 12, 2019 (edited) Here's another example below. You're right, though. I looked through the Heritage archives and only found a couple of miscut examples, so my memory of the miscut being common wasn't accurate. This issue isn't anything like, say, Daredevil #1, where most of the copies are narrower across the top than the bottom. Edited August 12, 2019 by namisgr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post mysterio Posted August 12, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted August 12, 2019 Daredevil #7 is particularly bad for this miscut as well, if I recall correctly. Very happy to have gotten mine when I did! Jordysnordy, D Stuart, mosconi and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post LDarkseid1 Posted August 12, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted August 12, 2019 (edited) Punched my ticket not long ago with this 8.5. Was a LCS find. It appears on C-Link and at auction, a recent 8.5 sold for $2900 and a CBCS 9.2 (not sure if this one was at auction) sold for $10,250. It seems 7.5’s are ranging in the $1400-$1700 range. Edited August 12, 2019 by LDarkseid1 Philreal, mosconi, Chaos_in_Canada and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...