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[OtherEric]

Has anybody ever actually bid on anything through heritage?  There's a Peter Wheat lot up right now, and I'm interested.  Just wondering how it works without wading through the mess of links and information they have there.

[rez]

Has anybody ever actually bid on anything through heritage?  There's a Peter Wheat lot up right now, and I'm interested.  Just wondering how it works without wading through the mess of links and information they have there.

A buddy's bought thru them before and was pretty pleased with the process. Percision and efficeint.
Hefty processing charges in my opinion but I'm pretty cheap that way.

[Yoc]

I know Teto7 has also bought through them and was happy.
I've never tried it myself.

[cimmerian32]

I've bought through them several times...  the only downside is the buyer's premium, and if you figure that into your max bid, you'll be alright.  Oh, and SNIPE!  Otherwise someone will outbid you in the last ten seconds...  BE that guy!  And by sniping, I mean, if you are willing to go 100 for a lot, and it is currently at 10.00, bid the 100.00 anyway, because you won't be the only sniper... 

NOTE:  the above applies to all books, regardless of relative worth or desirability...  ALWAYS bid your max, preferably in the last ten seconds, or you will probably lose.

[OtherEric]

We'll see how it goes.  It's close to my max already, with four days left.

[John C]

Since Cimm brought it up, it might be worth mentioning that there have been several papers by respectable mathematicians proving that "sniping" is the most successful possible strategy for online auctions.  Anything else gives opponents too much leverage against you, bidding up the price, which is why the auction houses dislike it (since it prevents price increases, and minimizes their commission).

Just something to consider, what with the number of people looking to save money on books.

[Yoc]

I've heard Heritage is on the expensive side though in my cover searches I've seen some batches of low grade books going for pretty reasonable prices in the past and wished I'd known about them at the time.

Eric, have you tried going to any local conventions and talk to dealers about Peter Wheat, etc?  They might not have them at the show but have them for sale at home.  Perhaps a cheaper way of getting what you want?

-Yoc

[OtherEric]

Of course, Yoc.  I hit all of one store where they actually had heard of the book.  The owner there said they had a few issues, but they were part of their personal collection, and in the unlikely event any came in they were likely to go to his own collection.  I can't blame him.

I think I asked every dealer with any sort of GA stock at the Emerald City con, as well.  No luck their, either.  The problem is not affording the books, it's finding them for sale at all. 

[Yoc]

Yep, you've certainly discovered a 'lost gold mine' in these.
Good luck on finding more Eric.

[moondood]

Oh, and SNIPE!  Otherwise someone will outbid you in the last ten seconds...  BE that guy!  And by sniping, I mean, if you are willing to go 100 for a lot, and it is currently at 10.00, bid the 100.00 anyway, because you won't be the only sniper... >>

========================================

Cimm is right--I use the same technique on ebay (though not in months)...I figure that bidding early is like bidding against myself.  Some people don't like sniping or being sniped, but if I offer more when 10 seconds is on the clock, why blame me?  I can't limit their bid (if only I could, hmmm...).

Sniping, of course, doesn't always work--but as long as I bid my maximum--my congrats to the winner--he wanted it more than me, I guess.

moondood

[JVJ]

Speaking of Heritage, folks,
I have to gloat. After over 42 years of collecting, I finally sold something for REAL money. I don't know if any of you follow the underground comix market, but last month my copy of the first "Charles Plymell" edition of Zap Comix #1 broke the record (by nearly a factor of THREE) for the highest price ever paid for an underground. With the buyer's premium, the darn thing sold for over $13,000 - to someone in the Heritage Auction floor, not to a sniper.

Now I can afford (well, when I get the money that is) to print the next issue of ImageS.

Peace, Jim (|:{>

[rez]

Alright Jim! Way to go!
Congratulations are in order.
Bet that sale put a little dance in your step : o)

[Yoc]

Holy Cats!
Wow, that's Great News Jim. 
Congrats!

[OtherEric]

Nice, Jim.  It hurts to give up the books but I can't imagine keeping anything worth that much. 

[JVJ]

Alright Jim! Way to go!
Congratulations are in order.
Bet that sale put a little dance in your step : o)

What there is is a silly giggle in my voice, rez. Of course, I haven't seen any of the money yet, so it's all VERY theoretical still, but I like the feeling. Despite all this "off to Paris" stuff, I'm still living on my retirement 401K savings and Social Security. The sale of this one comic will pay off a few debts and still leave me enough to cover the shortfall between what I've saved from sales of the last issue of ImageS and the amount needed to print this next one. It's a refreshing change of pace.

Peace, Jim (|:{>

[JVJ]

Holy Cats!
Wow, that's Great News Jim. 
Congrats!

Thanks, Yoc,
It IS great news - and FAR exceeded my expectations.

Peace, Jim (|:{>

[JVJ]

Nice, Jim.  It hurts to give up the books but I can't imagine keeping anything worth that much. 

Who KNEW, Eric?
The previous record was a bit over $4000 and I was hoping for $3K+. I guess the market was ready for a nice copy of Zap #1. And it didn't hurt one bit. My main interest in comics is on those published between 1936 and 1959 but over half of my collection is 1960+. So I'm in the process of relieving myself of everything from 1970 onward (and pennies on the dollar at wholesale) and selectively will be selling off what's left of my SA stuff. The vast majority of it went in 1989 to help pay for the remodeling of our home, but certainly didn't achieve anything like the return I got for the Zap.

Speaking of "anything worth that much," at the same Heritage auction, a copy of Wolverine #1 (1981 miniseries) in CGC 10.0 went for $10,000! I am NOT kidding. So perhaps you DO have something worth that much...

Peace, Jim (|:{>

[Drusilla lives!]

... Speaking of "anything worth that much," at the same Heritage auction, a copy of Wolverine #1 (1981 miniseries) in CGC 10.0 went for $10,000! I am NOT kidding. So perhaps you DO have something worth that much...

Well, I heard that CGC'd books sell at a premium but that's just nuts... nuts I tell ya! 

Perhaps the buyer was fending off a "sniper" and entered one or two zeros too many. 

[JVJ]

... Speaking of "anything worth that much," at the same Heritage auction, a copy of Wolverine #1 (1981 miniseries) in CGC 10.0 went for $10,000! I am NOT kidding. So perhaps you DO have something worth that much...

Well, I heard that CGC'd books sell at a premium but that's just nuts... nuts I tell ya! 

Perhaps the buyer was fending off a "sniper" and entered one or two zeros too many. 

No, it was a real battle, DL, with floor bidders, Heritage Online (whatever THAT means) and phone bidders competing. I watched the Internet "simulcast" (or whatever they call it) as it was happening and "nuts" is a polite euphemism for what I called it. My friend John Fleskes thinks that a lot of very rich people have nothing better to do, once they've completed their collections, than try to acquire "perfect" copies. It's the "CGC 10.0" that causes the feeding frenzy. CGC 9.8s are common as dust and you would probably be lucky to get $1000 for one.

Guaranteed, no sniping was involved.

"nuts" is putting it very mildly.

Peace, Jim (|:{>

[OtherEric]

I very much doubt I have any books in that condition in my collection.  Don't get me wrong, I take care of my books.  But I REFUSE to buy a book and not read it!  Right there, it drops my chances of having a 10.0- or even much above a 9.2- to close to nothing.

[John C]

It's the "CGC 10.0" that causes the feeding frenzy. CGC 9.8s are common as dust and you would probably be lucky to get $1000 for one.

That should also serve to remind what a cushy deal the CGC folks have.  For their fee, they give you a locked plastic box and a note with what, for all the world, COULD be a random number (it isn't, but it could be).  The mere presence of the note then overinflates the segment of the market.

Mommy, I wanna be a professional comic book grader, when I grow up!

(Which is not to take away from actually getting a good price from what's actually a fairly important book, by the way.  And something that wasn't meant to be collectable at the time, no less.)

[Drusilla lives!]

No, it was a real battle, DL, with floor bidders, Heritage Online (whatever THAT means) and phone bidders competing. I watched the Internet "simulcast" (or whatever they call it) as it was happening and "nuts" is a polite euphemism for what I called it. My friend John Fleskes thinks that a lot of very rich people have nothing better to do, once they've completed their collections, than try to acquire "perfect" copies. It's the "CGC 10.0" that causes the feeding frenzy. CGC 9.8s are common as dust and you would probably be lucky to get $1000 for one.

Guaranteed, no sniping was involved.

"nuts" is putting it very mildly.

Peace, Jim (|:{>

Was that the 82 limited series?  I didn't see an 81 series on the GCD.  If it is, then the first issue has a Frank Miller and Joe Rubinstein cover.  It's not even a Jim Lee cover... for 10K I think you can probably get the original artwork.  Heck, for that kind of money you may even get Miller to draw your portrait. 

[Drusilla lives!]

It's the "CGC 10.0" that causes the feeding frenzy. CGC 9.8s are common as dust and you would probably be lucky to get $1000 for one.

That should also serve to remind what a cushy deal the CGC folks have.  For their fee, they give you a locked plastic box and a note with what, for all the world, COULD be a random number (it isn't, but it could be).  The mere presence of the note then overinflates the segment of the market.

Mommy, I wanna be a professional comic book grader, when I grow up!

(Which is not to take away from actually getting a good price from what's actually a fairly important book, by the way.  And something that wasn't meant to be collectable at the time, no less.)

I'm not sure one can blame the CGC folks for that lunacy, that's just a shameless display of bravado and wasteful excess IMO... although I've always felt that comic books aren't baseball cards, I can see a purpose for a company like the CGC.  I mean, lets face it, some comics are bought as investments, others for reading and enjoyment, and if I'm buying a comic as an investment I would certainly want an unbiased third party appraisal of its condition... especially for older golden and silver age books.   I think golden age comics have always garnered high prices (if you could even find them) whether justified or not with regard to condition... in this regard I think CGC coming into being was a good thing.  But personally I don't see why a book such as Wolverine #1 should be bid up to such levels, it's ludicrous IMO... even if it's a 10.0 book.

[JVJ]

Was that the 82 limited series?  I didn't see an 81 series on the GCD.

My bad, DL. Yes, it's the '82 "portrait" cover by FM & JR.

If it is, then the first issue has a Frank Miller and Joe Rubinstein cover.  It's not even a Jim Lee cover... for 10K I think you can probably get the original artwork.  Heck, for that kind of money you may even get Miller to draw your portrait. 

Probably after that sale, you can't any more.

That should also serve to remind what a cushy deal the CGC folks have.  For their fee, they give you a locked plastic box and a note with what, for all the world, COULD be a random number (it isn't, but it could be).  The mere presence of the note then overinflates the segment of the market.

Mommy, I wanna be a professional comic book grader, when I grow up!

I let Heritage slab my Zap #1 and deduct the cost of same from the sale price. I think I got a deal because NOBODY expected it to go as high as it did and I think CGC charges based on the "value" of the book. As for the grades, it's mind-boggling how much someone seems to be willing to pay for a book they can't even OPEN UP! But the "why" is more befuddling than the "how much"?
Peace, Jim (|:{>

[Drusilla lives!]

If it is, then the first issue has a Frank Miller and Joe Rubinstein cover.  It's not even a Jim Lee cover... for 10K I think you can probably get the original artwork.  Heck, for that kind of money you may even get Miller to draw your portrait. 

Probably after that sale, you can't any more.

LOL.  Yes... very true indeed. 

... I think CGC charges based on the "value" of the book. As for the grades, it's mind-boggling how much someone seems to be willing to pay for a book they can't even OPEN UP! ...

Yeah it's by the estimated value... which is usually an estimate gleaned from the "Overstreet Price Guide."  The big unknown is the comics value for insurance purposes (shipping insurance), that usually drives up the cost of slabbing a book, especially for silver and bronze age books... which I really don't think makes it cost effective to do for these books unless they have an estimated value in excess of say $300.  If you're going to have CGC slab something yourself it's usually "base fee" + shipping + insurance.

BTW, the comics can be removed from the holder (care must be taken in doing so)... but of course that invalidates the grade.  In the end, I think it's a good idea (both for the seller and the buyer) for comics that I feel are genuine collectors items and would sell for a high price anyway.  It just eliminates some of the guess work in the transaction process when one goes to buy or sell such books... nevertheless the ultimate price paid or received is still determined by other forces (as we see with the Wolverine #1 comic).