2020 vision: goals, corrected sight or new lens 2 2

[batman_fan]

I would like to score some nice Batman upgrades of issues 4, 22, 26, 72, 76. 77, 78, 83, and 86

[The_Captain]

Now that prices have rocketed, buy a new copy of Flash Comics #1 and #2

[Robot Man]

6 hours ago, mlansdown said:

I will keep my collecting goals very simple for 2020:

If I see it, 

and I like it,

and I can afford it,

I will buy it!

[jeranimal]

I will be consolidating my slabbed books to keys so will be selling off my non-key slabs throughout the year.

 

I hope to grab at least one of these golden age beauties this year in any grade - low grade, conserved, restored, etc  

[Cat-Man_America]

More sage thoughts from a tumbleweed style collector.

One thing I overlooked in my earlier rumination on the state of the current market is that if you’re determined to put together a run ...as many collectors are prone to do... targeting tougher books early can actually make achieving your goal easier.  Locking down tough issues should be the first goal of the run collector, not the last.  Allow me to explain my rationale on this.

Buying keys early, while still relatively affordable ...emphasis on the word relatively... is likely to get you much closer to your end goal at less overall cost than snapping up cheaper books in the run first.  Price fluctuations notwithstanding, most common books increase incrementally. Conversely, tougher keys (such as origin stories, first issues, classic covers and scarce books with low census numbers) tend to climb in price disproportionately.  

From my perspective, be that what it may, building a GA run should involve more strategizing than acquisition based on specific covers, themes or artists.  This may seem like the obvious no-brainer approach, but collectors seem easily lulled into convincing themselves that collecting all the low hanging fruit first will eventually get them a shot at the brass ring.  But will it? 

I’m left pondering how many run oriented collectors within striking distance of their goal have been priced out of the market due to missing the window on a key book.  This process isn’t always intuitive.  Note: These observations ...from a collector who invariably tries to avoid focusing on runs... are mainly directed to those moving into GA from other areas of comic collecting.  It’s food for thought.  Experienced GA collectors have likely confronted this dilemma at some point and come out on one side or the other for better or worse.

 

[Gotham Kid]

On 1/2/2020 at 3:04 PM, jeranimal said:

I will be consolidating my slabbed books to keys so will be selling off my non-key slabs throughout the year.

 

I hope to grab at least one of these golden age beauties this year in any grade - low grade, conserved, restored, etc  

Good luck ! Great selection.

[Cat-Man_America]

Going forward, and assuming all goes well with our health expenses and we continue to prosper there are some mid-grade and higher GA  books that I no longer own that I’d be inclined to reacquire in grade, several others I’d be tempted to upgrade or simply duplicate to appease a nagging OC bug that occasionally overwhelms my practical judgment.  Just have to wait and see what comes up in auctions or through my buddies here.  2020 is definitely going to be a year of decision, ...just don’t know which ones yet. 

Buckle up boys, looks like it’s gonna be a bumpy ride. 

[atomised]

prices are retreating almost across the board for Silver Marvel keys, will GA correct a bit in 2020?  I'm cautious to be a buyer right now of any big books.

[Gotham Kid]

32 minutes ago, atomised said:

prices are retreating almost across the board for Silver Marvel keys, will GA correct a bit in 2020?  I'm cautious to be a buyer right now of any big books.

On any given day you can find a SA key in whatever grade you're looking for, be it low to high grade. Newly graded copies are guaranteed every month.

Golden Age not even close.

[Tri-Color Brian]

Maybe this year I will open one of my boxes and have a sale on the boards...I'm sure there must be something in there that I can pass along...

[porcupine48]

31 minutes ago, Tri-ColorBrian said:

Maybe this year I will open one of my boxes and have a sale on the boards...I'm sure there must be something in there that I can pass along...

I predict  DIBS!

Brian,I'll message you later,I tell no fibs,I just gotta go out,got a craving for Nibs.

[atomised]

2 hours ago, Gotham Kid said:

On any given day you can find a SA key in whatever grade you're looking for, be it low to high grade. Newly graded copies are guaranteed every month.

Golden Age not even close.

I agree in general yes, but I've seen Bats 1 trending down slightly in some recent GPA sales - unless those copies were outliers due to something beyond the technical grade.

[Gotham Kid]

15 minutes ago, atomised said:

I agree in general yes, but I've seen Bats 1 trending down slightly in some recent GPA sales - unless those copies were outliers due to something beyond the technical grade.

Lately a copy in both Heritage and CC auctions at almost every turn didn’t help.

Edited January 6, 2020 by Gotham Kid

[comicjack]

1 hour ago, Tri-ColorBrian said:

Maybe this year I will open one of my boxes and have a sale on the boards...I'm sure there must be something in there that I can pass along...

Your Bakers and i don't mean cakes 

[Tri-Color Brian]

43 minutes ago, comicjack said:

Your Bakers and i don't mean cakes 

No Bakers...

[I am not Glenda]

2 hours ago, Gotham Kid said:

Lately a copy in both Heritage and CC auctions at almost every turn didn’t help.

Trends come & Trends go but look up the top 10 GA comics over the past 40 yrs & Batman #1 will/is always be there. High grade, low grade,trimmed, coverless, resto, no resto it's always going to be one of the most sought after and iconic GA comics ever published imho so if you can catch a deal on one this year grab it.

Edited January 7, 2020 by I am not Glenda

[thunsicker]

On 1/3/2020 at 1:37 AM, Cat-Man_America said:

More sage thoughts from a tumbleweed style collector.

One thing I overlooked in my earlier rumination on the state of the current market is that if you’re determined to put together a run ...as many collectors are prone to do... targeting tougher books early can actually make achieving your goal easier.  Locking down tough issues should be the first goal of the run collector, not the last.  Allow me to explain my rationale on this.

Buying keys early, while still relatively affordable ...emphasis on the word relatively... is likely to get you much closer to your end goal at less overall cost than snapping up cheaper books in the run first.  Price fluctuations notwithstanding, most common books increase incrementally. Conversely, tougher keys (such as origin stories, first issues, classic covers and scarce books with low census numbers) tend to climb in price disproportionately.  

From my perspective, be that what it may, building a GA run should involve more strategizing than acquisition based on specific covers, themes or artists.  This may seem like the obvious no-brainer approach, but collectors seem easily lulled into convincing themselves that collecting all the low hanging fruit first will eventually get them a shot at the brass ring.  But will it? 

I’m left pondering how many run oriented collectors within striking distance of their goal have been priced out of the market due to missing the window on a key book.  This process isn’t always intuitive.  Note: These observations ...from a collector who invariably tries to avoid focusing on runs... are mainly directed to those moving into GA from other areas of comic collecting.  It’s food for thought.  Experienced GA collectors have likely confronted this dilemma at some point and come out on one side or the other for better or worse.

 

I can barely afford the cheaper comics in my focus as it is.  No way I could afford the more expensive ones I’d like to get.  So I guess I’ll just keep buying the ones I can afford and hope I outlive all of you who have the more expensive comics I want.

[N e r V]

If I buy much more I’ll have to start either adding more rooms or buy another larger house so I’ll think it’s time to put more into other investments. My 401k kind of stunned me this year with a 44% increase... 

So I’m down to picking up smaller books as soon as I pay off a few things left over from 2019 with time payments. I have a lot of raw key GA and SA books that I might consider getting graded/slabbed too. 

But if something really strikes me I’ll probably not deny trying to get it. Just not a lot left for me though as far as want lists go...