Next Monday, January the 27th I start my new weekly column on comic book collecting. I was really hoping to have the working title ready to announce this week but I’ve failed miserably. I have several working titles but have not yet decided. Let’s then leave it as a surprise for next week.
Walter, if your new column is about pricing and value, one humble suggestion. With “undervalued,” you quoted prices from 8.0 and up, I believe. But that narrows who might read and understand your column.
So many of us, like myself, rarely buy books in that range, particularly Silver or Gold. Or in that value range of high hundreds or thousands for one book. My mind works the good-to-fine range. As I look a auctions for older books, I often don’t even track, much less go after, VFN and better books. I can score two or three sold FN copies for the cost of one VFN.
My buddies, and I, who collect Gold are happy with a solid VG book and thrilled with FN, which I often upgrade my VG- or less books. I am a very active collector, every Sunday with Heritage, most Mondays with MyComicShop, plus shows and work with mail order dealers.
That’s my one complaint about that former column, either I have to do the math in my head, which I don’t do, or look up the book you discuss In the Guide. I don’t do that either, so I just skim by the prices as having no relationship to my world. I’d suggest you at least begin at FN in your calculation for Silver. Perhaps even lowly GD or VG for Gold.
I used to buy poor and fair copies of really valuable comics years ago. It made my collection look impressive when yòu put them in nice plastic bags, though they were pretty rough. Even good was too expensive when I was a kid.
Understood Bud, I will touch on that subject for sure.
Klaus, the best performing segment of the back issue market over the last 10 years has been the below Good key issues.
I agree with Bud’s approach! I to collect lower grades in the ‘most wanted’ category. I do try and find books with nice eye appeal as I do display my comics on a rotating basis! And yes Walt… I will have my Romance display for V-Day!