What is wrong with today's collectors? Seriously?

[Blue Meanie]

I'll let the auctions speak for itself. If you know about Marvel REPRINTS from back in the 70's these 2 auctions will make you shake your head:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/MARVEL-TRIPL...p2047675.l2557

http://www.ebay.com/itm/MARVEL-TRIPL...p2047675.l2557

Am I missing something here??!!?? The person that won this auction does know that these are reprints right? The only thing that is new in these books are the covers. Why would ANYONE in their right mind pay 1400 for books that are reprints??!!?? Please, someone explain this to me.

[enyawd72]

IDK...I've been asking myself why anyone in their right mind would pay $10,000 for a butt-ugly Tomland Dracula...carded or not.
Why would somebody pay millions for an Andy Warhol silkscreened picture of soup cans?

Somebody just paid $1.8 million in January for a photograph of a potato. Think about that. A potato.

Collectors can be insane.

[Marvelmania]

No idea. These were never collectible and only good for reading like all of the re-prints with new cover titles. Not to mention there's thousands of these around to pick and choose from.

[Blue Meanie]

IDK...I've been asking myself why anyone in their right mind would pay $10,000 for a butt-ugly Tomland Dracula...carded or not.
Why would somebody pay millions for an Andy Warhol silkscreened picture of soup cans?

Somebody just paid $1.8 million in January for a photograph of a potato. Think about that. A potato.

Collectors can be insane.

I can understand the art aspect of Warhol and I can understand the rarity of the Dracula figure...what I don't understand is the fact that these comics are REPRINTS. They are not even the original books. I think that to me is the most disturbing part of these auctions and most disturbing part of the collector mindset. It's also true with Marvel Masterworks. Some of them go for insane amounts of money and THEY ARE REPRINTS. I just don't get that. I've also seen it with the Batman 608 Morrison issue. 1st printings are going for LESS than the 2nd printing with the Gargoyle cover. Why??!!?? I don't care if there are less of the 2nd printing than the 1st...the fact of the matter is it is a REPRINT. It makes no logical sense whatsoever.

[hobub]

I can understand the art aspect of Warhol and I can understand the rarity of the Dracula figure...what I don't understand is the fact that these comics are REPRINTS. They are not even the original books. I think that to me is the most disturbing part of these auctions and most disturbing part of the collector mindset. It's also true with Marvel Masterworks. Some of them go for insane amounts of money and THEY ARE REPRINTS. I just don't get that. I've also seen it with the Batman 608 Morrison issue. 1st printings are going for LESS than the 2nd printing with the Gargoyle cover. Why??!!?? I don't care if there are less of the 2nd printing than the 1st...the fact of the matter is it is a REPRINT. It makes no logical sense whatsoever.

Could it be shill bidding to falsely inflate the value? Makes no sense to me.

[Blue Meanie]

Could it be shill bidding to falsely inflate the value? Makes no sense to me.

Unfortunately for the 2 auctions I listed here there was no bidding...they were Buy It Now auctions.

[WannabeMego]

Could it be shill bidding to falsely inflate the value?

I strongly believe there are folks out there that purposefully 'create' a market where one never existed before...especially after 'they' have acquired those pieces.

...and to some degree I kinda understand what they are trying to do here...it is a Late Silver Age/Early Bronze Age Book.

I wouldn't be surprised to see that this is also happening to 'Marvel Collector's Item Classic' as well.

I ask myself every day why anyone would buy a New Comic off the rack for $3.99 when I can get Older Books MUCH Cheaper...but it's like the old saying goes, it's only worth as much as someone is willing to pay for it...stop paying for it and watch the prices go down.

[johnnystorm]

Trouble is, the people buying these cgc books aren't all collectors. They are investors. Or worse. Read this:

http://www.theverge.com/2015/7/22/8870089/texas-comic-book-heist-anthony-chiofalo-tadano

[PNGwynne]

I've never bought one single thing for my collection as an investment, each item has a personal meaning or interest to me, even if it's "just" nostalgia. If I want to read something or open it, I do so.

I've given up trying to understand the comics market or "collector's" mentality, it's so individuated. Some items, like GI Joe/AM repros, go for as much or more than vintage now... Granted, these are closer reproductions than most reMegos.

[lilbrosj66]

I will occasionally buy an action figure as a small investment with hopes of a return but for comics? Nope. I buy them to read and enjoy. If they go up in value, great, but that is never my intent. I don't understand this kind of dollar being attached to reprints for sure. To each his own I guess.

[MIB41]

Could it be shill bidding to falsely inflate the value? Makes no sense to me.

I agree with this. I think people are just trying to invent a perception of value to inflate profit in their back stock.

[Blue Meanie]

Don't get me wrong...As a seller I would be over the moon at something like this. I just got back the first EVER books I've ever gotten graded...but they are not going in my collection. Strictly for resale. That's all CGC is good for in my opinion. And yeah...this new collector seems to be an investor/speculator more than anything else these days. It's not completely true for ALL of the new collectors...but it is a high percentage in my opinion. I just don't understand the part of paying ridiculous amounts of $$$ for a reprint. They probably could have bought the originals for 1/10th those prices. Here's an auction with issue 58 of FF, which is the book #2 reprints, that was a high grade that ended:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fantastic-Fo...p2047675.l2557

and here is 59 which is what issue 3 reprints:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/FANTASTIC-FO...p2047675.l2557

And they's still have about $1600 still in their pockets. That's what is so troubling about the way these investors/speculators think. Just nonsense

[Mr.Marion]

It didn't sell. It was an opening bid set by the seller. There are plenty of naked Kirks listed for $400. Am I buying it? no. Are you? no . Wake me up when a boxed Mego Green Arrow is going for $50, that is much less likely.

[torgospizza]

It's also true with Marvel Masterworks. Some of them go for insane amounts of money and THEY ARE REPRINTS.

I think the deal with Marvel Masterworks and DC Archives is that they're in hardback, and there's a sub-set of collectors that specialize in that. Some even take their old comics and have them hardbound. In fact, I'm getting ready to have my Arak, Son of Thunder run done in two separate volumes soon. Those prices do get crazy, though--it's impossible to find Sgt Rock Archives Volume 1 for less than $80. One thing I've noticed, though, is the prices drop when new hardback omnibuses come out. Collectors upgrade and sell off their old stuff.

A tip to anyone interested: Hermes Press hardbacks of old Phantom comics go for crazy amounts--you'll see some listed by secondary sellers on Amazon for +/- $1,500 each--and the surprising thing is, you can still get them for the suggested retail ($50) if you order directly from the publisher. Either people don't know you can do this or they're just hoping others are out of the loop so they can gouge them.

[Blue Meanie]

I think the deal with Marvel Masterworks and DC Archives is that they're in hardback, and there's a sub-set of collectors that specialize in that. Some even take their old comics and have them hardbound. In fact, I'm getting ready to have my Arak, Son of Thunder run done in two separate volumes soon. Those prices do get crazy, though--it's impossible to find Sgt Rock Archives Volume 1 for less than $80. One thing I've noticed, though, is the prices drop when new hardback omnibuses come out. Collectors upgrade and sell off their old stuff.

A tip to anyone interested: Hermes Press hardbacks of old Phantom comics go for crazy amounts--you'll see some listed by secondary sellers on Amazon for +/- $1,500 each--and the surprising thing is, you can still get them for the suggested retail ($50) if you order directly from the publisher. Either people don't know you can do this or they're just hoping others are out of the loop so they can gouge them.

Collectors like you are the ones I respect. You've actually READ the stories and love them so much that you'd get them collected because it's not already in a hardcover. The Masterworks "Collectors" don't even open them up. Trust me, I've sold a few limited print ones to collectors in the past. It just sits in plastic factory sealed wrap on their shelves.