A modest proposal for a pressed book experiment.

[shadroch]

As many of us have sent several books to Mr Nelson so we can see for ourselves the effects of pressing,I now propose we take the experiment one step further.

I propose that we unify the books,send them to a well known ebay seller and offer them up on ebay,fully disclosing that they are newly pressed.Then we can compare the prices realized to other closed ebay auctions over the last 90 days or so.While the number of books involved might be too small for any sort of definitive equation,it will be the largest experiment that I'm aware of.

My three books are in the ring,if anyone wants to join them.

[tth2]

My three books are in the ring,if anyone wants to join them.

Which books did you submit again?

 

It's not a bad idea, but I wish you'd suggested this before people submitted to Matt so that people could have submitted a few books that are easy to benchmark against (i.e., books for which there is a sizeable sales population in GPA to measure against). If I recall, many of the books submitted to Matt were fairly esoteric, so it might be hard to establish if there is any variation in the pressed books' prices.

[shadroch]

Didn't think of it until now.

Mine will be fairly common books,Spidey 100,Flash 177,Avengers 116(part of the Avengers-Defenders war) Doesn't seem like a lot ofinterest in it anyway.

[maxstuf]

Shad I can't, As part of my stipulation to Matt, I pledged not tho sell these 3 books for any reason. I did not commit to this for any other reason than to improve these 3 books, get them slabbed and store them away, one will be hung on my office wall. I am interested in the long term effects on these three books. If in 30 + years or so this debate is still ongoing , then I might have something more to add than what I have thus far.

[Comicdey]

Good idea, but I don't want to sell the books that are being worked on. Planet 21, and two Captain Marvel Titles. Had you mentioned this before, I may have sent different books.

 

Good Luck

[Aman619]

right. the whole Matt experiment was pretty much agreed to be based on no selling... just research.

[topofthetotem]

Ask Matt to do it again, but for books we will sell with full disclosure.

1) 1 book each, maybe 2

2) A heavly traded book so you get good GPA data.

3) We might get a nice assorment of GA/SA/BA books and some interesting info.

[nik]

A good experiment would be to send in a slabbed 8.5/9.0 with good overall eye appeal, which has slight imperfections, like bends, non-color breaking creases and see what the result will be.

[shadroch]

right. the whole Matt experiment was pretty much agreed to be based on no selling... just research. [/quote

 

Where was that stated? I know a few individuals said they wouldn't sell,but I never agreed to that

[topofthetotem]

A good experiment would be to send in a slabbed 8.5/9.0 with good overall eye appeal, which has slight imperfections, like bends, non-color breaking creases and see what the result will be.

I got a few that fit the bill!

I bought alot of $20 slabs so I would not lose anything if they sold for a couple bucks in NR auctions.

[Comicdey]

right. the whole Matt experiment was pretty much agreed to be based on no selling... just research. [/quote

 

Where was that stated? I know a few individuals said they wouldn't sell,but I never agreed to that

 

Sell if you want....I don't think anyone specifically agreed to anything except to get their books pressed and then to post the books on the boards with before and after.

 

[mica]

Shad many of the participants were interested in it for research purposes only.

That wasn't a stipulation (and I'm sure it's hoped by resto that these books eventually end up for sale) but I gathered from reading the numerous posts that a lot of guys were wanting to see the results in person, and then observe the books for years to come to see if those results remain intact.

 

Again, you won't find any particular post that states a clause for selling, but I'd say a slight majority didn't intend to let the books leave their side.

Don't know why you didn't get the same impression, although you don't like long threads and will start 2 or 3 smaller ones.

 

Your best bet is to conduct a side experiment with resto for the purposes of selling.

I recommend something that sells often to get a good feel for the value.

Not sure what data you would have gotten from your original proposal here.

Books like Divad's Dell comics were not exactly going to sell like hotcakes.

And you may be waiting a while to see similar type books sell for comparison.

[Aman619]

right. the whole Matt experiment was pretty much agreed to be based on no selling... just research. [/quote

 

Where was that stated? I know a few individuals said they wouldn't sell,but I never agreed to that

 

'pretty much agreed. I guess there had to be a few freebie hunting profiteers in the mix!! : )

[divad]

Books like Divad's Dell comics were not exactly going to sell like hotcakes.

 

Actually the Dell's were withdrawn from my submission . . . And as always with me - every book is for sale.

 

[esquirecomics]

As many of us have sent several books to Mr Nelson so we can see for ourselves the effects of pressing,I now propose we take the experiment one step further.

I propose that we unify the books,send them to a well known ebay seller and offer them up on ebay,fully disclosing that they are newly pressed.Then we can compare the prices realized to other closed ebay auctions over the last 90 days or so.While the number of books involved might be too small for any sort of definitive equation,it will be the largest experiment that I'm aware of.

My three books are in the ring,if anyone wants to join them.

 

At least that would be an experiment, unlike that which Matt is performing which is nothing more than a "demonstration".

 

It is a great idea, EXCEPT, I think the real controversy surrounding pressing and the extent to which it impacts price is with respect to the high-priced type of books I deal with. I've said this before, and I think my view would be generally reflective of like minded individuals, to the extent a person cares about pressing, that care increases with the cost. I really could care less about spending $50 on a book that was pressed. It would matter little to nothing.

 

Can't say the same about a $5,000 or $50,000 book though. I would not likely buy a pressed book in this range.

[Comicdey]

As many of us have sent several books to Mr Nelson so we can see for ourselves the effects of pressing,I now propose we take the experiment one step further.

I propose that we unify the books,send them to a well known ebay seller and offer them up on ebay,fully disclosing that they are newly pressed.Then we can compare the prices realized to other closed ebay auctions over the last 90 days or so.While the number of books involved might be too small for any sort of definitive equation,it will be the largest experiment that I'm aware of.

My three books are in the ring,if anyone wants to join them.

 

At least that would be an experiment, unlike that which Matt is performing which is nothing more than a "demonstration".

 

It is a great idea, EXCEPT, I think the real controversy surrounding pressing and the extent to which it impacts price is with respect to the high-priced type of books I deal with. I've said this before, and I think my view would be generally reflective of like minded individuals, to the extent a person cares about pressing, that care increases with the cost. I really could care less about spending $50 on a book that was pressed. It would matter little to nothing.

 

Can't say the same about a $5,000 or $50,000 book though. I would not likely buy a pressed book in this range.

 

I agree that people are more accepting of small forms of restoration and pressing of lower dollar books. Anything $250 or less in my book, but everyone has their limits. I have no problem with having a nice Fine All Top 16 with minor restoration in my collection or other types of books. I have a few books that I've purchased on Ebay that I think were cleaned and pressed, but have no proof. It annoys me that I don't know. If I were to buy a book in the multiple thousands, then I'd at least want to know everthing that has been done to it (where feasible to discern).

[Darthdiesel]

It is a great idea, EXCEPT, I think the real controversy surrounding pressing and the extent to which it impacts price is with respect to the high-priced type of books I deal with. I've said this before, and I think my view would be generally reflective of like minded individuals, to the extent a person cares about pressing, that care increases with the cost. I really could care less about spending $50 on a book that was pressed. It would matter little to nothing.

 

 

I think this is the crux of why you and I disagree so much. I can't fathom ever spending $10K-$100K on a comic book, when I have other priorities to apply that kind of cash to. On silver and bronze back issues, I'm spending $50 mostly - $500 rarely; $1K tops, if ever; as shallow as it seems, maybe I'm comfortable spending that kind of cash because to me it is an amount that takes nothing away from my responsibilities and if I chalk those comic purchases up as total losses, at worst, then the potential of buying a pressed book doesn't make me feel like I've been duped. Oddly enough, your statement has us seeing the same way on pressing on low dollar value books.

[esquirecomics]

It is a great idea, EXCEPT, I think the real controversy surrounding pressing and the extent to which it impacts price is with respect to the high-priced type of books I deal with. I've said this before, and I think my view would be generally reflective of like minded individuals, to the extent a person cares about pressing, that care increases with the cost. I really could care less about spending $50 on a book that was pressed. It would matter little to nothing.

 

 

I think this is the crux of why you and I disagree so much. I can't fathom ever spending $10K-$100K on a comic book, when I have other priorities to apply that kind of cash to. On silver and bronze back issues, I'm spending $50 mostly - $500 rarely; $1K tops, if ever; as shallow as it seems, maybe I'm comfortable spending that kind of cash because to me it is an amount that takes nothing away from my responsibilities and if I chalk those comic purchases up as total losses, at worst, then the potential of buying a pressed book doesn't make me feel like I've been duped. Oddly enough, your statement has us seeing the same way on pressing on low dollar value books.

 

I've been telling you this for months!

[shadroch]

Well,Mark,if you would volunteer a few expensive books,we can run the experiment.

Right now,all we really have is conjecture that people would pay less for a pressed book.While I don't disagree with that sentiment,there is no research,that I'm aware of to support it.

I got the notes from Mr Nelson yesterday,and am happy to say that pressing did not make a drastic improvment on any of my books.I choose candidates according to what he told me to look for,and the grades all were bumped slightly.I can live with the current status quo if these examples are typical of the market on a whole.But I doubt I'll ever drop five figures on a book again,unless its to do an instant flip,so perhaps those collectors can't.

[Scheradon]

It is a great idea, EXCEPT, I think the real controversy surrounding pressing and the extent to which it impacts price is with respect to the high-priced type of books I deal with. I've said this before, and I think my view would be generally reflective of like minded individuals, to the extent a person cares about pressing, that care increases with the cost. I really could care less about spending $50 on a book that was pressed. It would matter little to nothing.

 

 

I think this is the crux of why you and I disagree so much. I can't fathom ever spending $10K-$100K on a comic book, when I have other priorities to apply that kind of cash to. On silver and bronze back issues, I'm spending $50 mostly - $500 rarely; $1K tops, if ever; as shallow as it seems, maybe I'm comfortable spending that kind of cash because to me it is an amount that takes nothing away from my responsibilities and if I chalk those comic purchases up as total losses, at worst, then the potential of buying a pressed book doesn't make me feel like I've been duped. Oddly enough, your statement has us seeing the same way on pressing on low dollar value books.

 

Here's my problem...You just described my basic spending pattern on books Darth and I'm no more happier buying a low dollar pressed book as Mark is buying a higher dollar pressed book. Of course $50 means more to me than to Mark for the simple reason of salary differences. What's the saying..."One man's trash is another man's treasure".

 

Because we all live at different financial levels, I'd like to think this debate can be made without adding the monetary value of each book, and more on the principal of non-disclosure being unethical so that all collectors can feel included.