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Post by Deleted on Jun 16, 2021 9:42:04 GMT -5
Well bags and boards for comics didn't become a thing until the 70s, so year, Silver Age books lived longer before they were entombed in plastic. Also, Seuling and the boys weren't ordering books in bulk to sell to collectors until the 70s, so all the Silver Age stuff had to live on the spinners racks, shelves, and other display devices of newsstands and stores before reaching end customers while a lot of Bronze Age books went right to comic dealers and then into the hands of end customers, so they didn't have the wear and tear on them. Also by the Bronze Age, collecting had become a thing and copies were bought and saved that weren't reading copies, while few Silver Age books were bought that weren't read (many several times) which is going to result in lowering the condition. As for seeing Silver in the wild, I think the market has moved beyond shops and cons for those things now and they are the purview of auction houses for the most part now. The pricing in the market is such that those who have them for sale aren't going to risk dinging them up on display at a shop or travelling back and forth to cons and risk them losing value. They are going to be sold by companies whose primary function is dealing with high end merchandise that has to be handled with care to retain it's market value. There's no less of them out there, but you have to go where they are to find them. That was no less true in the "old days" when you had to go to shops or cons, but the place where you have to go has evolved as the market has. -M Yeah, that all really makes sense. I SO miss those old days of the great conventions. I still remember a particularly fun one about 20 years ago, it was the old Mid-Ohio Con which always tended to be great in general (pre Wizard buyout like so many others, BOO Wizard World!) and got my first Golden Age issue, Adventure #57 with Hourman on the cover ($300, most I had EVER spent on a comic book). Mart Nodell was there too! And Silver Age issues for sale galore. (cut to wistful middle aged man-child staring out to somewhere...) Those were the days... When I moved to Ohio, Mid-Ohio was past its peak and the Wizard buyout was imminent, so I never got to experience it. There is a still a very good comic-focused con in the Dayton area (Gem City Comic Con) that usually happens in the spring, but this year is in July as a result of all the pandemic necessitated rescheduling that occurred. Full disclosure, the organizer is a friendly acquaintance of mine so I have some bias. Guest list is a little thin this year as a lot of creators are still reluctant to travel, but it's usually a great show with a lot of dealers selling comics, and not a pop culture show like Wizard World. Not sure if you are in the Ohio area (Mid-Ohio drew people from all over) but if you are and haven't been to a Gem City Comic Con, you should check it out. They do have a gaming arm of the show, but avoid media gusts to focus on comic and game creators, and give a lot of love to the small press wing of comics as well. -M
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Post by Deleted on Jun 16, 2021 9:46:09 GMT -5
An addendum- a lot of the higher grade raw stuff I have seen hit the market over the last 5-10 years has come from collectors who are cashing out as they have aged out and retire liquidating things to fund their retirement or pay for medical costs, or from estates of collectors who have passed. And those books aren't being sold to comics dealers who do cons or own shops, their being handled by estate auctions, high end auction houses, big time online dealers (like mycomicshop) that travel to buy collections and handle large consignments in their own auctions or in the auction circuit. People are aware of those books market value and aren't going to sell them cheap to shop owners and con vendors who then flip them. They are going to sell them in venues where they can get top dollar. It's not a scarcity issue, so much as a change in the understanding of their value and who is handling the sales. -M Yeah, that also makes a ton of sense. It probably sounds a little sappy, but we're all only custodians of our collections (or anything else we own) for a period of time. Unless we have family/close ones who will appreciate them being passed along to as gifts, the financial realities of getting older and eventually needing/wanting to cash out our collectibles is all part of life. And to your point, the major roles of the big auction houses/dealers we see now in that.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 16, 2021 10:00:03 GMT -5
When I moved to Ohio, Mid-Ohio was past its peak and the Wizard buyout was imminent, so I never got to experience it. There is a still a very good comic-focused con in the Dayton area (Gem City Comic Con) that usually happens in the spring, but this year is in July as a result of all the pandemic necessitated rescheduling that occurred. Full disclosure, the organizer is a friendly acquaintance of mine so I have some bias. Guest list is a little thin this year as a lot of creators are still reluctant to travel, but it's usually a great show with a lot of dealers selling comics, and not a pop culture show like Wizard World. Not sure if you are in the Ohio area (Mid-Ohio drew people from all over) but if you are and haven't been to a Gem City Comic Con, you should check it out. They do have a gaming arm of the show, but avoid media gusts to focus on comic and game creators, and give a lot of love to the small press wing of comics as well. -M Oh yeah, the old Mid-Ohio Con was excellent most years that I attended. The location would sometimes change and be a factor, but for the most part I really enjoyed them. I'm actually a native North-Easterner (from NYC originally and then lived in Vermont and Massachusetts for a good part of my youth), but I've been in the Columbus area of Ohio forever now and the Mid-Ohio Con was a very pleasant surprise when I got here! So yes, Dayton would certainly be close by. I just check out the website so I've got the info, definitely anything that resembles more of a true old school comic con would be welcome, thanks for suggesting!
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Post by Deleted on Jun 16, 2021 10:23:03 GMT -5
When I moved to Ohio, Mid-Ohio was past its peak and the Wizard buyout was imminent, so I never got to experience it. There is a still a very good comic-focused con in the Dayton area (Gem City Comic Con) that usually happens in the spring, but this year is in July as a result of all the pandemic necessitated rescheduling that occurred. Full disclosure, the organizer is a friendly acquaintance of mine so I have some bias. Guest list is a little thin this year as a lot of creators are still reluctant to travel, but it's usually a great show with a lot of dealers selling comics, and not a pop culture show like Wizard World. Not sure if you are in the Ohio area (Mid-Ohio drew people from all over) but if you are and haven't been to a Gem City Comic Con, you should check it out. They do have a gaming arm of the show, but avoid media gusts to focus on comic and game creators, and give a lot of love to the small press wing of comics as well. -M Oh yeah, the old Mid-Ohio Con was excellent most years that I attended. The location would sometimes change and be a factor, but for the most part I really enjoyed them. I'm actually a native North-Easterner (from NYC originally and then lived in Vermont and Massachusetts for a good part of my youth), but I've been in the Columbus area of Ohio forever now and the Mid-Ohio Con was a very pleasant surprise when I got here! So yes, Dayton would certainly be close by. I just check out the website so I've got the info, definitely anything that resembles more of a true old school comic con would be welcome, thanks for suggesting! I am a native New Englander transplanted to Ohio. We're in the Springfield/Dayton area. I'm actually headed up to Columbus tomorrow to go to an appointment at the OSU med center, and plan on stopping in at the Laughing Ogre tomorrow (it's been years since I stopped in there), and maybe hitting up the Hal Price on Lane Ave to see if I can find anything. Let me know if you do end up going to GCCC, I will be going to one if not both days, so we can try to meet up and say hi. But another fun small quarterly show held on the campus of Wright State University called the Jim & Dan's Comic and Toy Show. Next one is at the end of June. I know the organizers of that one too. It's smaller, but it's all comics and toys, a few small press and local creators (Craig Boldman of Archie fame is a semi-regular at the show for example). It's one day show usually on Sundays. It might be worth checking out. -M
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Post by Icctrombone on Jun 16, 2021 10:23:20 GMT -5
I have the same situation with DC comics presents #49. It also features Black Adam and it’s going for around 150. I don’t need it that bad. Aw man, you're going to hate me again, but I have that one. I know you wanted Flash #197 as well...any chance you have a Shazam! #28 as part of a trade deal? I'll trade you both! Hahahah. I can’t win. I doubt I have it.
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Post by MDG on Jun 16, 2021 10:48:22 GMT -5
Oh yeah, the old Mid-Ohio Con was excellent most years that I attended. The location would sometimes change and be a factor, but for the most part I really enjoyed them... I went to Mid-Ohio three of four years in a row in the mid-90s. I remember at least three locations: a hotel in Cleveland, one of the state school campuses, and a fairground. I remember getting a drawing from Bill Loebs and a page from Colleen Duran at the fairground. I think that was also the show where a dealer had $3 and $4 boxes of DC silver age.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 16, 2021 11:18:36 GMT -5
I am a native New Englander transplanted to Ohio. We're in the Springfield/Dayton area. I'm actually headed up to Columbus tomorrow to go to an appointment at the OSU med center, and plan on stopping in at the Laughing Ogre tomorrow (it's been years since I stopped in there), and maybe hitting up the Hal Price on Lane Ave to see if I can find anything. Let me know if you do end up going to GCCC, I will be going to one if not both days, so we can try to meet up and say hi. But another fun small quarterly show held on the campus of Wright State University called the Jim & Dan's Comic and Toy Show. Next one is at the end of June. I know the organizers of that one too. It's smaller, but it's all comics and toys, a few small press and local creators (Craig Boldman of Archie fame is a semi-regular at the show for example). It's one day show usually on Sundays. It might be worth checking out. -M Sounds like we've travelled some similar roads! I work in downtown Columbus actually, will be there tomorrow as well. Absolutely no pressure, but if you happened to go to the Ogre and wanted to meet up to say hi, I might be able to pop up there depending on time of day. Totally understand if you need to fly solo that day, and like you said, might be able to meet at the convention. Thanks for the Wright State recommendation as well! Also, Heroes and Games in the Convention Center downtown has been a favorite spot of mine for years. The store has a smaller footprint, but at times they get nice older material (it helps being local though to "check back regularly" since it can vary).
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Post by Deleted on Jun 16, 2021 11:21:24 GMT -5
Aw man, you're going to hate me again, but I have that one. I know you wanted Flash #197 as well...any chance you have a Shazam! #28 as part of a trade deal? I'll trade you both! Hahahah. I can’t win. I doubt I have it. I had to ask I feel like a trade is in the making though somehow...that's two books I feel like I'm sitting on!
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Post by Deleted on Jun 16, 2021 11:27:43 GMT -5
Oh yeah, the old Mid-Ohio Con was excellent most years that I attended. The location would sometimes change and be a factor, but for the most part I really enjoyed them... I went to Mid-Ohio three of four years in a row in the mid-90s. I remember at least three locations: a hotel in Cleveland, one of the state school campuses, and a fairground. I remember getting a drawing from Bill Loebs and a page from Colleen Duran at the fairground. I think that was also the show where a dealer had $3 and $4 boxes of DC silver age. It did move around a bit until settling in Columbus, and then it alternated between the convention center and some hotels. $3/$4 DC Silver Age boxes...how awesome is that.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 16, 2021 11:34:05 GMT -5
I am a native New Englander transplanted to Ohio. We're in the Springfield/Dayton area. I'm actually headed up to Columbus tomorrow to go to an appointment at the OSU med center, and plan on stopping in at the Laughing Ogre tomorrow (it's been years since I stopped in there), and maybe hitting up the Hal Price on Lane Ave to see if I can find anything. Let me know if you do end up going to GCCC, I will be going to one if not both days, so we can try to meet up and say hi. But another fun small quarterly show held on the campus of Wright State University called the Jim & Dan's Comic and Toy Show. Next one is at the end of June. I know the organizers of that one too. It's smaller, but it's all comics and toys, a few small press and local creators (Craig Boldman of Archie fame is a semi-regular at the show for example). It's one day show usually on Sundays. It might be worth checking out. -M Sounds like we've travelled some similar roads! I work in downtown Columbus actually, will be there tomorrow as well. Absolutely no pressure, but if you happened to go to the Ogre and wanted to meet up to say hi, I might be able to pop up there depending on time of day. Totally understand if you need to fly solo that day, and like you said, might be able to meet at the convention. Thanks for the Wright State recommendation as well! Also, Heroes and Games in the Convention Center downtown has been a favorite spot of mine for years. The store has a smaller footprint, but at times they get nice older material (it helps being local though to "check back regularly" since it can vary). I love Heroes and Games. I usually check it out every time we go to Origins (but it's been a few years since we've done a gaming con due to work and health issues). I used to spend as much there as I did in the dealer room of the con. My wife will be with me tomorrow to help me navigate the city, and the appointment is 11:30, so we are doing lunch somewhere afterwards (probably look for a Greek place) then hitting a couple shops, so I have no idea of timeframe when I will be going to the Ogre, so I would be happy to plana meet up. She's on vacation the following week and we may do a sweep of Columbus shops (Half Price. World's Greatest Comics, etc.) one day that week, it's all up in the air right now, but if we dedicate a day in Columbus, I'll drop you a line. If nothing else works out, maybe we can meet up during Cartoon Crossroads Columbus at some point (not sure if its virtual or in person yet this year), I am always looking for someone to ride shotgun for that festival and have yet to find anyone so haven't attended one yet. -M
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Post by Icctrombone on Jun 16, 2021 12:01:31 GMT -5
Hahahah. I can’t win. I doubt I have it. I had to ask I feel like a trade is in the making though somehow...that's two books I feel like I'm sitting on! I have mountains of comics. Let me know what else you need.
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shaxper
CCF Site Custodian
Posts: 22,409
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Post by shaxper on Jun 16, 2021 12:06:42 GMT -5
So an interesting additional layer atop the already interesting time we are having with comic book values is the bottleneck at CGC that shows no sign of improving. CGC claims they've hired a ton of new folks and are still showing processing times of 61-110 days right now. That makes slabbed copies of hot books a little harder to come by right now, and it also means the market is going to get swamped with slabbed books in a few months' time.
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Post by wildfire2099 on Jun 16, 2021 15:58:16 GMT -5
So an interesting additional layer atop the already interesting time we are having with comic book values is the bottleneck at CGC that shows no sign of improving. CGC claims they've hired a ton of new folks and are still showing processing times of 61-110 days right now. That makes slabbed copies of hot books a little harder to come by right now, and it also means the market is going to get swamped with slabbed books in a few months' time. I wonder if the value will still be there waiting, or if the potential buyers will all be spending their extra money on trips/concerts/sporting events that were not an option for the last 18 months or so.. it'll be interesting to see!
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Post by Deleted on Jun 16, 2021 19:21:11 GMT -5
If the market is 'swamped' with slabbed books, there'll be a lot of wiggle room for those who refuse to pay a 200% premium over a raw copy.
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Post by Icctrombone on Jun 19, 2021 5:53:44 GMT -5
I was looking at the web to see how Amazing Spider-man # 86 was moving. I don't follow sales on the Spider-man books but I saw the book going at 150 or so. Speculating for the Black Widow Movie I guess.
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