the blob Posted October 18, 2019 Share Posted October 18, 2019 (edited) As for the OP, it is a shame you got the opportunity to buy a bunch of moldy poop. If you want to invest more time into the project/salvage the time already spent, then just be honest with yourself and try to figure out what moldy copies of the ten or 15 best books you saw are worth on ebay. Not what is asking, what they actually sell for. A bit of mold or foxing does not make a real key worthless. I sold a JIM 84 with some ugly funk on it for a decent price, for example. Keys are keys. But folks on ebay don't want moldy run filler. So figure out what 25% of those best 10/15 books is and offer that. Take the rest of the off her hands. What is absolutely hopeless, toss, figure out if you've got some genuine $8-10 books in there despite condition. And are they moldy or just water damaged? If they are not stained you can sell them as "pressable projects" for the junior pressers out there to practice on. As for the rest, the dollar books, blow them out at your next yard sale for 25-50 cents each or list them in big lots on ebay and offer to ship media mail. Any pile of 60s and 70s majority books will sell on ebay, even if in lousy shape. For how much, I dunno, but usually at least 50 cents each. I've done well blowing out moldy BA books at my yard sale for between 50 cents and $1 each. I once bought a huge stack of 3 for $2 BA books at my shop only to take them back home and out of their bags and boards to see most had nastiness on their backs. (They just looked old and low grade on their fronts.) Anyway, I blew them out 12 for $10 at my next yard sale. People see old stuff for under $1 and they get excited. A question for the hive... is there something you can spray on moldy paper that will at least stop the growth of the mold and kill it? You'll still have disfigured books, but they wouldn't be contagious. Edited October 18, 2019 by the blob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the blob Posted October 18, 2019 Share Posted October 18, 2019 11 hours ago, speedcake said: Me, too! Ive seen it too many times. OP talking about a $125 comic book deal like it’s gonna pay off the house has got me like I think the OP is lamenting that initially he thought this was a big score and he'd be walking away with many thousands of $ in ebayable books and now he is down to maybe $125 worth of mold. Don't get unrealistic expectations about any of this stuff and you'll be less depressed when a great deal turns into a likely stinker (literally and figuratively in this case) speedcake and SkOw 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buzzetta Posted October 18, 2019 Share Posted October 18, 2019 Most successful side hustle ever has got to be my baby bro... those that know... know. Kid is living the dream... and doing it well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoMan Posted October 18, 2019 Share Posted October 18, 2019 Is the lady cute? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revat Posted October 18, 2019 Share Posted October 18, 2019 27 minutes ago, NoMan said: Is the lady cute? In the history of the entire world, the girl lying to you to sell you moldy comics has never been cute Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WolverineX Posted October 18, 2019 Share Posted October 18, 2019 Don't do it unless u like wasting your free time... no one wants moldy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oakman29 Posted October 19, 2019 Share Posted October 19, 2019 On 10/17/2019 at 10:19 AM, D84 said: Only buy them if you need kindling. Agree, they are trash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercury Man Posted October 19, 2019 Share Posted October 19, 2019 I can kind of relate with the OP. I am no big game hunter. I have other things in life that take much of my disposable cash, so you will not see me bidding on heritage auctions, or clearing out a 100 long box hoard. I did buy 350 comics from a guy a few years ago. Mostly Bronze and Copper. I pulled out the 50 I wanted (SA Sub-Mariner #1, Iron Fist #1, X-Factor #1 thru 20, Secret Wars #1-12, Thor #337-#340 to name a few), sold 100 I didn't want/or already had, and still am trying to come up with the plan to move the other 200. It only cost me $360, and what I have sold off, pretty much has me at the break even point of my buy in. It has been a great learning and eye opening experience. I have mucho respecto for someone that can sift, sort and sell 100 long boxes. It's work. 1950's war comics and SkOw 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artboy99 Posted October 19, 2019 Share Posted October 19, 2019 If you are buying them to flip do not buy them. Your comic buyers won't want moldy smelly books that are VG's. 1950's war comics 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoMan Posted October 19, 2019 Share Posted October 19, 2019 4 hours ago, Mercury Man said: I can kind of relate with the OP. I am no big game hunter. I have other things in life that take much of my disposable cash, so you will not see me bidding on heritage auctions, or clearing out a 100 long box hoard. I did buy 350 comics from a guy a few years ago. Mostly Bronze and Copper. I pulled out the 50 I wanted (SA Sub-Mariner #1, Iron Fist #1, X-Factor #1 thru 20, Secret Wars #1-12, Thor #337-#340 to name a few), sold 100 I didn't want/or already had, and still am trying to come up with the plan to move the other 200. It only cost me $360, and what I have sold off, pretty much has me at the break even point of my buy in. It has been a great learning and eye opening experience. I have mucho respecto for someone that can sift, sort and sell 100 long boxes. It's work. Yeah it’s why I help a buddy that owns a LCS at local cons: you learn it’s a lot of work. SkOw 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conacon Posted October 20, 2019 Author Share Posted October 20, 2019 I'm definitely a small game hunter, so $125 is a significant bet for what looks like a small return. Before meeting, I spent an hour or two checking sales on ebay. I ran the numbers at "worst case scenario" (little did I know worst case was actually far worse) and then at 6.0-7.0 range. I came out with $450 to $1,950 so I felt the upside was worth a meet. I've stepped away from the edge now, thank you. speedcake and SkOw 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
