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Post by defiant1 on Aug 23, 2010 21:03:05 GMT -5
Yeah I don't disagree with any of that. Well, except for the Walking Dead. Mainly because It actually is not about Zombies. In fact I just finished the most recent trade and there were 11 pages in the entire book that showed zombies. But, I am mainly trying to thin my collection down. I want to keep all of my worthwhile books and then just get rid of the rest. So I want to dump about 12,000 books. that will leave me with 4-5000 My grandmother lived to be 100 and used to pull shoe boxes out of her closet, go through them looking at the things she'd saved over the years and then neatly put them back. That is what I envisioned I would be doing when I got older. Opening comic boxes, arranging them in order, rereading them etc. In 2008 my dad passed away after years of deteriorated health. I saw all the things he'd saved and all his unfulfilled dreams just sitting around in a cluttered mess. My health is most likely going to follow my dad's course because of genetics and the fact I have so many of his traits. My knee went out last month, his knee went out at my age and he could barely walk when he passed away because of it, I too want to trim the fat and get rid of a lot of stuff. I'd like to get my collection down to something more like 1,000 comics. Unfortunately, most of the stuff I want to sell isn't worth the labor it would take to do it. I have lengthy runs of things like Marvel Team-Up that I think is neat, but I haven't opened one up in 20 years. The stuff I want to keep are super keys (FF #1, Hulk #1, AF #15) and rarities/oddities. What I do not want to do is sell off the better stuff first and then get stuck with the duds. The order I sell them in means a lot. I also don't want to bulk them out for a dime each like some collectors. I have enough good comics that it would bait someone to pay more for the whole collection. Selling the better stuff off to the cherry pickers out there would devalue the amount I could get for the duds. I've tried to stop buying comics out of quarter and dollar boxes hoping they'll be the next undervalued hit. I've tried to quit buying any lower value comics unless they somehow make a set of something more complete at home. My goal is to flush out everything of a set if I sell something. I don't want to sell a 20 issue series and have to deal with a second copy of a #3. It goes with the rest... no stragglers. But yes, I think there are a lot of collectors dead set on selling off and trimming down. The problem is, the people wanting to trim their collections down outnumbers the ones who want to bulk their collection up. df1
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Post by G on Aug 24, 2010 17:06:42 GMT -5
But, I am mainly trying to thin my collection down. I want to keep all of my worthwhile books and then just get rid of the rest. So I want to dump about 12,000 books. that will leave me with 4-5000 You can feel free to "dump" those over here as that would go nicely with my existing collection.
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Post by G on Aug 24, 2010 17:32:45 GMT -5
I too want to trim the fat and get rid of a lot of stuff. I'd like to get my collection down to something more like 1,000 comics. Unfortunately, most of the stuff I want to sell isn't worth the labor it would take to do it. I have lengthy runs of things like Marvel Team-Up that I think is neat, but I haven't opened one up in 20 years. The stuff I want to keep are super keys (FF #1, Hulk #1, AF #15) and rarities/oddities. What I do not want to do is sell off the better stuff first and then get stuck with the duds. The order I sell them in means a lot. I also don't want to bulk them out for a dime each like some collectors. I have enough good comics that it would bait someone to pay more for the whole collection. Selling the better stuff off to the cherry pickers out there would devalue the amount I could get for the duds. I have yet to decide how I want to rid myself of comics or even if. I may leave the world and never have sold them, I don't know. While I see that from both perspectives, I don't feel either of them is bad. If I sell them before I die, I guess that is good. If I die without selling them, I don't really see it as a bad thing either. I can't take them with me, so I'll enjoy them on earth. Maybe when I get REAL old, I'll eventually stop enjoying comics but I feel lucky that I still have moments of glee looking at them. Even old ones I haven't opened in decades. I'm sure as I'm dying off if Im lucky enough to realize I'm dying off and live that long to actually die off instead of die suddenly, then maybe I'll feel differently and maybe they won't mean a thing to me. But as a worldly possession, I feel either way I part with my comics won't be bad. I've always visioned selling off my comics, maybe even hoping that years down the road there is still a way to sell them at conventions as a way to have something to do and make extra cash in my retirement years. If that way still exists and is somehow worthwhile, I'd like to think I spent the last 20 years of my life just doing shows while retired. I think it'll still bring me happiness and joy. I just love the hobby that much. But if I die and didn't sell them, I'm sure my wife knows enough to at least get half of what I would have and if not, I'll keep feeding her info as long as I can. If I sold them off as a lump sale or in various purchases, than that will be good too. I just don't see a negative outcome. I've tried to stop buying comics out of quarter and dollar boxes hoping they'll be the next undervalued hit. I've tried to quit buying any lower value comics unless they somehow make a set of something more complete at home. My goal is to flush out everything of a set if I sell something. I don't want to sell a 20 issue series and have to deal with a second copy of a #3. It goes with the rest... no stragglers. But yes, I think there are a lot of collectors dead set on selling off and trimming down. The problem is, the people wanting to trim their collections down outnumbers the ones who want to bulk their collection up. I think my buying habits have become a lot like yours. I think I'm pretty much done dumpster diving with the same hopes I'll find a $20 book for less than $1. And unless I have a collection I still feel like I want to work on, I'm done filling in runs on collections I don't care about anymore. Instead, I'm trying to up my collecting habits into more key and value worthy books which makes my whole collection stronger just because I have plenty of books of value sprinkled throughout my collection. At this age I want books that already have significance and value. I think that is where my real joy in future collecting lies. I think I have been turning my change of focus into that direction. Of course, I am buying "select" new books too and for many reasons. Mainly because I still want to have some idea what is going on in the world of comics. Also because I have this board and it helps to know what people are talking about or at least feel like I've seen it. I know when I was out of work hearing people talk about new books and not having a clue what they were talking about didn't set well with me. Yes, I could go on and care less and just stick with collecting what I enjoy when I have the resources to do so and not worry about new books, but still, just as before, I still do find things I thankfully enjoy. I feel there is a LOT wrong with comics today, but thankfully I still find things I enjoy. And also I still have faith that something good can be done. Although I feel 80% or more of the time it won't, I still see things that have potential or are just downright good. When things are bad, I just don't give that one a shot anymore. I'm comfortable spending $30 - $50 a month on new books. Besides, I'm not paying cover for them anyway. The discounts purchasing online keeps the practice reasonable. So I feel a lot more focused collecting things from the past as well as I feel comfortable buying things from today. If the current stuff ends up being worthless (most likely) I make sure I deal with what I enjoy 1st and foremost so at least I got the enjoyment of paying initial purchase price out of it. If I wind up reading the book and at least half way enjoyed it if not more, then it was worth giving it a shot. I'll just know to cut off those I didn't enjoy.
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Post by bigw1966 on Aug 24, 2010 17:37:21 GMT -5
Hey G, remember when you and I bought 25 copies of Venom #1 and 25 copies of Rai and the Future Force #9 each? I still have all 50 copies. I thought about giving them away with winning ebay auctions
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Post by G on Aug 24, 2010 17:51:02 GMT -5
Hey G, remember when you and I bought 25 copies of Venom #1 and 25 copies of Rai and the Future Force #9 each? I still have all 50 copies. I thought about giving them away with winning ebay auctions Yep, I probably have about 40 of the 50 myself. Not a bad idea. I guess for the days it was, it was live and learn. I never forget the mistakes. I seem to remember those more than I do the things I did right.
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Post by defiant1 on Aug 24, 2010 19:07:15 GMT -5
I too want to trim the fat and get rid of a lot of stuff. I'd like to get my collection down to something more like 1,000 comics. Unfortunately, most of the stuff I want to sell isn't worth the labor it would take to do it. I have lengthy runs of things like Marvel Team-Up that I think is neat, but I haven't opened one up in 20 years. The stuff I want to keep are super keys (FF #1, Hulk #1, AF #15) and rarities/oddities. What I do not want to do is sell off the better stuff first and then get stuck with the duds. The order I sell them in means a lot. I also don't want to bulk them out for a dime each like some collectors. I have enough good comics that it would bait someone to pay more for the whole collection. Selling the better stuff off to the cherry pickers out there would devalue the amount I could get for the duds. I have yet to decide how I want to rid myself of comics or even if. I may leave the world and never have sold them, I don't know. While I see that from both perspectives, I don't feel either of them is bad. If I sell them before I die, I guess that is good. If I die without selling them, I don't really see it as a bad thing either. I can't take them with me, so I'll enjoy them on earth. Maybe when I get REAL old, I'll eventually stop enjoying comics but I feel lucky that I still have moments of glee looking at them. Even old ones I haven't opened in decades. I'm sure as I'm dying off if Im lucky enough to realize I'm dying off and live that long to actually die off instead of die suddenly, then maybe I'll feel differently and maybe they won't mean a thing to me. But as a worldly possession, I feel either way I part with my comics won't be bad. I've always visioned selling off my comics, maybe even hoping that years down the road there is still a way to sell them at conventions as a way to have something to do and make extra cash in my retirement years. If that way still exists and is somehow worthwhile, I'd like to think I spent the last 20 years of my life just doing shows while retired. I think it'll still bring me happiness and joy. I just love the hobby that much. But if I die and didn't sell them, I'm sure my wife knows enough to at least get half of what I would have and if not, I'll keep feeding her info as long as I can. If I sold them off as a lump sale or in various purchases, than that will be good too. I just don't see a negative outcome. I've tried to stop buying comics out of quarter and dollar boxes hoping they'll be the next undervalued hit. I've tried to quit buying any lower value comics unless they somehow make a set of something more complete at home. My goal is to flush out everything of a set if I sell something. I don't want to sell a 20 issue series and have to deal with a second copy of a #3. It goes with the rest... no stragglers. But yes, I think there are a lot of collectors dead set on selling off and trimming down. The problem is, the people wanting to trim their collections down outnumbers the ones who want to bulk their collection up. I think my buying habits have become a lot like yours. I think I'm pretty much done dumpster diving with the same hopes I'll find a $20 book for less than $1. And unless I have a collection I still feel like I want to work on, I'm done filling in runs on collections I don't care about anymore. Instead, I'm trying to up my collecting habits into more key and value worthy books which makes my whole collection stronger just because I have plenty of books of value sprinkled throughout my collection. At this age I want books that already have significance and value. I think that is where my real joy in future collecting lies. I think I have been turning my change of focus into that direction. Of course, I am buying "select" new books too and for many reasons. Mainly because I still want to have some idea what is going on in the world of comics. Also because I have this board and it helps to know what people are talking about or at least feel like I've seen it. I know when I was out of work hearing people talk about new books and not having a clue what they were talking about didn't set well with me. Yes, I could go on and care less and just stick with collecting what I enjoy when I have the resources to do so and not worry about new books, but still, just as before, I still do find things I thankfully enjoy. I feel there is a LOT wrong with comics today, but thankfully I still find things I enjoy. And also I still have faith that something good can be done. Although I feel 80% or more of the time it won't, I still see things that have potential or are just downright good. When things are bad, I just don't give that one a shot anymore. I'm comfortable spending $30 - $50 a month on new books. Besides, I'm not paying cover for them anyway. The discounts purchasing online keeps the practice reasonable. So I feel a lot more focused collecting things from the past as well as I feel comfortable buying things from today. If the current stuff ends up being worthless (most likely) I make sure I deal with what I enjoy 1st and foremost so at least I got the enjoyment of paying initial purchase price out of it. If I wind up reading the book and at least half way enjoyed it if not more, then it was worth giving it a shot. I'll just know to cut off those I didn't enjoy. Your situation is a little different. Your wife does have an understanding of what you collect. I'm slowly getting the girl I date familiar with comics, but she's never going to be interested in the Avengers or Dr. Doom. None of my family collects comics. My nieces and nephews would only want them because they are worth money. Years ago my oldest niece wanted the Death of Superman set when the comics came out. She bragged about how much she liked them and appreciated them at the time and even said it several years in a row. Flash forward to last year and she's asking me if I want to buy them. If not, "what's the best way to sell them." There is no one in my immediate family that has any interest in my comics. df1
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Post by defiant1 on Aug 24, 2010 19:20:28 GMT -5
Hey G, remember when you and I bought 25 copies of Venom #1 and 25 copies of Rai and the Future Force #9 each? I still have all 50 copies. I thought about giving them away with winning ebay auctions Thank God I never bought into most of the hype. If everyone predicted it was going to be hot, they were usually wrong... collectively. The biggest mistake I ever made buying comics was on "Extremes of Violet" #1. They solicited a variant if you bought 25 copes. "Extremes of Violet" had been introduced in another sci-fi comic and the #0 issue was pretty nice with both having art by Del Barras, He did some pretty work so I felt it would be no problem for me to sell off the duplicates to all the speculators looking for the next big hit. The comic shop would give me the variant for meeting their order threshold. I'd get to keep the variant. When the books arrived, the publisher had switched artists. It looked like crap. The variant was a regular version with a signed Gold Foil sticker on it. I was pissed. I never bought another comic from that company. If they'd maintained their early quality, I think they'd be remembered today. I do have a lot of Turok #1. I only made a mistake on Valiant once. df1
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Post by G on Aug 24, 2010 20:13:06 GMT -5
Your situation is a little different. Your wife does have an understanding of what you collect. I'm slowly getting the girl I date familiar with comics, but she's never going to be interested in the Avengers or Dr. Doom. I understand your point of view, but even if I took my wife out of the equation, I would feel the same way today. If I died never selling my books, then I guess it just happened and I'd be okay with it. They brought me tons of joy anyway. My wife knowing something about them would be a bonus because I know at least she would know how to look things up, sell them and maybe even realize to a degree whether or not she was getting ripped completely off. Still obviously, I wouldn't expect her to do as good as me or care about the outcome as much or any of that. I just think she would get a little better price than a complete novice. As far as collecting Avengers or Dr. Doom, the trick with me was just keeping at it. It went from Funny Animals, Cartoon Characters, Females in Comics, Pretty Covers and Colors, to finally Super-Heroes. I actually want my wife's complete Defenders collection. The numbering and saying what was key was kinda fun for her too. Although their ain't much key about Defenders, we were always on the lookouts for nice #10's and between the two of us we have about 6 copies of it. It was cool to see my wife go to a comic store or show and pull out a list. When it got down to numbers, it was a real desire to finish that kept her at it.
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Post by G on Aug 24, 2010 20:41:57 GMT -5
Thank God I never bought into most of the hype. If everyone predicted it was going to be hot, they were usually wrong... collectively. I do have a lot of Turok #1. I only made a mistake on Valiant once. Venom #1 and Rai #9 were probably the two worst examples where I ever fell for it. I think preordering in bulk back then was about 40-50% cover price. I don't remember the exact amount, but it wasn't like we had a lot invested. We split the price and the books. Since I was doing a lot of shows back then I wound up selling about 5-10 of each, but still took an overall loss on them. I still have the remaining books. I feel semi-burned on Bloodshot #1 which probably would have done better than it did except it came out on the exact same day as Superman #75 which I wound up getting 9 copies of that for cover and selling for $9 each later that day and being mad I did it within hours. The Bloodshots were a bit trickier, they were like the 2nd biggest book of the day, but far overshadowed. I think I sold around half of those and pretty much made my money back. That's about the worst I ever did. I did really well with Wildcats #2 and a few others. I kind of miss those days. They were exciting. I remember when something got hot I would make the rounds to the local 7-11's, drug stores and other usual spots for extra copies. It was amazing when things were selling for $5-$20 how many you could find just around town for cover. I'd bring them to the next show and they'd be gone like hotcakes. It was easy money. There was a brief time there when just comic enthusiasts, dealers and collectors were in on the boom. That was the greatest time. But when I seen Grandpa Bubba with Grandson Elliott selling boxes of Valiants and scattered other hot issues that I just knew it was over. And everyone of them had at least 1 box of Valiants. It's when all the people who knew nothing about comics got into it, that blew the whole thing to smithereens. But for about 1-2 years there, it was just golden.
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Post by defiant1 on Aug 25, 2010 18:08:20 GMT -5
Thank God I never bought into most of the hype. If everyone predicted it was going to be hot, they were usually wrong... collectively. I do have a lot of Turok #1. I only made a mistake on Valiant once. Venom #1 and Rai #9 were probably the two worst examples where I ever fell for it. I think preordering in bulk back then was about 40-50% cover price. I don't remember the exact amount, but it wasn't like we had a lot invested. We split the price and the books. Since I was doing a lot of shows back then I wound up selling about 5-10 of each, but still took an overall loss on them. I still have the remaining books. I feel semi-burned on Bloodshot #1 which probably would have done better than it did except it came out on the exact same day as Superman #75 which I wound up getting 9 copies of that for cover and selling for $9 each later that day and being mad I did it within hours. The Bloodshots were a bit trickier, they were like the 2nd biggest book of the day, but far overshadowed. I think I sold around half of those and pretty much made my money back. That's about the worst I ever did. I did really well with Wildcats #2 and a few others. I kind of miss those days. They were exciting. I remember when something got hot I would make the rounds to the local 7-11's, drug stores and other usual spots for extra copies. It was amazing when things were selling for $5-$20 how many you could find just around town for cover. I'd bring them to the next show and they'd be gone like hotcakes. It was easy money. There was a brief time there when just comic enthusiasts, dealers and collectors were in on the boom. That was the greatest time. But when I seen Grandpa Bubba with Grandson Elliott selling boxes of Valiants and scattered other hot issues that I just knew it was over. And everyone of them had at least 1 box of Valiants. It's when all the people who knew nothing about comics got into it, that blew the whole thing to smithereens. But for about 1-2 years there, it was just golden. I do have some Bloodshot issues, but I still feel that #1 is a decent comic. I was given some after I sold one or two. I don't think I ordered too heavily. df1
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