Fantastic Four Collecting Thread! 32 32

[KCOComics]

6 minutes ago, Pantodude said:

If you are asking about scarcity among SA books enough to make someone feel all warm and fuzzy inside about owning something that only X others do, is X really as low as 10?   And should that be limited to 9.8s and 9.6s?   Take The Spectre #1 (DC, 1967).  That issue has no 9.8s and only one 9.6 on the census, but fourteen 9.4s.   With only one 9.6, realistically one can only pursue one of the fourteen 9.4s.  X = 14 as "scarce" for that SA book, even though it's in the 9.4 grade.  I expect other examples.      

And if you have the lone 9.6, it's only a matter of time before one of the 9.4 gets cracked and CPRed six ways from Sunday, to temporarily become the lone 9.8. 

That's why I don't put a ton of stock in having the single highest graded SA comic.  There are enough out there, that there's a good chance you'll be sharing the title soon. 

 

[Microchip]

18 minutes ago, KCOComics said:

And if you have the lone 9.6, it's only a matter of time before one of the 9.4 gets cracked and CPRed six ways from Sunday, to temporarily become the lone 9.8. 

That's why I don't put a ton of stock in having the single highest graded SA comic.  There are enough out there, that there's a good chance you'll be sharing the title soon. 

 

I had that lesson in spades.  I bought the original Boston Silver Surfer #1 9.8 from a dealer, based on the census numbers at the time (single highest grade), and he was concurrently getting the other Boston copy resubbed...and it jumped from a 9.6 to a 9.8. 

Now jump forward 13 years, and there's 9 9.8's on the census.   The single number one spot doesn't last forever, that's a slab collectors maxim for sure!

 

[KCOComics]

4 minutes ago, Microchip said:

I had that lesson in spades.  I bought the original Boston Silver Surfer #1 9.8 from a dealer, based on the census numbers at the time (single highest grade), and he was concurrently getting the other Boston copy resubbed...and it jumped from a 9.6 to a 9.8. 

Now jump forward 13 years, and there's 9 9.8's on the census.   The single number one spot doesn't last forever, that's a slab collectors maxim for sure!

 

At least with a 9.8 you'll share the spot (unless a 9.9 or 10 of a 1968 book gets found in an attic).  

Besides, the Boston pedigree of SS1 is a really cool book to own in it's own right.  

 

[Microchip]

1 minute ago, KCOComics said:

At least with a 9.8 you'll share the spot (unless a 9.9 or 10 of a 1968 book gets found in an attic).  

Besides, the Boston pedigree of SS1 is a really cool book to own in it's own right.  

 

Looking at the Group Collection thread, you get to see the books in the "never to buy" category.   As for attic finds these days, they have to be far and few between now.

Yup, it's up there with my biggest regrets, selling it.   Though looking back, in fairness, I bought big, and sold big, so I can't complain.

I was looking at Slobodian copies the other day, and found this old priceless.  Good books were never cheap! 

   

On 5/3/2004 at 2:32 AM, namisgr said:

Below is a listing from Marnin Rosenberg of Slobodian Marvels, less the Daredevils that were sold directly as a set by the Slobodians. Of special note are the earliest FFs in ultra high grade, which were described already as being spectacular by the good Captain in the "would Captain Tripps" thread. Given the remarkable quality of many of the earliest and hardest-to-find Marvels, this collection would seem to be on par with many of the recognized pedigrees.

 

http://boards.collectors-society.com/attachments//469299-Slobodian.jpg

[Jasonmorris1000000]

[JohnH19]

Here are my Galactus Trilogy issues plus the only double cover in my collection.

Full disclosure; my 48 is a deslabbed purple label 5.0.

[Tghutcn]

18 minutes ago, JohnH19 said:

Here are my Galactus Trilogy issues plus the only double cover in my collection.

Full disclosure; my 48 is a deslabbed purple label 5.0.

Nice set of the galactus trilogy and definitely a cool double cover always think it’s cool to have double covers definitely one’s from the silver age.

[JohnH19]

16 minutes ago, Tghutcn said:

Nice set of the galactus trilogy and definitely a cool double cover always think it’s cool to have double covers definitely one’s from the silver age.

I was very lucky to get the trilogy issues just before the price explosion. I paid 150 each for them, all in the past few years. I also paid 150 for the double cover which may have been a bit of an overpayment.

[Tghutcn]

10 minutes ago, JohnH19 said:

I was very lucky to get the trilogy issues just before the price explosion. I paid 150 each for them, all in the past few years. I also paid 150 for the double cover which may have been a bit of an overpayment.

That was a steal on them all I was lucky enough to get my 49 for 50 and150 isn’t that bad on what I deem as a key with a double cover 

[Straw-Man]

rare misstep for jack to sully that great college-life cover with that shiny guy.  

[JohnH19]

4 hours ago, Straw-Man said:

rare misstep for jack to sully that great college-life cover with that shiny guy.  

Agreed. A life changing moment like that deserves top billing! That surfing dude should have been relegated to the little box.

[B2D327]

On 2/27/2021 at 11:31 PM, Math Teacher said:

Why pay an extra $1,000 if you can't tell the difference?

Some people got it like that

[Sweet Lou 14]

On 2/27/2021 at 11:31 PM, Math Teacher said:

9.6 all day long. My tired old eyes can rarely discriminate the difference between a 9.8 and a 9.6. Why pay an extra $1,000 if you can't tell the difference?

Strange question.  Why buy a house in a neighborhood with better schools if you don't have school-age kids?  Obviously, because the market will value that house higher regardless of whether you personally benefit from this particular reason for its increased value.

[Pantodude]

On 2/27/2021 at 11:31 PM, Math Teacher said:

9.6 all day long. My tired old eyes can rarely discriminate the difference between a 9.8 and a 9.6. Why pay an extra $1,000 if you can't tell the difference?

Fair question, if by "you" you mean a professional grader on the level of CGC who also had the opportunity to compare both books intimately, in hand.  But that is not the "you" in your question, right?  And you are evaluating graded books based only on scans, with tired eyes no less!      Even if CGC is not perfect, we trust CGC in general as a third-party grader to tell the difference between a 9.8 and 9.6.   That's why we're all here, and why beaucoup bucks are thrown at 9.8s for investment by well-heeled folks.     

Those who only care about the cover often rely on scans, forgetting that CGC also evaluated the rest of the book, too (that mysterious stuff between the covers).  There might have been a small tear or stray mark on an intereior page, etc.  Too often, the "buy the book not the grade" mantra translates into "buy the cover, not the book"!   

So, all things appearing equal from scans alone, even through well-rested eyes, there is good reason to pay extra for 9.8s.  CGC had more intimate knowledge of both books while grading them, and presumably much more experience differentiating between a 9.8 and 9.6.    

Edited March 3, 2021 by Pantodude

[Math Teacher]

59 minutes ago, Sweet Lou 14 said:

Strange question.  Why buy a house in a neighborhood with better schools if you don't have school-age kids?  Obviously, because the market will value that house higher regardless of whether you personally benefit from this particular reason for its increased value.

This all depends on when you expect to sell. If this is going into your personal collection, and most likely remain there until you pass on, then the grade is not quite as important. The same thing can be said about houses. If you build your "forever" house in a location that doesn't have good schools, it really won't make any difference until your heirs have to sell it. Also, with open enrollment, you can live in a bedroom community and have your children attend the school of your choice. Omaha will even provide bus transportation if a student wants to attend a magnet school.

[Sweet Lou 14]

8 minutes ago, Math Teacher said:

This all depends on when you expect to sell. If this is going into your personal collection, and most likely remain there until you pass on, then the grade is not quite as important. The same thing can be said about houses. If you build your "forever" house in a location that doesn't have good schools, it really won't make any difference until your heirs have to sell it. Also, with open enrollment, you can live in a bedroom community and have your children attend the school of your choice. Omaha will even provide bus transportation if a student wants to attend a magnet school.

The comment about bussing really takes the analogy off the rails, but the real takeaway from the relevant part of your response is, it's apparently all a question of whether you care about the value of the estate you leave to your heirs?

[Sweet Lou 14]

1 hour ago, Pantodude said:

Too often, the "buy the book not the grade" mantra translates into "buy the cover, not the book"!

This is true, and I'd be lying if I said I never fall into this trap.  I would say that for low- to mid-grade books, choosing a copy based on cover eye appeal is actually a winning strategy.

[Math Teacher]

1 hour ago, Pantodude said:

Fair question, if by "you" you mean a professional grader on the level of CGC who also had the opportunity to compare both books intimately, in hand.  But that is not the "you" in your question, right?  And you are evaluating graded books based only on scans, with tired eyes no less!      Even if CGC is not perfect, we trust CGC in general as a third-party grader to tell the difference between a 9.8 and 9.6.   That's why we're all here, and why beaucoup bucks are thrown at 9.8s for investment by well-heeled folks.     

Those who only care about the cover often rely on scans, forgetting that CGC also evaluated the rest of the book, too (that mysterious stuff between the covers).  There might have been a small tear or stray mark on an intereior page, etc.  Too often, the "buy the book not the grade" mantra translates into "buy the cover, not the book"!   

So, all things appearing equal from scans alone, even through well-rested eyes, there is good reason to pay extra for 9.8s.  CGC had more intimate knowledge of both books while grading them, and presumably much more experience differentiating between a 9.8 and 9.6.    

You're correct. The "you" I was talking about is me. I am fully aware that a professional grader can see things that I would miss.

I guess this is how I would look at. According to GPA, an IH #181 CGC 9.8 sold for $59,500 in February, while an IH #181 CGC 9.6 sold for $19,100 in January. The question I would be asking myself would be this. "Are you really going to enjoy a 9.8 3.1 times as much as you would enjoy a 9.6 in your collection?" Because that is what the price differential is.

A person asked which would be better, a 9.8 or a 9.6. I'm sure that there is some additional information involved, but I don't want to take the time to go back through all the posts. For me, a 9.6 would be better. Both a 9.6 and a 9.8 are VERY nice books, and <I> don't want to pay three times as much to have one.

[Math Teacher]

3 minutes ago, Sweet Lou 14 said:

The comment about bussing really takes the analogy off the rails, but the real takeaway from the relevant part of your response is, it's apparently all a question of whether you care about the value of the estate you leave to your heirs?

We have a substantial amount of investments, and, God willing, we won't have to deplete them by having to live in a home. If both of our children are set to inherit $500,000+, is it really going to make a difference whether our house sells for $275,000 or $250,000?

[Sweet Lou 14]

11 minutes ago, Math Teacher said:

We have a substantial amount of investments, and, God willing, we won't have to deplete them by having to live in a home. If both of our children are set to inherit $500,000+, is it really going to make a difference whether our house sells for $275,000 or $250,000?

You're making up numbers here, and it's interesting you chose a 10% gap for this example but a 200% gap for your other example.

At the end of the day, each of us assigns a subjective value to any purchase or investment.  I completely agree that if you don't personally assign the same value to that hypothetical 9.8 as the market does, it's probably a good idea not to put your money into it.

Edited March 3, 2021 by Sweet Lou 14