A 15-year journey, completed 3 3

[SuperBird]

Action Comics 55! Superman getting to work assembling planes. 

I picked this one up at Comic Connect auction in the midst of the botched CGC new slab switchover. It really threw pricing for everything I was after into a flux, with books finished MUCH cheaper than normal. A big reason I was comfortable going for this run was because of the certainty of CGC's grading, restoration detection, and storage security, so I was kind of waffling on buying the new slabs. This ended up being a mistake, as I could have bought a plethora of want list books for 60-75% of going value at the time. I did get this book for a song , however. 

[Yorick]

9 hours ago, SuperBird said:

Action Comics 55! Superman getting to work assembling planes. 

I picked this one up at Comic Connect auction in the midst of the botched CGC new slab switchover. It really threw pricing for everything I was after into a flux, with books finished MUCH cheaper than normal. A big reason I was comfortable going for this run was because of the certainty of CGC's grading, restoration detection, and storage security, so I was kind of waffling on buying the new slabs. This ended up being a mistake, as I could have bought a plethora of want list books for 60-75% of going value at the time. I did get this book for a song , however. 

Is the case grabbing some spine tear?   What's happening mid-spine?

[SuperBird]

2 hours ago, Yorick said:

Is the case grabbing some spine tear?   What's happening mid-spine?

It's definitely getting a bit squished by the slab, but I think the tear happened pre-slabbing. Staple still attached. 

FWIW, the book has not been damaged by the slab in any way since I got it. 

 

[SuperBird]

Action Comics 54! One of my favorite WW2 covers. 

At one point in the 'aughts (2001-2009), Metropolis had virtually the entire Action run in mid-grade for sale—many with multiple copies—all at market prices. Every month or so I'd hop on the subway, ride a stop, pop out and choose from a stack they'd set aside while I hung out with the guys and talked about all things geek. Collecting seemed really fun, casual, and personal back then, and it's a time I miss greatly. I bought this one from them on just such an occasion as a raw VG-. 

[Robot Man]

Loving this thread. I have a fair number of these not complete as your run. Just ones I like a lot. Most I got what seems like a million years ago. The stories of each issue are fun. Brings be back to when this hobby was a lot more than it is now. Back then, you really had to work a lot harder to get stuff like this. Keep ‘em coming!

[Yorick]

On 3/25/2020 at 12:28 PM, SuperBird said:

One book a day; each book a story.

  Hey.  Where's my Superman fix for today?

ps. I hope you're doing okay.

[SuperBird]

17 hours ago, Yorick said:

  Hey.  Where's my Superman fix for today?

ps. I hope you're doing okay.

All OK! Just got slammed with work, and this next post was a bit more involved, as you'll see. I had to dig back though three years of emails...

 

[SuperBird]

Action Comics 53! One of my personal favorites, with the great foreground/background color contrast. This copy was bought from Metro raw as a VG+, which was then pressed into this 5.0. But this is not the copy I originally intended to keep for my collection. THAT copy has a story, which will be told in 2 parts.

So settle in.

I came across an eBay seller who seemed to have a deep Action collection, all slabbed and in my grade range. I won his Action 32 and 53 6.0s at auction, upon which I asked if he could lower his price on an AC 44 he had listed on eBay, and began emailing him directly. What unfolded over the next two years is a tale to tell. All names have been changed to protect the identities of those involved.

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July 28, 2017

Hi [Bob]
paid! thanks

The price for the 44 is over current market value, which is awesome if you can sell it at that price, but more than I would pay. [note, he had it listed for over $1,200]
I guess give it a round of eBay, then if it doesn’t sell, let’s revisit? Consider me perpetually interested.  Out of interest, is all this stuff out of your personal collection, or are you a comic dealer? 

 

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July 29, 2017

Hi Matt,

Thanks for the fast payment, I will ship it by tomorrow guarantee. 

Most of it is my, but there's a few that I (thought) got a great deal on. Tbh, I really not sure what the market value for AC 44, it has very little current sales history in that grade. What is the market value for it, just wondering? And also please give a offer, cos if you notice that all my fixed price auction all has best offer options. I will consider any offer that you make.

 

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July 30, 2017

Hi [Bob]
The last sale of a 6.0 was 825 last winter. Typically actions 31-62 reliably go for 800-900, key issues aside ( 47, 50, 52, which can go for up to double that) 

I'd go 900 for it? But I'm not in a rush, been building my collection for years and years. Can revisit later. I need to get some funds anyway. 

FYI, if you go to the CGC comic boards, there is a sale section, where you can sell without any eBay fees. This stuff would all sell instantly if priced at market value.

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Aug 1, 2017

Hi Matt,

Thanks, I didn't know about cgc comic boards. I will def check it out. I am more of a collector than a seller. I think you can tell already that I am not much of a business person, I actually despise business man. I just want it to be fair for both. 

Most of the books I am selling I had either one or more copies of it. Is exactly the reason why I like to deal with buyers like yourself. I was happy to see you make a offer when you made a offer on ac 53. I know that your offer is very close to fair. And I appreciated that kind honesty/integrity from you or anybody, honorable.

I can do 900 for you! Just let me know when you're ready. Btw, I need some advice on this comic I have. And I will appreciate if you can help me out cos you seem very knowlegable on the market price. Rawhide kid#1 CGC 8.5 and single highest grade. I can't find any fair value on the market price for that copy. I will appreciate if you can give me a estimate on how much a book like that goes for. And shipping will always be on me if you buy from me again

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Aug 2, 2017

Hi [Bob], thanks!

Let me know if you need any GPA pricing info when you put the ones below up, happy to pass it along, assuming you don’t have a subscription. There’s nothing equivalent for your Rawhide Kid.

My AC want list is: 18,23,28,29,31,33,40,41,42,46,47,51,54,59 basically, if you have any of those in your collection you decide to part with at some point. Also need Superman 18, 26, and 29

 

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Aug 3, 2017

Hi Matt,

I have most of the books that's on your want list, except for superman 26. Unfortunately I only have one copy of thos. I think I have mention to you before that I have AC #1 3.0 restored copy, I actually have 2 copies of it that I want to part one with. I wanted to auction it off and I am currently discuss a deal with ebay to lower their fee's, and if they agreed then I will listed for auction and if not then prolly at HA. So we'll see.

If you don't mind looking up AC 41 cgc 7.5, CA 21 4.5, CA 34 5.5, Flash comics 103 cgc 7.0 for me that will be awesome and I much appreciated. Just a fair value price so I have a idea what its going for.  Thanks Matt!

 

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Aug 3, 2017

Hi [Bob]

Yup! here you go: 
AC 41 8.0 $1,415
AC 41 7.0 $1,325
CA 21 5.0 $1,076
CA 34 no sales in GPA apart from a 2.0 for $725. Is this one rare? 
Flash Comics 103 5.0 $731

Sounds like you have an awesome collection!

 

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Aug 4, 2017

Hi Matt,

Thank you! I appreciated.  The CA 34 is a very special copy, its the only copy of the bondage girl along with the Nazi's cover. I guess collector's is realizing that and decide to hold on to it, I think that's what make the price skyrocketed. Because even a low grade copy is very rare to come by. And when it does, it's not going to be cheap. So I am not surprised the most recent copy sold for $731 in 2.0. 

That and Rawhide Kid #1 is the only book's I am having trouble on the pricing. Cos it depends on who I talk to and the price vary's greatly. So I am very confused on how to price it. 

 

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Aug 5, 2017

Hi [Bob]

Got the book- thanks! Arrived in perfect shape despite some pretty awful abuse in handling.

Send me an invoice for the 44 whenever you like.

Regards,
Matt

 

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Aug 6, 2017

Hi Matt,

I'm glad the book wasn't damage. I know those postman can really rough handle those boxes even tho I wrote in big bold letters to handle with care, and they still doesn't care. I'm just glade that it didn't do any damage. I will send you a invoice for 44 by tomorrow.

Looks like my new monthly cycle on ebay started. And can now list. I only can list 15 but I am listing 6 books only because the also restrict my limit to $15k ( not happy at all ). But they said to call them next month to discuss higher limits. Hopefully I can do my norm $100k limit like how it was. 

 

------------------------------------end emails--------------------------------------

I didn’t hear back for a few weeks.
Then tried emailing him again, without reply.
His books disappeared from eBay as well.

And so I thought that was the end of it.

I had started entering my collection into the CGC registry at that point, but when I tried the 32 and 53, they got a “pending approval” message from the website. An approval which never came.
A year later, I went to enter the Action 32 and 53 into the CGC registry again, and got a different reply:

 

“These books have been reported stolen.”

—TO BE CONTINUED—

 

Edited April 13, 2020 by SuperBird

[mlansdown]

This is one of the best threads on the boards - I love hearing your back stories.  Keep them coming!

[Yorick]

7 hours ago, SuperBird said:

“These books have been reported stolen.”

[Yorick]

#53 is near the top of my fave list!  Awesome copy.

[comicdonna]

I think I had 85 Actions between 1 through 100  Never owned a 53 or 54  Nice books, SuperBird!

[SuperBird]

14 minutes ago, comicdonna said:

I think I had 85 Actions between 1 through 100  Never owned a 53 or 54  Nice books, SuperBird!

Your collection was awesome, one of the ones that inspired me, along with @thedude's and @nearmint's

[SuperBird]

Action Comics 52! One of a pair of classic black covers in the run, along with number 50. The layout on this one is fantastic, through it's remarkable that not one of the secondary Action characters featured on this cover survived the Golden Age in any meaningful way. (Zatara is closest, but let's get real.)

I won this slabbed copy in a ComicLink auction a few years back. There were a slew of near-full runs of slabbed Actions being sold at the time through the various auction houses, perhaps a half dozen over a 2-year period between 2016-2018. I haven't seen such runs come for sale since then. 

[telerites]

1 hour ago, SuperBird said:

Action Comics 52! One of a pair of classic black covers in the run, along with number 50. The layout on this one is fantastic, through it's remarkable that not one of the secondary Action characters featured on this cover survived the Golden Age in any meaningful way. (Zatara is closest, but let's get real.)

I won this slabbed copy in a ComicLink auction a few years back. There were a slew of near-full runs of slabbed Actions being sold at the time through the various auction houses, perhaps a half dozen over a 2-year period between 2016-2018. I haven't seen such runs come for sale since then. 

 

I am not a DC collector but this is one Supes book I have wanted.  Very nice looking book!

[thedude]

On 4/13/2020 at 5:07 PM, SuperBird said:

Your collection was awesome, one of the ones that inspired me, along with @thedude's and @nearmint's

i was only collecting the #40-50 range cuz I liked the Fred Ray covers in that range, plus I had a few others. Action #10,19,20,23,63,66. but what you've put together is really nice. the Superman title as well. 

[SuperBird]

7 hours ago, thedude said:

i was only collecting the #40-50 range cuz I liked the Fred Ray covers in that range, plus I had a few others. Action #10,19,20,23,63,66. but what you've put together is really nice. the Superman title as well. 

Do you still have any, or are they all gone at this point?

[SuperBird]

Action Comics 51! Not gonna lie, I only bought this one to complete the run. 

I won this nicely presenting low grade copy on ComicLink a few years back, outbidding a fellow boardie for it, whose name I don't have on record. He was nice enough to message me to apologize for driving up the price! It has been a genuine pleasure to come across so many people on the boards who helped out or were otherwise supportive of my mission throughout the years. 

[Keys_Collector]

First off, congrats on achieving your goal!  More collectors need to see that it takes time (years) to build their collections but its understandable considering how much easier it is to pick up almost any book now.  Awesome thread, my favorite on the board at the moment.  Would love to see more stories like this from fellow boardies who have been in this hobby for decades and their interesting stories attached to the books in their collection.  Love these connections and personal stories to each and every book.  Looking forward to hearing the continued story on those stolen books.  Somehow i'm not surprised with the sub-par grammar.

[thedude]

4 hours ago, SuperBird said:

Do you still have any, or are they all gone at this point?

I only still have the Action #44 and #48 at this point, I've done a lot of selling these past 10 years to pay off my mortgage, but I've also done some buying, still have a blue label low grade Batman #1 and an X-men 1. plus other minor stuff. but once I get to a higher financial level I will probably start buying again.