Buyers: What is your plan for the current insanity? 3 3

[B2D327]

6 hours ago, vheflin said:

you forgot night nurse #1

Luckily, I didn’t 

[Domo Arigato]

2 minutes ago, Adam Lui said:

They're not really over... before the PS1 was SNES vs. Genesis. Before that was NES. Before that was Atari so it didn't really matter when you decided to invest in that Tomb Raider, it wasn't the "beginning" just like doing it today with a more current gen console isn't either. Your profit came 30 years later, when current gens will be viewed like the PS1

I meant that the games in the grades that I would be interested in collecting.....from the era and system that is most nostalgic for me......are no longer at a price that I would be willing to pay for them.

 

[KCOComics]

 

I'm not going to chase any big keys for a bit, unless I find an amazing deal. 

This hobby does have allot to offer and while prices seem to be going up everywhere, there are still affordable options. I'm focusing on high grade BA DC Horror. 

Great art and I really enjoy it.

I'll still probably look for chances to upgrade my existing keys. 

It gets upsetting to see books that have been on my want list for awhile sail out of reach. 

[WolverineX]

5 hours ago, Domo Arigato said:

That's the dilemma.  I got the game and had it graded because I wanted a nice sealed copy and still do.  If I sell it now, I'll probably never be able to get a nice copy again.

Also, in the video game market.....just like in comics......prices are increasing on some stuff rapidly and exponentially.  

Prior to a couple of days ago, the record paid for any video game (raw or graded).....at least publicly.....was $156,000 (Super Mario Bros. 3 in Wata 9.2 grade).

After the recent Heritage auction, the new record is now $660,000 for an early copy of Super Mario Brothers in Wata 9.6 grade.....a 9.4 copy of this game sold last July for "only" $114,000.

Other notable sales in the recent April auction:

Mega Man for the NES in Wata 9.4 grade:  $144,000

Mike Tysons Punch-out for the NES in Wata 9.6 grade:  $102,000

Pokemon Crystal Version for the Nintendo GBC in Wata 9.8 grade:  $90,000

Pokemon Red Version for the Nintendo GB in Wata 9.4 grade:  $72,000

Pokemon Emerald Version for the Nintendo GBA in Wata 9.8 grade:  $55,200

Super Mario Brothers 3 for the NES in Wata 9.8 grade:  $52,800

Pokemon Sapphire Version for the Nintendo GBA in Wata 9.8 grade:  $50,400

Final Fantasy III for the SNES in Wata 9.6 grade:  $50,400

John Madden Football Championship Edition for the Genesis in Wata 9.2 grade:  $50,400

And the list keeps going.  Nintendo games are hot right now.  Many Atari 2600 games are bringing decent (not crazy) money....even though a lot of them are plentiful.  Although....I did notice that a Mario Bros for the Atari 2600 in Wata 9.2 grade did just sell for $19,800 on Heritage....probably because of the Nintendo/Mario link to it.  And Sony PS1 games are starting to heat up......so who knows where that will go. 

 

Do they grade unsealed nes games?  I have a few in great condition

[Domo Arigato]

8 minutes ago, Wolverinex said:

Do they grade unsealed nes games?  I have a few in great condition

I know that Wata does.  They just won't have a seal rating on them and will be labeled as CIB (Complete In Box).

For instance.....a sealed game might be given a grade of 9.0 A+

That means that the games box is graded at 9.0......and the plastic wrapping seal on it is graded at A+.

On a game that is not sealed......on the back of their label, Wata will give a separate grade for the box, a grade for the cartridge/disk, and a grade for the manual.......then they will give an overall grade for everything combined......which is the grade that will go on the front of the label.

Edit: And as Adam Lui mentioned below....they will also grade loose cartridges.

 

Edited April 5, 2021 by Domo Arigato

[Domo Arigato]

3 minutes ago, Adam Lui said:

OK that makes sense, I thought you collected for investment more given the comics you were listing in your posts weren't from 90s era like PS1

What comics listed in my posts?

 

[kav]

My plan:  

[shadroch]

2 minutes ago, kav said:

My plan:  

Everyone has a plan. Then they get hit with a dose of reality.

[kav]

1 minute ago, shadroch said:

Everyone has a plan. Then they get hit with a dose of reality.

Not if you're 

[Domo Arigato]

Just now, Adam Lui said:

Hm I guess it wasn't you. I confused you for all the other whales discussing keys from GA/SA so confused you for an older/wealthier gentleman than a 90s kid like me, my apologies

I'm not a 90's kid either........just a long time gamer that likes a few certain games from a specific era/system.

Shall we pretend this conversation never happened? 

 

[nines]

Buy new stuff at cover/retail price

Edited April 5, 2021 by nines

[Domo Arigato]

Just now, Adam Lui said:

OK deal

And no worries......it's easy to get confused.....especially in a rapidly growing thread like this one. 

My first system was the Atari 2600......then ColecoVision.......Commodore 64........Playstation 1.......and PlayStation 3. 

I don't get every system.....and will skip generations.....but I grew up with video games and always enjoyed them.  I would have no issues spending $200 to $500 on the few games I would like to collect.  When they start climbing above that and into the thousands......I'm out.

 

[Larryw7]

5 hours ago, vheflin said:

The madness continues, no records tonight

Heritage down for 2+ hours

Comic Connect must have hacked them.

[speedcake]

I've never been a whale and likely never will. I did smell something in the air late last year and got serious about acquiring a copy of X-Men #1 for my run, and I'm really glad I did. I picked up a few of the other bigger silver age keys I needed for the run, but prices have finally gotten to where I had to stop. I'll keep working on the filler issues, no one is buying those.

And I'll keep working on all the other runs I chip away at: Tales to Astonish, Amazing Adventures, Incredible Hulk, Tomb of Dracula, Marvel and D.C. horror, etc. etc.  Plenty of stuff out there that's super affordable, and probably will always be. 

If the market does bust, or if there is a serious correction, maybe I'd be back in to track down one or two more of the bigger books I'd like to have like Hulk #1 and ASM #1, but for now and the foreseeable future no way, Jose. It's high grade copies of Marvel Premiere, Creatures on the Loose, House of Mystery, and Uncanny Tales from the Grave for me.

[Off Panel]

45 minutes ago, Adam Lui said:

Who are crypto buyers? Suddenly flush with wealth crypto holders who liquidated a portion to buy comics when they had no interest previously? If so, do you guys have a source for this phenomenon actually occurring, or is it just rumor?

In my case, I'm just irresponsibly passing on a rumor that I have no way to substantiate. 

I don't know what is actually happening here, but it *feels* like outside groups are coming in with only a rudimentary grasp of our hobby, buying (and in some cases manufacturing) "keys" at crazy prices with the intent to somehow flip them for even crazier prices. My concern, perhaps founded and perhaps not, is that they will try to wring as much profit out of comics as they possibly can and would be absolutely fine with leaving behind a smoking crater once there is no more "easy" money to be had.

I don't know if these people are "crypto dudes," hedge fund managers, Appalachian lottery winners, Q-Anon adherents, NXIVM cultists, or all of the above, but it definitely feels like current catalysts are occurring outside the hobby. 

As for my proof, I haven't got a shred. I'm all crazy hypotheses and tin foil hats at this point.

[Pat Thomas]

Since the middle of 2019, I've been slowly selling the stock I bought from my former lcs when they shut down to mycomicshop.com . I've been sending 1-2 longboxes per order to them for the duration, and usually at least 2 orders per month. I started off with a little over 15,000 comics and I've got around 5,000 left. I take trade credit instead of cash, and that's how I've been primarily financing my big buys for the last 1 1/2 years. It's slowed down a little, but I still average about $300 per order I send to them.

[MetalPSI]

I have 4 compete ps2 and 3 ps3 systems in my closet, along with my ps1 and Sega genesis.

I never thought they were worth more than a few bucks 

[Sweet Lou 14]

6 hours ago, Pat Thomas said:

Since the middle of 2019, I've been slowly selling the stock I bought from my former lcs when they shut down to mycomicshop.com . I've been sending 1-2 longboxes per order to them for the duration, and usually at least 2 orders per month. I started off with a little over 15,000 comics and I've got around 5,000 left. I take trade credit instead of cash, and that's how I've been primarily financing my big buys for the last 1 1/2 years. It's slowed down a little, but I still average about $300 per order I send to them.

Because MyComicShop won't accept store credit on consigned books, it took me four months to find a book on which I could spend the $400 credit I'd earned from selling books to them.  I don't know how long it would take to use up the credit on 10,000 books.

Edited April 5, 2021 by Sweet Lou 14

[bluehorseshoe]

9 hours ago, wombat said:

I will say one thing that will be very depressing. I went to a smaller local show a few weeks ago. Sticking with the theme of this thread I only bought a few things because the prices are just getting out of reach. I always look forward to Baltimore Comicon every year, but do I really want to spend a day looking at stuff I can't afford?

It’s interesting you being up that con. The best part about that con was the buying opportunities, but it is also (for the better) at the end of the con season, which I think is why you could get breaks on books left and right: it’s either sell it at price X, or hold onto it for the winter. My plan is just to review the booth list before I go. Sure, the same core of dealers will be there, but they are always overpriced. If the “guys between the lines” that I buy from by the short box aren’t there, then it’s more than likely what you are fearing it will be, just a bunch of guys standing in front of their overpriced plastic.

[theCapraAegagrus]

I collect almost exclusively reprints, so I plan on continuing to do that.