Would'a, Could'a, Shoud'a, and the one(s) that got away-@$!&@$@ 0

[TheBigJ]

Greetings to all,

We've all seen the post of great buys, garage sale finds, etc. But let's here about some of those books you passed on, or had a one time and somehow/someway are no longer to be found, I've got 2 really good one's, I'm sorry to say. Both are from the 70's (because I'm old!)

My great-great aunt, would take me to a shop in the south suburbs of Chicago. Basically an old warehouse with dingy lighting. I can still remember the smell of the old books upon entry:) Awesome. The dealer was mostly and old pulp/paperback guy, but he had a bunch of comics. Some keys he'd have on a rack in by his work bench. I'd take my $5-$10 bucks and looks through his boxes of comics picking out those for I'd say went for between $.25-$.75 cents. That's what I focused on anyway/ Ken, the dealer offered the to sell me a book for the low, low price of $200. I think he was sweet on my aunt. I'd roll my eyes and respectfully pass. Why would I want and crappy old comic and why would I spend $200 on it. If I had $200, I could buy a boatload of more recent and in my young mind, way cooler comics. That and the fact my would STILL be sore for the whooping I got for spending $200 on a silly comic book. The book, AF15! Didn't pay attention to the grade because I didn't even go to look at book, but it doesn't  matter now.

On the way to a family reunion, we stopped at a Stuckey's for some food. Upon exiting I noticed a Comic Book vending machine, only one I ever saw. I asked my dad for a quarter and vended one out, I just fell to the bottom(Like chips or candy do now) I retrieved it and we headed back on the road. We arrived at the reunion and the comic became a afterthought as I had some playing to do! As I aged few years, I often wondered what had happened to the book. Did the old man find it in his car and throw it out? Did i share with a cousin(s) who I'm sure had some comics themselves we all read?  Didn't really collect comics, but would read and keep, share, trade those I had, however in the early years, possession and care of comics was quite frankly negligent. Book IH181

I'm sure there are many other books I missed out on but none I recall like these 2.

Regards

 

[Hairless Wookiee]

About two years ago or so I just got back into collecting. I found a long box of random comics in my garage that I hadn't looked at in forever. It seemed like a bunch of garbage so I took most of it to a local LCS just to get some store credit and clear some room in the box. I remember one of the comics was Star Wars: Heir to the Empire #1 and I also got rid of Batman: Harley Quinn #1. I've been kicking myself ever since.

[WolverineX]

1 hour ago, TheBigJ said:

Greetings to all,

We've all seen the post of great buys, garage sale finds, etc. But let's here about some of those books you passed on, or had a one time and somehow/someway are no longer to be found, I've got 2 really good one's, I'm sorry to say. Both are from the 70's (because I'm old!)

My great-great aunt, would take me to a shop in the south suburbs of Chicago. Basically an old warehouse with dingy lighting. I can still remember the smell of the old books upon entry:) Awesome. The dealer was mostly and old pulp/paperback guy, but he had a bunch of comics. Some keys he'd have on a rack in by his work bench. I'd take my $5-$10 bucks and looks through his boxes of comics picking out those for I'd say went for between $.25-$.75 cents. That's what I focused on anyway/ Ken, the dealer offered the to sell me a book for the low, low price of $200. I think he was sweet on my aunt. I'd roll my eyes and respectfully pass. Why would I want and crappy old comic and why would I spend $200 on it. If I had $200, I could buy a boatload of more recent and in my young mind, way cooler comics. That and the fact my would STILL be sore for the whooping I got for spending $200 on a silly comic book. The book, AF15! Didn't pay attention to the grade because I didn't even go to look at book, but it doesn't  matter now.

On the way to a family reunion, we stopped at a Stuckey's for some food. Upon exiting I noticed a Comic Book vending machine, only one I ever saw. I asked my dad for a quarter and vended one out, I just fell to the bottom(Like chips or candy do now) I retrieved it and we headed back on the road. We arrived at the reunion and the comic became a afterthought as I had some playing to do! As I aged few years, I often wondered what had happened to the book. Did the old man find it in his car and throw it out? Did i share with a cousin(s) who I'm sure had some comics themselves we all read?  Didn't really collect comics, but would read and keep, share, trade those I had, however in the early years, possession and care of comics was quite frankly negligent. Book IH181

I'm sure there are many other books I missed out on but none I recall like these 2.

Regards

 

Your Great great aunt must be a looker ...any photos?

[Rip]

This one really disappointed me.

Spent $3800 for a nice midgrade slabbed JIM 85 last month. Clearly a great deal bought from a store website.

Store owner said comic would be sent out in a day or two.

Day or two passed, store owner said I think it's in storage. should be out shortly.

Week one passed by. Store owner said he couldn't find it but says he knows he has it.

Week two passes by. During Easter says he will have time to find book and send it out.

Week three. Dealer says he can get another mid grade copy. 

Finally after numerous broken promises and 7+ phone calls and e-mails, I'm supposed to be getting a refund shortly.

As a Mea Culpa store owner gave me a free mid grade slab worth around $75.

Waiting on refund during week 4.

In the meantime missed out on numerous other good deals while money has been tied up.

Will likely never trust and buy from disorganized (or likely dishonest) seller again. Lost quite a bit of deals waiting for nothing.
If don't get the refund soon, I'll likely mention the store owners name/business and take further actions. 

(In the future, if you are going to back out on a sale because of lost $$$, tell the buyer ASAP. It only makes it worse the longer you string him along and continually lie to him.)

Edited April 21, 2021 by Rip

[theCapraAegagrus]

Had an opportunity to get a nice Eerie (1947) copy last year, but passed. As with most comics recently, it's now out of my price range.

[HouseofComics.Com]

I remember getting a catalog my first year at college that had a Batman #1 offered, in GD condition. The seller dutifully listed it for the guide price of $1,000. I had the money, easily. A year earlier, I might've gone for it. Who knows if he still had it by the time the catalog arrived.

[KirbyJack]

Too many to list. 
For the most part, all those memories do is make me better appreciate the ones I did buy.
For those of you who are haunted by this sort of thing, try thinking of it this way: You passed on the book, so it was not then incredibly meaningful to you. The chances are therefore pretty good that, sometime between then and now, you’d have sold it off. I know I would have. 

[spracknetch23]

I was offered a Gobbledygook #1 for like $50 at a 1989 Holiday Inn show. I passed on it to buy a TMNT #3, 1st printing for the same price. Never saw one in person again. As a ten-year old, of course I went for the Turtles book over some weird robot on the cover of a book I never heard of. 

[Rip]

It's been 7 days now since the store stated they would be giving me a refund and still I have nothing. I'm getting a bit worried. I'm thinking Monday I'll reach out to my bank next.. From what I remember refunds do not take this long. But it might take longer because of the larger amount.