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Do you check your stash before bidding on or buying a book?
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48 posts in this topic

Started happening to me a year or so ago.  I'd see a book on eBay or at an online dealer that looked like it might be a good read, or it had a b itchen cover, so I'd pull the trigger.

Once received, I'd read it, then go to put it in alphabetical order in the appropriate comic box, and whaaaatttt...I already have a copy!

After this happened maybe a half dozen times with both crime and horror books, I got the brilliant idea to check and make sure I wasn't duplicating, before buying.

I think this is a symptom of either being too old, having too many books on hand, or both.  (In my case it's apparently both!)

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2 minutes ago, fifties said:

Started happening to me a year or so ago.  I'd see a book on eBay or at an online dealer that looked like it might be a good read, or it had a b itchen cover, so I'd pull the trigger.

Once received, I'd read it, then go to put it in alphabetical order in the appropriate comic box, and whaaaatttt...I already have a copy!

After this happened maybe a half dozen times with both crime and horror books, I got the brilliant idea to check and make sure I wasn't duplicating, before buying.

I think this is a symptom of either being too old, having too many books on hand, or both.  (In my case it's apparently both!)

Easy fix.  Send your books to me, then forget you did so.

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1 hour ago, fifties said:

Started happening to me a year or so ago.  I'd see a book on eBay or at an online dealer that looked like it might be a good read, or it had a b itchen cover, so I'd pull the trigger.

Once received, I'd read it, then go to put it in alphabetical order in the appropriate comic box, and whaaaatttt...I already have a copy!

After this happened maybe a half dozen times with both crime and horror books, I got the brilliant idea to check and make sure I wasn't duplicating, before buying.

I think this is a symptom of either being too old, having too many books on hand, or both.  (In my case it's apparently both!)

This has happened to me many, many times.  I've come to embrace having multiple copies of books.

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5 hours ago, fifties said:

Started happening to me a year or so ago.  I'd see a book on eBay or at an online dealer that looked like it might be a good read, or it had a b itchen cover, so I'd pull the trigger.

Once received, I'd read it, then go to put it in alphabetical order in the appropriate comic box, and whaaaatttt...I already have a copy!

After this happened maybe a half dozen times with both crime and horror books, I got the brilliant idea to check and make sure I wasn't duplicating, before buying.

I think this is a symptom of either being too old, having too many books on hand, or both.  (In my case it's apparently both!)

This happened to me... I ended up with 23 copies of Lady Luck #86. :shy:

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5 hours ago, tth2 said:

First world problems.

You don’t think they get old and forgetful in the third world also?  :bigsmile: Nice thing about it is I’ve forgotten selling all those irreplaceable books over the years and believe someday I will find them in my collection. 

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I didn’t accidentally buy multiple copies but I had my own ‘cheetah rule’ where if I looked for a book for a long time and finally found one and bought it, a better copy would become available within a month.  

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47 minutes ago, cheetah said:

I didn’t accidentally buy multiple copies but I had my own ‘cheetah rule’ where if I looked for a book for a long time and finally found one and bought it, a better copy would become available within a month.  

hm I always thought that was called the "Ryan Rule". 

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My collection is at about 3500-4000 books. I can remember about 98% of them. Very rarely when flipping through do I find something I "forgot I had". I frequently look in my bins because I read very slowly and am currently spending time rebagging and boarding some books (as well as cleaning some) so I am in constant "contact" "with them.

But occasionally in the past year I had a Bronze Age filler issue from a collection that I decided I should keep, only to find I had one. A random Nova issue if I recall. Part of my current activities with my own collection involve me taking photos and saving them on a helpful app I found that can store and organize images. This way in the future, if I run into such a problem, I quickly check that folder and can see my copy, as well as images (to know whether my copy is worth upgrading or not). 

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Interesting. It never happened with comics but has happened with magazines. I think because I tend to buy mags in lots more often than not. Then if I see a single issue of a mag, I would buy it and not realize I already had it in a lot purchase. (:

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10 hours ago, fifties said:

Started happening to me a year or so ago.  I'd see a book on eBay or at an online dealer that looked like it might be a good read, or it had a b itchen cover, so I'd pull the trigger.

Once received, I'd read it, then go to put it in alphabetical order in the appropriate comic box, and whaaaatttt...I already have a copy!

After this happened maybe a half dozen times with both crime and horror books, I got the brilliant idea to check and make sure I wasn't duplicating, before buying.

I think this is a symptom of either being too old, having too many books on hand, or both.  (In my case it's apparently both!)

Always keep a list on you.
In your wallet or in your phone.

This has saved me from duplicate purchases hundreds of times over the years, whether at a convention, in a comic shop, or buying online.

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11 hours ago, fifties said:

Started happening to me a year or so ago.  I'd see a book on eBay or at an online dealer that looked like it might be a good read, or it had a b itchen cover, so I'd pull the trigger.

Once received, I'd read it, then go to put it in alphabetical order in the appropriate comic box, and whaaaatttt...I already have a copy!

After this happened maybe a half dozen times with both crime and horror books, I got the brilliant idea to check and make sure I wasn't duplicating, before buying.

I think this is a symptom of either being too old, having too many books on hand, or both.  (In my case it's apparently both!)

Yes, I have had this many many times over the years when my collection was still controllable, now it is scattered and I am mainly working from check lists but I know that I am still buying stuff I already have.

I am also aware of the opposite being true though, I have looked at books so much on my wants list that I now think I have them, when I may not and cant really check anymore :ohnoez: :facepalm:

 

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Only if the only reason I am buying it is to read it. So I wouldn't want dupes of a TPB. But if the book is for "collecting" purposes, if it is a good deal, I am fine with dupes. So no, I don't check. Indeed, there are books I have multiples of, on purpose, and would like more, at the right price.

 

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Build yourself a spreadsheet (Excel, Google sheets, whatever works for you). You will not have these issues and you can use that space in your brain for other good stuff (like remembering anniversaries and family/friends birthdays)!

I normally record:

  • Title
  • Issue number
  • Condition
  • Purchase price
  • Purchase date
  • Whom I purchased it from (and possibly where)
  • Notes (I normally record any major things with the book here .... whether it be related to condition, author, or other features)

FWIW, I also have another "tab" in my spreadsheet for books I want and another tab in which I record any sales I make. If something sells it migrates from the "inventory" tab to the "sold" tab.

I always bring a copy of my "inventory" and "want" sheets with me to shows just in case there is crappy internet access :)

Hope that helps! 

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I generally have a good idea of what I own in my personal collection although I may not know exactly what box it is in.

For the books I own joint with thehumantorch I admit I am very uncertain. Those books are stored in his basement currently.

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1 hour ago, 707comics said:

Build yourself a spreadsheet (Excel, Google sheets, whatever works for you). You will not have these issues and you can use that space in your brain for other good stuff (like remembering anniversaries and family/friends birthdays)!

I normally record:

  • Title
  • Issue number
  • Condition
  • Purchase price
  • Purchase date
  • Whom I purchased it from (and possibly where)
  • Notes (I normally record any major things with the book here .... whether it be related to condition, author, or other features)

FWIW, I also have another "tab" in my spreadsheet for books I want and another tab in which I record any sales I make. If something sells it migrates from the "inventory" tab to the "sold" tab.

I always bring a copy of my "inventory" and "want" sheets with me to shows just in case there is crappy internet access :)

Hope that helps! 

Too complicated for me, little brother!  Easier to just go into my den, pull out the appropriate long box, and thumb through the issue numbers to see if the subject is already there.

It's also pleasantly surprising to see books while doing that, that I forgot I have...This memory thing, Oy va!

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