ComicLink's next Featured Auction Has Started Posting Books 17 17

[Randall Ries]

10 minutes ago, lou_fine said:

Well, it's clear to me that you need to go back to elementary school since you must have failed your arithmetic class.  

Are you not aware that 9.9 is a much much higher number than 9.8, or are decimal points too hard to figure out here?    

Man. I have 2 graded 10.0's. I thought they would:

Make me healthier Make me wealthier Make me more attractive to women Give me more girth Give me more length Give me a better house Give me a better car Make me the envy of others.

So far, NONE of that has happened. I don't understand. Everything is exactly the same as it was. If that's the case, I'll just stick with 9.4's and 9.6's. Or whatever I think looks good enough for me.

 

[Professor K]

On 2/24/2021 at 8:58 PM, Randall Ries said:

Is there any possibility the frenzied early bidding could be employees hyping it up? I know it's against the rules but so what?

I really doubt it as that would be very risky. I really don't know where all the heavy early bidding is coming from.Its mostly on Silver Age and newer stuff and not so much on Golden Age. I've noticed many books are equaling or surpassing the final price of the most recent sale in the first day or two of auction. And many times that previous sale was already a record or darn close. I have a few theories but I really don't know exactly why this is happening. It seems so senseless because most Silver Age and newer are so plentiful. 

On 2/24/2021 at 3:02 PM, lou_fine said:

Anybody else here or is it just me who's surprised that the current top bid for this HTF key issue of More Fun is still at such a low price:   

https://www.comiclink.com/auctions/item.asp?back=%2FAUCTIONS%2FSEARCH.ASP%3FFocusedOnly%3D1%26where%3Dauctions%26title%3Dmore%26ItemType%3DCB%23Item_1459506&id=1459506&itemType=0

From the front cover scan, this would certainly appear to be a very sharp copy with stron colors, and yet it is still languishing at only $26,750 or at a rather huge 32% discount to condition value.  I guess we'll just have to wait and see if there's any last minute bids that's going to push the price of this book up to where it rightfully belongs.    

Relative to its DC Adventure twin partner in crime, I thought that the More Fun's had been picking up quite a bit of interest and demand as reflected in the prices for some of their recent auctions.  It will definitely be interesting to see how some of these More Fun's do in the CL auction tonight because it appears that they have a rather nice selection of them, with quite a few of them in grade, and yet the prices on them are still very reasonable at this current point in time.     

So nice that one. 37,000 was lower than I would expect. Only 20 Blue Labels out there. A More Fun 54 9.0 sold for 41.6 in December.

On 2/24/2021 at 9:54 PM, lou_fine said:

Yes, most definitely a bit of a shocker that it was able to fetch a totally astounding $180K, especially considering that although it's a key for sure with Robin's first appearance, most collectors have never really cared for Robin as he took away from the darker side of Batman which most fans prefer:    

https://www.comiclink.com/auctions/item.asp?back=%2FAUCTIONS%2FSEARCH.ASP%3FFocusedOnly%3D1%26where%3Dauctions%26title%3Ddetective%2B%2B38%26ItemType%3DCB%26CGC%3DYES%26CBCS%3DYES%23Item_1458560&id=1458560&itemType=0

Definitely a very nicely presenting copy with strong colors and good PQ, but it clearly would have graded higher if not for that obvious attempted, but poorly executed and failed erasure on the front cover.  

Very high final price. A week ago I wasn't sure if it would hit the reserve of I believe 95,000. Congrats to the new owner but personally I couldn't spend that much on it a look at that poorly executed and failed erasure mark on the cover. btw I thought that stamp on the front might be from one of the pedigree collections.

On 2/24/2021 at 10:46 PM, lou_fine said:

Okay, which one of you guys went and did the nasty on me and blew my bid out of the water:    

https://www.comiclink.com/auctions/item.asp?back=%2FAUCTIONS%2FSEARCH.ASP%3FFocusedOnly%3D1%26where%3Dauctions%26title%3Dmore%26ItemType%3DCB%23Item_1453001&id=1453001&itemType=0

Especially when it's not really an authentic More Fun book since it's one of those zero demand pre-hero DC books and shouldn't all of you old fogeys who still remember these books be in bed by now and dreaming about real super hero books.  

And for all of you young whippersnappers and/or CGC label chasers, can't you see that it's NOT a CGC 9.8 graded copy and it doesn't even have one of those CVA Exceptional stickers on the slab.  

That's a book that I would love to have in my collection. Someone grabbed a 7.0 last May for 1450.00. Lucky them. If a lower graded one comes around again I think I'm going to try and grab it myself. If it does and you remember let me know so we don't bid each other through the ceiling, I'll back off so you can get it.

[lou_fine]

34 minutes ago, Professor Chaos said:

On 2/24/2021 at 7:46 PM, lou_fine said:

Okay, which one of you guys went and did the nasty on me and blew my bid out of the water:    

https://www.comiclink.com/auctions/item.asp?back=%2FAUCTIONS%2FSEARCH.ASP%3FFocusedOnly%3D1%26where%3Dauctions%26title%3Dmore%26ItemType%3DCB%23Item_1453001&id=1453001&itemType=0

Especially when it's not really an authentic More Fun book since it's one of those zero demand pre-hero DC books and shouldn't all of you old fogeys who still remember these books be in bed by now and dreaming about real super hero books.  

And for all of you young whippersnappers and/or CGC label chasers, can't you see that it's NOT a CGC 9.8 graded copy and it doesn't even have one of those CVA Exceptional stickers on the slab.  

Expand  

That's a book that I would love to have in my collection. Someone grabbed a 7.0 last May for 1450.00. Lucky them. If a lower graded one comes around again I think I'm going to try and grab it myself. If it does and you remember let me know so we don't bid each other through the ceiling, I'll back off so you can get it.

Will do, but if you are looking for a lower graded copy and the CGC 7.0 graded copy is no longer available with its recent sale, I guess you are going to have to settle for the next lower copy a CGC 6.0 because there's only another 8 graded copies lower than the 7.0 copy.    

[Professor K]

1 hour ago, lou_fine said:

Will do, but if you are looking for a lower graded copy and the CGC 7.0 graded copy is no longer available with its recent sale, I guess you are going to have to settle for the next lower copy a CGC 6.0 because there's only another 8 graded copies lower than the 7.0 copy.    

I would take any grade on it. And you know for only 11 Blue labels on the census I found 5 sales in the past 5 years including this one, that's a pretty good turnaround rate. The book just seems so historic to me. 

[lou_fine]

Being a long time GA collector now makes me think that this comic book collecting world of ours must be turning upside down when you see books like New Mutants fetching $42K and Tomb of Dracula fetching $106,350; but the one that really confuses me to no end is this one here:       

https://www.comiclink.com/auctions/item.asp?back=%2FAUCTIONS%2FSEARCH.ASP%3FFocusedOnly%3D1%26where%3Dauctions%26title%3Dtransformers%26ItemType%3DCB%23Item_1452303&id=1452303&itemType=0

When I see books like this going for a mere $44,000 makes me think that it's really time that I should go though my closet and also check out the daily rates to rent a steamroller at the same time.    

[vheflin]

38 minutes ago, lou_fine said:

Being a long time GA collector now makes me think that this comic book collecting world of ours must be turning upside down when you see books like New Mutants fetching $42K and Tomb of Dracula fetching $106,350; but the one that really confuses me to no end is this one here:       

https://www.comiclink.com/auctions/item.asp?back=%2FAUCTIONS%2FSEARCH.ASP%3FFocusedOnly%3D1%26where%3Dauctions%26title%3Dtransformers%26ItemType%3DCB%23Item_1452303&id=1452303&itemType=0

When I see books like this going for a mere $44,000 makes me think that it's really time that I should go though my closet and also check out the daily rates to rent a steamroller at the same time.    

but but bbut it's super mega ultra optimus RARE

"As of this writing, 3093 examples of Transformers #1 have been certified by CGC, so the three 9.9s make up less than 1/10 of 1% of the overall population of CGC graded examples!"

[buttock]

52 minutes ago, lou_fine said:

Being a long time GA collector now makes me think that this comic book collecting world of ours must be turning upside down when you see books like New Mutants fetching $42K and Tomb of Dracula fetching $106,350; but the one that really confuses me to no end is this one here:       

https://www.comiclink.com/auctions/item.asp?back=%2FAUCTIONS%2FSEARCH.ASP%3FFocusedOnly%3D1%26where%3Dauctions%26title%3Dtransformers%26ItemType%3DCB%23Item_1452303&id=1452303&itemType=0

When I see books like this going for a mere $44,000 makes me think that it's really time that I should go though my closet and also check out the daily rates to rent a steamroller at the same time.    

Wow.  It's been a long time since a comic price made me shocked, but that did it.  

[lou_fine]

2 hours ago, vheflin said:

but but bbut it's super mega ultra optimus RARE

"As of this writing, 3093 examples of Transformers #1 have been certified by CGC, so the three 9.9s make up less than 1/10 of 1% of the overall population of CGC graded examples!"

Well, if this Tramsformers with thousands of copies already graded in total can still fetch $44K, then I really need to look for my copy of this book here:

With a total of only a measly 2 copies graded to date so far, just imagine if I can squish squash my copy into a CGC 9.9 slab, it should be no problem at all for me to get 6-figures for this true rarity from some deep pocketed CGC label chaser suffering from a big case of FOMO.    

[lou_fine]

2 hours ago, buttock said:

Wow.  It's been a long time since a comic price made me shocked, but that did it.  

Yes, can you just imagine how much more it would have gone for if it was one of those truly rare in grade newsstand copies instead of this common as dirt in grade Direct copy of Transformer 1?    

[buttock]

11 minutes ago, lou_fine said:

Yes, can you just imagine how much more it would have gone for if it was one of those truly rare in grade newsstand copies instead of this common as dirt in grade Direct copy of Transformer 1?    

Good point.  I'll hold out for a newsstand copy.

[Timely]

3 hours ago, lou_fine said:

Well, if this Tramsformers with thousands of copies already graded in total can still fetch $44K, then I really need to look for my copy of this book here:

With a total of only a measly 2 copies graded to date so far, just imagine if I can squish squash my copy into a CGC 9.9 slab, it should be no problem at all for me to get 6-figures for this true rarity from some deep pocketed CGC label chaser suffering from a big case of FOMO.    

I’ve got a few copies of that one!

[rjpb]

If there is one part of this hobby that could end up crashing hard, it's the nosebleed prices paid for 9.9 copies of books that are fairly common in 9.8. I don't follow this market closely (barely at all), but am I wrong in getting the sense that such books have a history of frequently having a negative ROI after a record price is paid. It seems in other areas of the collecting market, there is an increased awareness that HGC isn't always the nicest looking copy, but not when it comes to this type of nonsense. 

[bpc3qh]

2 hours ago, rjpb said:

If there is one part of this hobby that could end up crashing hard, it's the nosebleed prices paid for 9.9 copies of books that are fairly common in 9.8. I don't follow this market closely (barely at all), but am I wrong in getting the sense that such books have a history of frequently having a negative ROI after a record price is paid. It seems in other areas of the collecting market, there is an increased awareness that HGC isn't always the nicest looking copy, but not when it comes to this type of nonsense. 

Wouldn't surprise me at all. Some books went up, like the TOD 10 in 9.9, but that's a prime character with a movie coming. I bet other books will see a drop.

[rjpb]

1 minute ago, bpc3qh said:

Wouldn't surprise me at all. Some books went up, like the TOD 10 in 9.9, but that's a prime character with a movie coming. I bet other books will see a drop.

Not my thing, so I'll guess I'll never understand the excitement over a 9.9 book relative to a 9.6. You're talking about flaws which are barely perceptible without a magnifying glass, and sometimes overlooking production related flaws which don't impact grade, but are more esthetically noticeable. With bronze and later books, the uber-grades are basically creating an illusion of scarcity that didn't really exist before CGC. No one was going to pay $1000 for the mintyest copy of a book that was regularly available in NM for $100. Even the most obsessive mint freaks probably wouldn't have gone more than double. 

[lou_fine]

4 hours ago, Timely said:

7 hours ago, lou_fine said:

Well, if this Tramsformers with thousands of copies already graded in total can still fetch $44K, then I really need to look for my copy of this book here:

With a total of only a measly 2 copies graded to date so far, just imagine if I can squish squash my copy into a CGC 9.9 slab, it should be no problem at all for me to get 6-figures for this true rarity from some deep pocketed CGC label chaser suffering from a big case of FOMO.    

Expand  

I’ve got a few copies of that one!

Hey West;

Big big congrats to you on your new found wealth since I can't seem to find a single copy in my personal collection no matter how hard I look.   

If you've got multiple copies of this beauty, then I am sure you must have a ton of other invaluable books from this same time period.  Best for you to steamroll them all and send them up Josh's way as you probably got yourself a million dollar collection just in these books alone.  If you are running out of room in your safety deposit box to hold these new found treasures, you can kick some of those worthless Edgar Church drek out as I am willing to sacrifice myself and take them off your hands for free.  

I guess the motto of the story here is:  One collector's worthless drek is another collector's priceless treasure.    

[Gotham Kid]

The current prices paid for Bronze Age (and later) Marvels are beyond stupid. The supply of ultra high grade copies is endless.

Edited February 27, 2021 by Gotham Kid

[lou_fine]

21 minutes ago, Gotham Kid said:

The current prices paid for Bronze Age (and later) Marvels are beyond stupid. The supply of ultra high grade copies is endless.

Well then, how about the crazy money now being paid for Marvel trading cards from the 90's which are supposedly available by the tens of millions?  

Are you really trying to convince me that you wouldn't trade one of your old used pre-Robin 'Tec books for that immaculate and priceless CGC 9.9 graded copy of Transformers 1.  

Edited February 27, 2021 by lou_fine

[Gotham Kid]

46 minutes ago, lou_fine said:

Are you really trying to convince me that you wouldn't trade one of your old used pre-Robin 'Tec books for that immaculate and priceless CGC 9.9 graded copy of Transformers 1.  

I wouldn't trade a tec34 (the least valuable and least interesting story line preRobin) for a dozen CGC 10.0 copies of Transformers 1

Someone paid 44k for that copy of Transformers. To me it is worth $44.

Edited February 27, 2021 by Gotham Kid

[Professor K]

3 hours ago, Gotham Kid said:

The current prices paid for Bronze Age (and later) Marvels are beyond stupid. The supply of ultra high grade copies is endless.

I've been saying that a lot lately. Why are they bidding up books that are so plentiful that new ones in all grades pop up on a daily basis? With the exception of 9.8's but even those are always available somewhere. Example- a few weeks ago an ASM 129 9.0 W went for 2,600 on CL. a few days ago another 9.0 with a cva sticker goes for 3,400. Two days later (last night) an 8.5 sells for 3,685.......more than the cva 9.0! All on CL . At this rate 6.0's will be going for 4K come Spring. 

[Northwest]

It seems possible that new entrants to the hobby (perhaps riding a wave of other collectibles or BTC) are driving the market shifts in post 1975 books. The real question is whether the demand shifts can keep up with supply beyond the pandemic (caveat emptor).