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Flashback to 1989
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22 posts in this topic

I found an old Overstreet's Price Update (Aug 1989), and had a laugh looking at some of the valuations at the time (all prices in NM condition):

  • AF #15:  $2,300
  • ASM #1:  $2,100
  • Avengers #1:  $660
  • FF #1:  $2,060
  • Hulk #1:  $800
  • JIM #83:  $645
  • TOS #39:  $600
  • Xmen #1:  $900

Iron Man #55, FF #52, Marvel Spotlight #5 were in the $5-$15 range.

Punisher appearances were red hot. Batman was hot as well from what I recall, but I wasn't a big DC buyer.

Some funny quotes from the Market Report:

  • "If McFarlane stays on ASM another year or two, it will pass X-Men as a new and a back issue. ASM #298 could be the next X-Men #94. You heard it here first."
  • "Low grade copies of AF #15 and ASM #1-20 sell great, as high grades are so expensive." (see prices above)
  • "We can't keep Hulk 181 in any grade. NM/M copies easily get $125."
  • "Felonies are acceptable in hunting down the first appearances of Wolverine and the Punisher."
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Really the last year before the speculator boom hit hard in the UK.  I was still finding lots of cheap, high grade stuff in London at that point.

Edited by Ken Aldred
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It was either 1988 or 1989 that I stopped buying new comics and haven't bought one since then.  I actually got out of the hobby entirely until 1999 or so. I did keep buying an OSPG since I had bought a copy starting with #4 and still buy one even though I don't even open.  And I kept up my subscription to CBG as I had started that back in the mid 70s with Alan Light when it was TBG.

 

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1 hour ago, KirbyJack said:

It was a great time to collect. A bottom feeder like me could regularly bring home a 3 inch stack of SA classics for $20. 

Truly fun times! Just started to experience the joy of "disposable income" around then.

Even non-bottom feeders could get awesome stuff back then fairly reasonably. These were $5 a piece purchased at a local show back in '89 - he actually wanted full OSPG !!!

tta_50.jpg.12a8a59a614080a77cc9cceaf5e2e1b6.jpg

tta_59.jpg.87e167243afeec965baf8484aa64d249.jpg

Think these were marked maybe $12 each but I seem to remember getting all of them (including the 2 TTA's above) for $40

av_10.jpg.28a2c78ffa776fd11c7bdc23332c9673.jpg

av_13.jpg.457866ca0945db8393f50934a27f0847.jpg

av_25.jpg.30f807ccbef75addf75ed812cd4458f0.jpg

Alas, sometimes I wish I still had my SA collection...

-bc

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2 hours ago, oakman29 said:

Those were the days . In the early 80's I bought my AF15 for 500.00 . That book will never leave my collection. 

>:(
I have repeatedly told you I will give you $600 for it!!

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On 7/31/2020 at 3:52 PM, Slyde said:

I found an old Overstreet's Price Update (Aug 1989), and had a laugh looking at some of the valuations at the time (all prices in NM condition):

  • AF #15:  $2,300
  • ASM #1:  $2,100
  • Avengers #1:  $660
  • FF #1:  $2,060
  • Hulk #1:  $800
  • JIM #83:  $645
  • TOS #39:  $600
  • Xmen #1:  $900

At that time of my life, I had a 3-year boy and 1-year old girl. I couldn't say to my wife, "F*** diapers and formula. I need $600 for Tales of Suspense #39." If I had, I probably wouldn't be posting now, because I would be dead. xD

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2 minutes ago, oakman29 said:

Really , what is a 5.5/6.0 ish going for these days.

$600

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Just now, oakman29 said:

Then I must have made a good buying decision. 🤔

You made a $100 dollars!!  Nothing to sneeze at!!  Now sell.

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2 minutes ago, oakman29 said:

Then I must have made a good buying decision. 🤔

If you dont sell then you havent made anything and what if it goes down.  Buy lo- sell hi-

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Just now, oakman29 said:

It's more sentimental than price.😉

My 6 $100 bills are sentimental to me AF so lets do this.

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5 hours ago, bc said:

Truly fun times! Just started to experience the joy of "disposable income" around then.

 

Same here. I got my first real part time job in 1988, and started buying more "expensive" back issues. I got lots of mid-value keys, but I do regret not spending more money on one of the real big dogs. The most I ever spent on a single book was $100. 

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