New/inexperienced buyers: stick with slabs.5344
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det_tobor private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by DocBrown Even that doesn't always hold true. Look at the poor guy with an unexpected emergency that has to sell real valued items cheaply to raise fast cash. |
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 COLLECTOR
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BigRig private msg quote post Address this user | |
For newcomers to comic collecting I would only recommend one thing. Buy what you like. My very first comic book I got was given to me for free( that's how they get you hooked). But I took that book and had it signed and graded. I didn't start with a slab and I wouldn't recommend that route to anyone who hasn't done any research. Would one know the difference in the VSP label or an ASP? Or how about this example of the good morty... we all have talked about it no one is GRADING this book. CGC nor CBCS. Yet here is a copy being sold on eBay right now. Like I stated it isn't graded. Only a sealed cgc ss no grade given. Also notice anything about the book? It's a fake book with two staples. The sig is real but that's it. Now if I was new and had seen the listing not knowing what I was buying really it would be a total loss. Start with what you like. Do the research to find out what grading really is and if you want that for your collection. Learn to grade for your self or at least noticeable defects. Just have fun with the hobby. And I like to take the risk on raw books personally. It has paid off so far... |
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conditionfreak private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Good Post and example BigRig. | ||
| Post 53 • IP flag post | ||
 Collector
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DocBrown private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by BigRig And hopefully, it always will. Now tell me...what is more likely: Someone who knows little about comics, but is interested in them, and "knows enough" to know what he or she wants, and wants to buy an X-Men #94.... Are they more likely to buy a problem book if it's raw...or if it's graded? I mean, sure, arguing the exceptions as if they ARE the rule is, very sadly, an Olympic level sport around here...but that doesn't make them not exceptions. Your example here? It's an exception. It is not typical. It is not standard. It is also...and this is the important part...not graded, which you point out, and therefore, doesn't fall under the situation I'm discussing. Nice book, though. Hope it turns out to be real. I know what the arguments are for it being fake. I don't buy them. Hope it's legit, for your sake.  |
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| Post 54 • IP flag post | ||
 Collector
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MR_SigS private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by BigRig Very true, always. And if what you like are "investment" issues or high grade books (the kind at risk of shenanigans), see Post 1.  And kids(?); If you want to do well in life, stay in school. That's good advice, even if it isn't a 100% iron clad fact. |
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| Post 55 • IP flag post | ||
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Collector
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DocBrown private msg quote post Address this user | |
| As I have said, 10,000 times, in nearly as many places, if you buy what you enjoy, you will never, ever lose. But if you want to make sure you MAINTAIN your enjoyment (and there are a shitload of people who have LOST their enjoyment when they found that the book they paid a fortune for is trimmed, or color touched, or has a missing page, or what have you) is to lower your risk...and you can do that substantially, new OR old, experienced or not...by sticking to slabs. I buy raw books all the time. I occasionally get burned. That's on me. If I don't want to get burned, the answer is still there in front of me: stick with slabs. |
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| Post 56 • IP flag post | ||
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COLLECTOR
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BigRig private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Why would anyone invest in something they have very little knowledge about? If the sole purpose of buying a book is for investment and you know nothing about the subject matter how do expect that investment to go? I know some guys invested heavily into Xforce #1  Maybe we should all take a mortgage against the house for some BCH too. |
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| Post 57 • IP flag post | ||
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Collector
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DocBrown private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by BigRig You're kidding, right...? People heavily invest in things they know little about every day, all day long. Make your distinction: do you mean NOTHING, or do you mean VERY LITTLE? Because there's a difference. |
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| Post 58 • IP flag post | ||
 Collector
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KingNampa private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by DocBrown Mind your own business, and stop trying to pick fights. |
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| Post 59 • IP flag post | ||
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Collector
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DocBrown private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by MR_SigS "You're just trying to tell people what to do! Who died and made you boss? Besides...I know lots of people who didn't stay in school and they did JUST FINE!!" |
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| Post 60 • IP flag post | ||
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Collector
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DocBrown private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by KingNampa Stop trying to pick fights. |
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| Post 61 • IP flag post | ||
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Collector
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KingNampa private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by DocBrown  |
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| Post 62 • IP flag post | ||
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Collector
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DocBrown private msg quote post Address this user | |
| To those watching this, and are tired of the trolling, but haven't been willing to stand up to the trolls who drag everything down to a personal fight: SAY SOMETHING. If you want to have adult, serious discussions about all aspects of the comic book industry: SAY SOMETHING. Stop letting the small handful of trolls try to squash voices that they disagree with: SAY SOMETHING. If you see someone trying to pick a fight...like the meme that KingNampa posted just now of the "kitten and the yarn", which is his meme of contempt for me, which led in great part to the "New Message Board Atmosphere"...and the same people are at their old games again... ...then SAY SOMETHING TO MODERATION. Nothing will change if nobody says anything. Want to have a higher level of discourse? Tired of the school yard bullshit? You can do something to fix it. |
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| Post 63 • IP flag post | ||
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Collector
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DocBrown private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by DocBrown That was a serious post, big rig, and not, as someone tried to make it, an attempt to "pick a fight." I am genuinely interested in your response. |
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| Post 64 • IP flag post | ||
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COLLECTOR
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BigRig private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by DocBrown Very little Let's say in comics - I have a very little knowledge of the first appearance of Supergirl. But I like her and this eBay ad says that Superman 123 is the prototype supergirl. So it must be her first appearance..? Maybe it's just me but before I throw money at something I want to fully understand it as much as possible. |
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| Post 65 • IP flag post | ||
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Collector
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DocBrown private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Ok, that's a fair example...I think you're misunderstanding the point of buying the slab that I'm trying to make, so I'll explain it this way: You have several copies of Superman #123 on eBay. Say, 7. 5 of them are raw. 2 of them are slabbed by CBCS (or CGC, take your pick.) Superman #123 is a book from a period where amateur resto was VERY common. I narrow my choices down to 2: a nice CBCS 5.5, and a copy that the seller claims is "Fine." The raw copy is, say, $600. The 5.5 is $800. Which is the less risky purchase? Someone without much experience should go with the more expensive...but already slabbed...5.5. The raw copy could be just fine...no pun intended...or, it could be a problem book. See, buying the slab is a guarantee (if you're buying unrestored) or no restoration, and that's the main key there. Also, the grade. With a 5.5, you can be assured that the grade is solid "mid-grade." You buy the raw, and there might be a coupon cut, a page missing, amateur resto...all things which will have a drastic effect on value should you want or need to sell the book later on down the line. But with the book that's already slabbed...you (almost always) are assured of getting what you pay for. It's not about not knowing what's the real first appearance of Supergirl...BUT...slabs have generally been very reliable in including THAT information, too. Sure, there are mistakes...but not many. |
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| Post 66 • IP flag post | ||
 Collector
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Logan510 private msg quote post Address this user | |
New buyers should stick with slabs? |
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| Post 67 • IP flag post | ||
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Collector
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MR_SigS private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by BigRig Unfortunately not everyone does, so the advice in this thread should be seen as a good thing, right? (rhetorical) Some should benefit from it. shrug |
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| Post 68 • IP flag post | ||
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Collector
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DocBrown private msg quote post Address this user | |
And here, if you look at the slab: ...you see that the label notes say "Supergirl tryout." So you have a little bit more information. Not a lot, granted...but the greatest value of the slab is the restoration check, followed by the actual grade. It means that casual fans, who know a LITTLE (as opposed to nothing) can still buy books, and not get shanked by jerks who just want to steal their money. They don't *have* to be experts. Again, I think becoming an expert is a very good thing...but slabbing has made it possible for people to not *have* to be experts not get swallowed by sharks if they venture in the water. |
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| Post 69 • IP flag post | ||
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Collector
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DocBrown private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by DocBrown ...which, by the way, has been very, very, VERY good for most of us. The reason the comic market is as healthy as it is today is because of slabbing. No one was going to pay a million dollars for a raw book. It just wasn't ever going to happen. Now, the million dollar barrier has been broken multiple times, because of the assurance that slabbing has brought. And, if you're like me, your ultrapickiness has also been rewarded, when you can sell your $5 copy of Dark Horse Presents #24 for $200, because you happened to care about condition, and got a 9.8 out of it. Without slabbing, so much would have been impossible. It's even possible that the entire collecting industry as we know it might never have recovered from the crash of the 90's, and would be a mere shell of what it is today. |
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| Post 70 • IP flag post | ||
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COLLECTOR
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BigRig private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by Logan510 Better for our bottom $$$ Quote: Originally Posted by DocBrown  @DocBrown I see the point you are trying to make But missing pages and clipped coupons should never be an issue if you check any high dollar book over. If I ask for an inside picture of a book or something and the seller doesn't want to that's a  . Just use common sense when buying things online. You get what you pay for. |
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| Post 71 • IP flag post | ||
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Collector
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DocBrown private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Yes, but the casual buyer doesn't HAVE to know that there are 16 leaves in a standard Marvel comic book from 1963. I've missed page counts before. I've missed clipped coupons before. The amount of people who bought Hulk #181 with the missing MVS...? Thousands. Do you know how many leaves a GSXM #1 is supposed to have? How about ASM #300? How about Batman #86? How about Four Color #9? Were you aware, for example, that the pages counts for many DCs in the 40s and early 50s were "odd"? That Detective Comics #85 has what looks like four pages CUT OUT of it...? Except that it was manufactured that way? With a slab...no worries. And (essentially) no worries = more $$$. More $$$ helps everyone. It really does. |
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| Post 72 • IP flag post | ||
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Collector
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det_tobor private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by BigRig There is a VERY important difference in what you used as a simple example, BigRig. As a new reader, you may have no idea of how often AND/OR how long a comic company has reinvented their characters' histories. How many Supergirls have there been? Were they connected? All kinds of questions a new reader would legitimately have. That and learning that the entire DC universe have been erased a few times. NEW & learning about history....AND conditions?? NOPE, no envy here at all. |
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| Post 73 • IP flag post | ||
 Forum Crier
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OGJackster private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by BigRig 25 years ago I knew nothing about stocks. I did like Apple computers and HATED Windoze. Long story short, I bought a few share of Apple which has split numerous times and is now worth thousands. I invested in something I knew nothing about and it has paid off. |
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| Post 74 • IP flag post | ||
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Collector
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DocBrown private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by det_tobor Great point. And if you cut out the need to become a grading expert by sticking with...at least for a while...just buying slabs, then you can focus what time you may have on other aspects. In 1970, you used to be able to say how many X-Men there were: 5. Ah, but what about Mimic? And Banshee? And Sunfire? And Havoc? And Polaris? Good questions! But now...I defy anyone to even come up with a NUMBER of the amount of unique characters who have been "official X-Men", much less name them all. It's a wonder people get into collecting, with the amount of stuff they need to know. |
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| Post 75 • IP flag post | ||
 Captain Corrector
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CaptainCanuck private msg quote post Address this user | |
| I sense that this thread was inspired by the “Giant sized xmen 1 with no price on cover,” thread from earlier today. | ||
| Post 76 • IP flag post | ||
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Collector
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DocBrown private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Now THIS is the kind of discussion we could have all the time! | ||
| Post 77 • IP flag post | ||
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Collector
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DocBrown private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by CaptainCanuck Indeed it was. That buyer wouldn't have had any problems if he'd bought a slab. He might have even gotten a nice copy for less money, already slabbed. |
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| Post 78 • IP flag post | ||
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COLLECTOR
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conditionfreak private msg quote post Address this user | |
| We were asked (told?) to "say something" to the moderators. So I will. Dear moderators. Who holds the record in this forum, for most disputes, arguments and fights? Who is the common denominator of this fraction of hostility? Just the facts please. If it's me, say so. If it's someone else, tell them. Some people like directness and honesty more than they like silence and avoidance of the truth. Be careful what you ask for, as you just might get it. |
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| Post 79 • IP flag post | ||
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MR_SigS private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by conditionfreak Also helpful advice, and maybe deserves a thread. Good paragraph |
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