Why am I collecting? 1 1

[Grottu]

Growing up in the 70s I had a lot of hobbies, but only comic book collecting followed me into adulthood, and it's been just in the last five years or so that I started getting seriously into it. I'm spending more money and time on it than ever, and I genuinely enjoy collecting. But sometimes I feel like I'm lacking a strategy or objective.

I have some comics worth thousands or hundreds, but most are nowhere near that. Lately, I've been hunting for cheap copies of sought-after Silver and Bronze issues that are on the edge of VG/F, and giving them a C&P to goose up the grade by .5 or 1. It can be fun and takes the hobby beyond just acquiring stuff. However, I find myself wondering, what's my goal? I've never sold a comic book, and have no plans to right now. So why then should I care about finding under-valued items and making them worth more?

 

Probably sounds like I'm overthinking what should be just an enjoyable pastime. But I'm genuinely curious how other collectors go about it. Do you focus on completing a series? Do you buy only comics of a certain grade or higher? And are you in it as an investment, just to have fun, or both? Any words of wisdom welcome.

Edited April 2, 2021 by Grottu

[KCOComics]

I think everyone is different. 

I always leaned towards runs, but I found myself losing interest in long runs after a while and dumping bulk as my collection got too big. 

When I first started using the CGC market place, it was like an all you can eat Buffett!  There were so many books I had never seen before or never thought I could buy, and I was all over the place. Picking up every cool PCH or WWII cover. Marvel keys, Atlas, Timely. I had 0 focus.

The lack of focus didn't bother me. I loved the books I was getting. What started to bother me was, not having the available cash to jump on great opportunities. 

So I decided I was going to focus on finishing some runs I started years ago. I figured I wanted to be disciplined enough that I would have money to take advantage of opportunities.  

It's a personal choice, but I'm glad I got refocused before this recent price run up. I was able to nearly complete my early Marvel runs without selling my house. 

[Hollywood1892]

I can't speak for you....

[Grottu]

12 minutes ago, KCOComics said:

I think everyone is different. 

I always leaned towards runs, but I found myself losing interest in long runs after a while and dumping bulk as my collection got too big. 

When I first started using the CGC market place, it was like an all you can eat Buffett!  There were so many books I had never seen before or never thought I could buy, and I was all over the place. Picking up every cool PCH or WWII cover. Marvel keys, Atlas, Timely. I had 0 focus.

The lack of focus didn't bother me. I loved the books I was getting. What started to bother me was, not having the available cash to jump on great opportunities. 

So I decided I was going to focus on finishing some runs I started years ago. I figured I wanted to be disciplined enough that I would have money to take advantage of opportunities.  

It's a personal choice, but I'm glad I got refocused before this recent price run up. I was able to nearly complete my early Marvel runs without selling my house. 

"all you can buffet" is where i'm at about now...your solution makes sense

[StillOnly25Cents]

2 hours ago, Grottu said:

Growing up in the 70s I had a lot of hobbies, but only comic book collecting followed me into adulthood, and it's been just in the last five years or so that I started getting seriously into it. I'm spending more money and time on it than ever, and I genuinely enjoy collecting. But sometimes I feel like I'm lacking a strategy or objective.

I have some comics worth thousands or hundreds, but most are nowhere near that. Lately, I've been hunting for cheap copies of sought-after Silver and Bronze issues that are on the edge of VG/F, and giving them a C&P to goose up the grade by .5 or 1. It can be fun and takes the hobby beyond just acquiring stuff. However, I find myself wondering, what's my goal? I've never sold a comic book, and have no plans to right now. So why then should I care about finding under-valued items and making them worth more?

 

Probably sounds like I'm overthinking what should be just an enjoyable pastime. But I'm genuinely curious how other collectors go about it. Do you focus on completing a series? Do you buy only comics of a certain grade or higher? And are you in it as an investment, just to have fun, or both? Any words of wisdom welcome.

I think your current collecting style is just fine

[Eric Perry]

Buy what you like.

Like what you buy.

Geek responsibly.

[marvelmaniac]

I re-started collecting in 1979 to relive the enjoyment I felt as a kid in the 60's,(Why Comic books and not Baseball Cards?) then my OCD kicked in and I wanted to complete runs (to a point, I always have a cutoff point such as issue 200 for ASM and F.F.) of the Silver Age books/titles I grew up with.

Condition/Monetary value were never important to me as a collector, the thrill of the hunt and was all part of the excitement of collecting, making monthly trips to the 4-5 LCS's in my area, going to local/small shows (that were about comic books, not pop culture) and the excitement when I found something at a price I could afford or a hidden gem in a box that was not there previously, and add it to the collection was exhilarating to me, the internet ruined all of that for me.

Although I still have all of my books and never plan on selling them I have not purchased any books in over 12 years, the prices for the books I am looking for (Pre-Code JIM and ST) have skyrocketed even for "Well Loved" copies, as I have gotten older my interest of spending that much for a comic book has waned.

I am 65 and my bedroom looks like a 10 year olds with Marvel Collectibles/Action Figures/Memorabilia decorating the entire landscape, it still puts a smile on my face and I get a warm, fuzzy feeling inside every time I go in there. 

The questions you need to ask yourself  then become...

Why did you first start collecting?

What about the hobby brings you joy or puts a smile on your face?

Do you enjoy just looking at or reading the books or do you just see $$$?

There Is No Wrong Way To Collect.

[Glassman10]

you can always watch TV shows on "Hoarder's" for clues on OCD behavior..

 

Well, maybe not that.. I suspect you'll keep it up until you simply don't enjoy it anymore. Having it bring you pleasure is really the key to acquiring stuff. Sounds simple and stupid but I stopped when they weren't giving me pleasure.  What with Gwen getting killed and all. 

[xvipah]

She's back!

Just now, Glassman10 said:

you can always watch TV shows on "Hoarder's" for clues on OCD behavior..

 

Well, maybe not that.. I suspect you'll keep it up until you simply don't enjoy it anymore. Having it bring you pleasure is really the key to acquiring stuff. Sounds simple and stupid but I stopped when they weren't giving me pleasure.  What with Gwen getting killed and all. 

 

[Glassman10]

It's not enough. It could happen again!  The Horror..

[Timeless icons]

I tried putting a Deadpool (first volume) together in 9.8 years ago but then I ended up thinking...with all that $$ being spent on the run, I could buy a big key that might be far more important to me. I ended up wanting to do it all over again and I've gone back and forth several times with the idea for the exact same reason I did the first time. Recently, I've wanted to put another run of another title together but the same thought keeps preventing me from putting a run together. IMO, its fun to acquire all the books you need for a run as it gives me a goal to achieve. I'm conflicted with the fun of collecting a run vs buying a more important book to me instead constantly and as always, the bigger single key prevails. I'm starting to view it a bit differently but only recently. Since the quest for the important keys never seems to end for me ( i can't be alone on this?), I'm starting to think I'd love to see a run completed. I like posting on myslabbed because I can see all my books together, rather than cycling through them on my pc and seeing a page of all the same run kinda does it for me.  I guess my rant boils down to... as others have said... collect in a way that makes you happy. No matter your approach...some may disagree but at the end of the day, no matter what I say or what anyone else says, there's no wrong way to collect. If you wanna buy to flip, then flip! If you want to collect a run, press your books, collect keys or use your comics to pin on your wall (please don't though), collect however you like! Have fun! 

[xvipah]

I had bought and read comics for years and years. Since I was a kid up until last year. With no real rhyme or reason, just buying to have more comics, etc..  I recently, like within the last 5 months or so, changed my attitude about it. My goal now is to collect cool artwork and characters I like.

So, trying to get 2 things. All the first appearances of Spider-people (yes including AF15, that'll have to wait a while). And all the 1st appearances of the Joker people (yes, including Batman #1, another that will have to wait a while  :)). Along with that is just cool art. There's a few new artists (Crain, Momoko, Dell'Otto) I really like so I'm always on the lookout for covers they've done and just sweet GA/SA covers that stick out to me.

Along with that I'm slowly going back through all my old stuff and selling the stuff I really don't care about. I realized that collecting just for collecting's sake was useless. Haveta love it. Whatever that love means to you.

Edited April 2, 2021 by xvipah

[Grottu]

I know for me, collecting is also a little about going down memory lane. I find one of these in a bin or online, and for a moment I'm back at the corner drug store with change in my pocket looking for next month's issue. Over the past year, when everything kinda sucked, those retreats into nostalgia became a lot more tempting.

Common theme of these comments, and it's a good one, is that in the end the only measurement of a hobby that matters is whether it makes you feel good. As long as you're not selling the furniture to support it, what's the problem? 

[bc]

Just a quick note to say Welcome aboard!

Cool board name & avatar 

-bc

[Math Teacher]

On 4/1/2021 at 8:59 PM, KCOComics said:

The lack of focus didn't bother me. I loved the books I was getting. What started to bother me was, not having the available cash to jump on great opportunities. 

So I decided I was going to focus on finishing some runs I started years ago. I figured I wanted to be disciplined enough that I would have money to take advantage of opportunities.  

It's a personal choice, but I'm glad I got refocused before this recent price run up. I was able to nearly complete my early Marvel runs without selling my house. 

@KCOComics, I was just like you in 2019 - 2020. If I saw a book that had a cool cover or it was a key or minor key, I bought it if I could afford it. I did a little better last year, as I finished my X-Men #1 - #16 run and my Avengers #1 - #16 run. This year, I have my priorities listed at the top of my want list, in big bold letters. This year, I am doing much better.

Here's what I have already gotten this year: ASM #7, ASM #18, BM #47, DD #4, FF #7 - #9, FF #13, FF #50, Flash #113, Four Color #178, Showcase #35, and Showcase #36. ASM #18 was not on my original list, but it was an upgrade of my low grade copy. FF #7 - #9 were not on my original list, but I was happy with the price I paid. FF #13 was a replacement for the one I sold to help pay for my AF #15.

Here's what's left: BatB #35 - #36 in CGC 7.0 only, Showcase #6, and Showcase #23 (Raw). Those BatBs will take me a long time to find; I will just have to be diligent. And I am thinking about adding ST #89, ST #101, Batman #171, and Batman #189. I have a slew of books that need to be graded, and I am going to have to watch my spending.

Edited April 3, 2021 by Math Teacher

[Silver_Couch_Surfer]

Once I found my niche, WWII covers to be exact. I sold everything that wasn't golden age. Previously, I was buying random moderns in trying to achieve a couple bucks flipping. Collecting anything silver or bronze. I soon realized for me, it's quality over quantity. I collect only WWII covers and I'm happy. No regrets. Well maybe one, sold my GSX1 9.6 white pager too early (Jan 20') 

Edited April 2, 2021 by Silver_Couch_Surfer

[KCOComics]

32 minutes ago, Math Teacher said:

@KCOComics, I was just like you in 2019 - 2020. If I saw a book that had a cool cover or it was a key or minor key, I bought it if I could afford it. I did a little better last year, as I finished my X-Men #1 - #16 run and my Avengers #1 - #16 run. This year, I have my priorities listed at the top of my want list, in big bold letters. This year, I am doing much better.

Here's what I have already gotten this year: ASM #7, ASM #18, BM #47, DD #4, FF #7 - #9, FF #13, FF #50, Flash #113, Four Color #178, Showcase #35, and Showcase #36. ASM #18 was an upgrade of my low grade copy. FF #7 - #9 were not on my original list, but I was happy with the price I paid. FF #13 was a replacement for the one I sold to help pay for my AF #15.

Here's what's left: BatB #35 - #36 in CGC 7.0 only, Showcase #6, and Showcase #23 (Raw). Those BatBs will take me a long time to find; I will just have to be diligent. And I am thinking about adding ST #89, ST #101, Batman #171, and Batman #189. I have a slew of books that need to be graded, and I am going to have to watch my spending.

You really have a tremendous collection. I love the 7.0 Bats. 

I finished my early Hulk and FF runs this year. I didn't get a FF5, but I feel like that ship sailed for me. 

Anyway, I may be more of a free agent this year than I have been over the last few. I've got my eyes set on some BA horror books, but otherwise I'm going to try to steer clear of big $$ books and just look for things I'm interested in... We'll see how well that works

 

[Glassman10]

When I sold my collection to Bob about four years back now, I was OK and kept my JIM and Thor up to 200. It never caught on but I liked it a lot and do still. I'll either give it to the boy, or I'll keep marveling at what a dumb story line it usually offered up.. I'm here to admit it. It was terrible.   Worst thing since since the wardrobe change in Dr Strange,.

More horror as if we hadn't endured enough.  

[William-James88]

On 4/1/2021 at 9:14 PM, Grottu said:

Growing up in the 70s I had a lot of hobbies, but only comic book collecting followed me into adulthood, and it's been just in the last five years or so that I started getting seriously into it. I'm spending more money and time on it than ever, and I genuinely enjoy collecting. But sometimes I feel like I'm lacking a strategy or objective.

I have some comics worth thousands or hundreds, but most are nowhere near that. Lately, I've been hunting for cheap copies of sought-after Silver and Bronze issues that are on the edge of VG/F, and giving them a C&P to goose up the grade by .5 or 1. It can be fun and takes the hobby beyond just acquiring stuff. However, I find myself wondering, what's my goal? I've never sold a comic book, and have no plans to right now. So why then should I care about finding under-valued items and making them worth more?

 

Probably sounds like I'm overthinking what should be just an enjoyable pastime. But I'm genuinely curious how other collectors go about it. Do you focus on completing a series? Do you buy only comics of a certain grade or higher? And are you in it as an investment, just to have fun, or both? Any words of wisdom welcome.

While we grew up in different eras, I would say our approach is similar. I too have no intention on selling but I do want to get the best sense of the value my collection offers at the same time. So I totally get the idea of wanting to get a higher grade. I have fun with this but I also see it as a hobby where I retain all my money. Kind of like someone who collects literal gold and silver, instead in my case it's golden age and silver age comics  They are, to me, far more fun to collect than precious metals.

[mlovest]

On 4/2/2021 at 7:10 AM, Glassman10 said:

you can always watch TV shows on "Hoarder's" for clues on OCD behavior..

 

Well, maybe not that.. I suspect you'll keep it up until you simply don't enjoy it anymore. Having it bring you pleasure is really the key to acquiring stuff. Sounds simple and stupid but I stopped when they weren't giving me pleasure.  What with Gwen getting killed and all. 

I wonder if there has ever been a hoarding episode with a home filled with comics!  I've seen collectibles, but never comics.  My wife only allows my stuff to spill out a little bit, so my comic closet is the only unruly area of my collection.