Saturday
Sunday
ls Comic Book Collecting Dying A Slow Death? Wall Street Jounal Indicates That This Could Be Possible...
Originally published as " Who's Going to WantGrandma's Gnomes?"
By JEFFREY ZASLOW, Staff Reporter of The Wall Street Journal.
From The Wall Street Journal Online
In Graytown, Ohio, 51-year-old Doug Martin has amassed a collection of 5,000 pencils, most of them never used. Some date back to the 1800s.
He sometimes wonders what will become of his prized collection when he dies. Will his children stick them in a sharpener and write with them? "It hurts to think about it," he says.
Young people today have little interest in the stamp, coin or knickknack collections of their elders, so an aging America can't help but wonder: What's going to happen to all those boxes in the basement?
Well, here's an idea for Mr. Martin: "His children can glue his pencils together and make a coffin for him," says Harry Rinker, sharply.
A collectibles researcher in Vera Cruz, Pa., Mr. Rinker, 64, himself collects everything from jigsaw puzzles to antique toilet paper. But he thinks sentimental "accumulators" need a reality check. "Old-timers thought the next generation would love their stuff the way they did," he says. "Well guess what -- it's not happening." He advises: Enjoy your collections, die with them, and have no expectations about anything after that.
Collecting things, once a big part of childhood, is now pretty much passé with kids. Preoccupied with MP3 players and computer games, they are rarely found sitting at the kitchen table putting postage stamps into collectors' books or slipping old coins into plastic sleeves. These days, baseball cards and comic books are collected by adults. Of the estimated 37 million Americans who identified themselves as collectors in 2000, just 11% were under the age of 36, according to a study by marketing consultant Unity Marketing Inc. Most were over 50.
Some collectors say they wouldn't mind if their heirs just sold everything on eBay. The Internet keeps alive a market for many objects by making it easy for far-flung collectors to find one another. But people do fear that collections lovingly assembled will be mishandled or trashed by their offspring. That's why collectors groups are now organizing emergency efforts to keep things out of the wrong hands.
The International Sewing Machine Collectors' Society, based in London, gets in touch with families when it hears of a member's death, so the machines can end up with someone who will treasure them. They're often too late. One member recently died and his family sold his old sewing machines to a junk dealer for $200. The machines, some dating to the 1860s, were worth about $65,000, according to Graham Forsdyke, secretary for the 800-member society. He adds: "I don't know of a single collection that's been passed down after a death."
Young people today amass hundreds of songs on their iPods and, decades from now, may very well be collecting "vintage" cellphones or other electronic devices, says Linda Kruger, editor of Collectors News, based in Grundy Center, Iowa. Or it may just be so much junk. There's no way to predict the future value of such things, she adds.
In the meantime, most young people don't connect with their elders' collections. In Goodyear, Ariz., Zita Wessa, 72, says her grandchildren walk past her display cases of gnome figurines "and show no interest at all." Her 45-year-old son, Scott, says he'd be happy to inherit one of the giant cabinets she stores them in, but the gnomes "don't do much for me. If she begged me to take them, I would, because I love my mother. But I don't know what I'd do with them." (His mom says she paid $5,600 over the years for her 160 gnomes, but their current value is uncertain.)
William Adrian, 72, of Plainfield, Ill., collects miniature guns. He says his three children "wouldn't give you a twenty-dollar bill for any of it."
"Collecting is about memory, and young people today have a different memory base," explains Mr. Rinker, who is well known in antiquing circles for his books and personal appearances. He lives in a 14,000-square-foot former elementary school in Vera Cruz, Pa. He uses the classrooms as storage spaces for his 250 different collections. He says he doesn't care what becomes of it all once he's gone, and if his children opt to use his rolls of century-old toilet paper, "that might be the finest honor they can give me."
Mr. Martin, the pencil collector, is unlikely to have his collection stay in the family after he dies. His daughter, Elizabeth Jefferson, 24, says if she inherits the pencils -- which her dad values at $4,500 -- she'd donate them to other collectors or to a museum.
If new generations of collectors don't materialize, the value of items will plummet. That's why marble clubs, to generate enthusiasm, send free marbles to schools. The U.S. Mint has a Web site with cartoons and computer games to entertain kids about the thrills of coin-collecting. Indeed, children have shown considerable interest in the state quarters program.
In West Chester, Pa., Judy Knauer, founder of the 700-member National Toothpick Holder Collectors' Society, gives away toothpick holders to young people. She tells them, "Here's your start." But few get hooked.
Some collecting groups have created unstated policies. The 650-member National Milk Glass Collectors Society -- a group devoted to opaque glass -- holds an annual auction. When the rare young person shows up to bid on an item, older collectors lower their hands. "We back off and let the young person buy it. We want them to add to their collections," says Bart Gardner, the group's past president.
In Palo Alto, Calif., Tom Wyman, 78, has about 900 antique slide rules. Mr. Wyman belongs to the 430-member Oughtred Society, named for William Oughtred, who in the 1620s invented an early form of the slide rule. The group hosts lectures to entice youngsters to embrace slide-rule collecting. But Mr. Wyman says such "missionary work" is a hard sell. "It's quite a challenge to give a talk that keeps everybody awake -- both the 80-year-old collectors and the 12-year-olds in the audience."
Mr. Wyman's son, Tom, 41, who doesn't know how to use a slide rule, admires his dad's devotion to preserving the instrument. Still, he appreciates that his father has promised to eventually dispose of the collection. "He has told me, 'I won't saddle you with this,' " says the younger Mr. Wyman. Some of the slide rules are worth just pennies, while others could sell for $2,000.
George Beilke, 61, of Tulsa, Okla., has amassed 35,000 used instant-lottery tickets. His daughter, Sarah, 23, says that when she tells friends about the collection, "they look at me like I'm crazy. It's guilt by association." During her childhood, her dad tried to get her involved. He gave her tickets and assumed she was diligently putting them between the sheet protectors he provided. But she just hid them in her room.
Ms. Beilke is set to inherit the collection and says she'll donate it to the 200-member Global Lottery Collector's Society. She may hold on to a handful of tickets as keepsakes. "It would keep the bond between us," says her dad. "I just hope she puts them in the sheet protectors."
Some collectors now accept that younger people don't want their stuff. Philadelphia Daily News columnist Stu Bykofsky, 64, has collected the last editions of 79 daily newspapers that closed down since 1963. His adult children don't want the old newspapers, which fill a closet. "The only kind of paper my family wants is greenbacks and stock certificates," he says.
He hasn't been able to find a university to take his collection, either. And now he's under the gun to get rid of it. He is about to marry his third wife, who is 27 years old, and in the prenuptial agreement, there's a clause that he must dispose of the collection by Dec. 31. She wants to store her shoes in that closet.
"At least I can wear my shoes," says his fiancée, Jennifer Graham. "He never reads those papers, and besides, he likes how I look in my shoes."
Email your comments to sjeditor@dowjones.com
By JEFFREY ZASLOW, Staff Reporter of The Wall Street Journal.
From The Wall Street Journal Online
In Graytown, Ohio, 51-year-old Doug Martin has amassed a collection of 5,000 pencils, most of them never used. Some date back to the 1800s.
He sometimes wonders what will become of his prized collection when he dies. Will his children stick them in a sharpener and write with them? "It hurts to think about it," he says.
Young people today have little interest in the stamp, coin or knickknack collections of their elders, so an aging America can't help but wonder: What's going to happen to all those boxes in the basement?
Well, here's an idea for Mr. Martin: "His children can glue his pencils together and make a coffin for him," says Harry Rinker, sharply.
A collectibles researcher in Vera Cruz, Pa., Mr. Rinker, 64, himself collects everything from jigsaw puzzles to antique toilet paper. But he thinks sentimental "accumulators" need a reality check. "Old-timers thought the next generation would love their stuff the way they did," he says. "Well guess what -- it's not happening." He advises: Enjoy your collections, die with them, and have no expectations about anything after that.
Collecting things, once a big part of childhood, is now pretty much passé with kids. Preoccupied with MP3 players and computer games, they are rarely found sitting at the kitchen table putting postage stamps into collectors' books or slipping old coins into plastic sleeves. These days, baseball cards and comic books are collected by adults. Of the estimated 37 million Americans who identified themselves as collectors in 2000, just 11% were under the age of 36, according to a study by marketing consultant Unity Marketing Inc. Most were over 50.
Some collectors say they wouldn't mind if their heirs just sold everything on eBay. The Internet keeps alive a market for many objects by making it easy for far-flung collectors to find one another. But people do fear that collections lovingly assembled will be mishandled or trashed by their offspring. That's why collectors groups are now organizing emergency efforts to keep things out of the wrong hands.
The International Sewing Machine Collectors' Society, based in London, gets in touch with families when it hears of a member's death, so the machines can end up with someone who will treasure them. They're often too late. One member recently died and his family sold his old sewing machines to a junk dealer for $200. The machines, some dating to the 1860s, were worth about $65,000, according to Graham Forsdyke, secretary for the 800-member society. He adds: "I don't know of a single collection that's been passed down after a death."
Young people today amass hundreds of songs on their iPods and, decades from now, may very well be collecting "vintage" cellphones or other electronic devices, says Linda Kruger, editor of Collectors News, based in Grundy Center, Iowa. Or it may just be so much junk. There's no way to predict the future value of such things, she adds.
In the meantime, most young people don't connect with their elders' collections. In Goodyear, Ariz., Zita Wessa, 72, says her grandchildren walk past her display cases of gnome figurines "and show no interest at all." Her 45-year-old son, Scott, says he'd be happy to inherit one of the giant cabinets she stores them in, but the gnomes "don't do much for me. If she begged me to take them, I would, because I love my mother. But I don't know what I'd do with them." (His mom says she paid $5,600 over the years for her 160 gnomes, but their current value is uncertain.)
William Adrian, 72, of Plainfield, Ill., collects miniature guns. He says his three children "wouldn't give you a twenty-dollar bill for any of it."
"Collecting is about memory, and young people today have a different memory base," explains Mr. Rinker, who is well known in antiquing circles for his books and personal appearances. He lives in a 14,000-square-foot former elementary school in Vera Cruz, Pa. He uses the classrooms as storage spaces for his 250 different collections. He says he doesn't care what becomes of it all once he's gone, and if his children opt to use his rolls of century-old toilet paper, "that might be the finest honor they can give me."
Mr. Martin, the pencil collector, is unlikely to have his collection stay in the family after he dies. His daughter, Elizabeth Jefferson, 24, says if she inherits the pencils -- which her dad values at $4,500 -- she'd donate them to other collectors or to a museum.
If new generations of collectors don't materialize, the value of items will plummet. That's why marble clubs, to generate enthusiasm, send free marbles to schools. The U.S. Mint has a Web site with cartoons and computer games to entertain kids about the thrills of coin-collecting. Indeed, children have shown considerable interest in the state quarters program.
In West Chester, Pa., Judy Knauer, founder of the 700-member National Toothpick Holder Collectors' Society, gives away toothpick holders to young people. She tells them, "Here's your start." But few get hooked.
Some collecting groups have created unstated policies. The 650-member National Milk Glass Collectors Society -- a group devoted to opaque glass -- holds an annual auction. When the rare young person shows up to bid on an item, older collectors lower their hands. "We back off and let the young person buy it. We want them to add to their collections," says Bart Gardner, the group's past president.
In Palo Alto, Calif., Tom Wyman, 78, has about 900 antique slide rules. Mr. Wyman belongs to the 430-member Oughtred Society, named for William Oughtred, who in the 1620s invented an early form of the slide rule. The group hosts lectures to entice youngsters to embrace slide-rule collecting. But Mr. Wyman says such "missionary work" is a hard sell. "It's quite a challenge to give a talk that keeps everybody awake -- both the 80-year-old collectors and the 12-year-olds in the audience."
Mr. Wyman's son, Tom, 41, who doesn't know how to use a slide rule, admires his dad's devotion to preserving the instrument. Still, he appreciates that his father has promised to eventually dispose of the collection. "He has told me, 'I won't saddle you with this,' " says the younger Mr. Wyman. Some of the slide rules are worth just pennies, while others could sell for $2,000.
George Beilke, 61, of Tulsa, Okla., has amassed 35,000 used instant-lottery tickets. His daughter, Sarah, 23, says that when she tells friends about the collection, "they look at me like I'm crazy. It's guilt by association." During her childhood, her dad tried to get her involved. He gave her tickets and assumed she was diligently putting them between the sheet protectors he provided. But she just hid them in her room.
Ms. Beilke is set to inherit the collection and says she'll donate it to the 200-member Global Lottery Collector's Society. She may hold on to a handful of tickets as keepsakes. "It would keep the bond between us," says her dad. "I just hope she puts them in the sheet protectors."
Some collectors now accept that younger people don't want their stuff. Philadelphia Daily News columnist Stu Bykofsky, 64, has collected the last editions of 79 daily newspapers that closed down since 1963. His adult children don't want the old newspapers, which fill a closet. "The only kind of paper my family wants is greenbacks and stock certificates," he says.
He hasn't been able to find a university to take his collection, either. And now he's under the gun to get rid of it. He is about to marry his third wife, who is 27 years old, and in the prenuptial agreement, there's a clause that he must dispose of the collection by Dec. 31. She wants to store her shoes in that closet.
"At least I can wear my shoes," says his fiancée, Jennifer Graham. "He never reads those papers, and besides, he likes how I look in my shoes."
Email your comments to sjeditor@dowjones.com
Saturday
Superman, Make Me Rich -- Investors There May Be Gold in Comic Books
STORY REPORTED BY NICHOLAS FAULKNER CINCINATTI ENQUIRER CONTRIBUTOR
Paul Mullins not only knows that Superman is faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound - but also that he can help you make some major cash.
Mullins, owner of Comic Book World, which has stores in Florence, Cheviot and Louisville, has been in the business of selling comic books for more than 30 years. He says investing in comic books is less volatile than investing in the stock market. If you invest in the right comics, "your return can be a lot greater," he said.
A high-grade comic, in Mullins' opinion, is like gold these days.
Not everyone agrees. The American Association of Individual Investors cautions that comics don't pay dividends like some stocks.
More important, the non-profit association believes comic books are a high-maintenance investment because of hidden costs, including insurance against damage and theft and the need for protective storage. The effort that goes into collecting comics takes more time and money for the average investor than researching Wall Street firms, it warns.
Mullins notes, as with any investment, homework must be done.
Before you buy a first-edition comic book, consider that its condition is one of the main factors in its value. Comics in mint condition sell for much higher prices - at times up to 250 percent higher.
At http://www.cgccomics.com/ you can go online to see where your comic book stands on a grading scale from 0.5 to 10, with 10 being a mint copy. If you want to preserve your comics, you can pay the Web site operator, Comics Guaranty LLC of Sarasota, Fla., to have the book air-sealed in plastic and officially graded.
The charge for this service generally ranges from $16 to more than $100. The downside of this option is that you can't open your books and read them.
Mullins recently sold an Amazing Fantasy No.15, which included the first appearance of Spiderman, at a graded value of 9.6 for more than $7,000. Paying for the grading is worth the extra money, he says.
Along with age and condition being an important factor, you should also look for reputation, says Mark Craddock, a comic book investor and store manager of Comic Book World in Florence, who has been collecting for 20-plus years.
The Spiderman, X-Man, Batman and Hulk comics are usually a safe buy as an investment, he says.
Comics that Craddock believes might return a higher profit is the Ultimate Spiderman series, which can be bought for $300.
NOSTALGIA IN ACTION
What kind of money can you expect to get out of high-grade, aged and reputable comic books?
A few years ago, Action No. 1, which is valuable because it includes the first appearance of Superman from DC Comics, was purchased for more than $100,000. "Everyone thought the buyer was crazy. But a year later he turned around and sold it for over $300,000," Craddock said.
He bought comic books at an issue price of $2 and sold them when they reached $20.
ON THE WEB
Traditionally, comic book sales were driven by trade shows or auctions. The Internet has changed that. The Internet is the "next-generation comic book store," says Don Parker, who owns Parker's Records and Comics in Milford. He has been in the comic book business nearly 30 years. His online revenues have skyrocketed, but he acknowledges his in-store revenues have gone down by 60 percent. That's why he has focused his attention on his Web site.
The Internet hosts thousands of comic book sales on eBay weekly. Parker says he sells around $3,000 worth of material on eBay alone each week.
Yet while the Internet can be useful, it can also be a place for rip-offs. Mullins cautions that it's "important to be extra careful before making a purchase on the internet. Check the source."
Michelangelo Testa, a local auctioneer who has auctioned single comic books valued in the thousands, says the Internet can be good and bad for investments.
"You can never be too careful when it comes to the Internet," he said.
Some comic book investors would rather buy comics at auctions because they can actually see the pages and touch what they are buying, he said.
Matt Parmentor of Queen City Comic & Card Co. in Pleasant Ridge notes that if you're buying on eBay, be sure to check the feedback to know other experiences people have had from a particular seller.
Parmentor is not a believer in buying comics as an investment; he thinks people should buy them for the enjoyment of reading them.
The Associated Press contributed. E-mail nrfaul@wm.edu
Paul Mullins not only knows that Superman is faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound - but also that he can help you make some major cash.
Mullins, owner of Comic Book World, which has stores in Florence, Cheviot and Louisville, has been in the business of selling comic books for more than 30 years. He says investing in comic books is less volatile than investing in the stock market. If you invest in the right comics, "your return can be a lot greater," he said.
A high-grade comic, in Mullins' opinion, is like gold these days.
Not everyone agrees. The American Association of Individual Investors cautions that comics don't pay dividends like some stocks.
More important, the non-profit association believes comic books are a high-maintenance investment because of hidden costs, including insurance against damage and theft and the need for protective storage. The effort that goes into collecting comics takes more time and money for the average investor than researching Wall Street firms, it warns.
Mullins notes, as with any investment, homework must be done.
Before you buy a first-edition comic book, consider that its condition is one of the main factors in its value. Comics in mint condition sell for much higher prices - at times up to 250 percent higher.
At http://www.cgccomics.com/ you can go online to see where your comic book stands on a grading scale from 0.5 to 10, with 10 being a mint copy. If you want to preserve your comics, you can pay the Web site operator, Comics Guaranty LLC of Sarasota, Fla., to have the book air-sealed in plastic and officially graded.
The charge for this service generally ranges from $16 to more than $100. The downside of this option is that you can't open your books and read them.
Mullins recently sold an Amazing Fantasy No.15, which included the first appearance of Spiderman, at a graded value of 9.6 for more than $7,000. Paying for the grading is worth the extra money, he says.
Along with age and condition being an important factor, you should also look for reputation, says Mark Craddock, a comic book investor and store manager of Comic Book World in Florence, who has been collecting for 20-plus years.
The Spiderman, X-Man, Batman and Hulk comics are usually a safe buy as an investment, he says.
Comics that Craddock believes might return a higher profit is the Ultimate Spiderman series, which can be bought for $300.
NOSTALGIA IN ACTION
What kind of money can you expect to get out of high-grade, aged and reputable comic books?
A few years ago, Action No. 1, which is valuable because it includes the first appearance of Superman from DC Comics, was purchased for more than $100,000. "Everyone thought the buyer was crazy. But a year later he turned around and sold it for over $300,000," Craddock said.
He bought comic books at an issue price of $2 and sold them when they reached $20.
ON THE WEB
Traditionally, comic book sales were driven by trade shows or auctions. The Internet has changed that. The Internet is the "next-generation comic book store," says Don Parker, who owns Parker's Records and Comics in Milford. He has been in the comic book business nearly 30 years. His online revenues have skyrocketed, but he acknowledges his in-store revenues have gone down by 60 percent. That's why he has focused his attention on his Web site.
The Internet hosts thousands of comic book sales on eBay weekly. Parker says he sells around $3,000 worth of material on eBay alone each week.
Yet while the Internet can be useful, it can also be a place for rip-offs. Mullins cautions that it's "important to be extra careful before making a purchase on the internet. Check the source."
Michelangelo Testa, a local auctioneer who has auctioned single comic books valued in the thousands, says the Internet can be good and bad for investments.
"You can never be too careful when it comes to the Internet," he said.
Some comic book investors would rather buy comics at auctions because they can actually see the pages and touch what they are buying, he said.
Matt Parmentor of Queen City Comic & Card Co. in Pleasant Ridge notes that if you're buying on eBay, be sure to check the feedback to know other experiences people have had from a particular seller.
Parmentor is not a believer in buying comics as an investment; he thinks people should buy them for the enjoyment of reading them.
The Associated Press contributed. E-mail nrfaul@wm.edu
148 Grossly Under-Valued Comic Books That You Can Easily Pick Up At Prices Far Below Their REAL Market Value
Just a few years ago, you could buy Ghost Rider #1 for $4. And you could buy Astonishing Tales #25 (the first Deathlok) for only $2. Now these comic books sell for more than 10-20 times this much just about anywhere you go!
You can now see a list of 148 comics that could fall in the same category by clicking HERE.
Do you have any of these?
You can now see a list of 148 comics that could fall in the same category by clicking HERE.
Do you have any of these?
12,000 Near Mint Rare 1950s Comics Discovered in Warehouse
Workers discovered a some rare comic books in a warehouse in England. The Salvation Army will benefit from their sale at Ewbank Auctioneers in Surrey, England, when they are auctioned on March 16.
A chance discovery by workmen called in to clear a warehouse in the North West of England is set to produce a substantial cash windfall for the Salvation Army. To their amazement, the workmen uncovered thousands of now highly collectable American comic books and magazines, some dating back to the 1950s, some wrapped and boxed in the same pristine condition as when they left the printer.
The comics - which number approximately 12,000 - will be sold by Ewbank Auctioneers, Guildford, Surrey, on Thursday March 16. After deducting their expenses in handling and shipping the comics to the auction, the liquidation company that discovered them has decided to donate the profit from the sale to the Salvation Army.
"We handle a great number of jobs where we are asked to clear the complete contents of a shop, office or warehouse and we handle some interesting things, but this was one of most amazing discoveries of my career," said Mr Robert Majithia, of Woking, Surrey-based Drakus Limited, distributors of excess, surplus and liquidation stock.
"There were 40 boxes of the comics each containing about 300 copies, sitting on palettes which had been forgotten over the years. When we realised just how valuable some of the collectable comics are, we called in Ewbank to auction them for us. We were working in the warehouse on a completely different assignment and the comics were a surprise bonus. Consequently, we have decided to donate the proceeds from the sale less our expenses to the Salvation Army."
Among the most valuable and sought after comics in the consignment are some dating from 1955 featuring 'Captain Gallant of the Foreign Legion'.
They will be sold in lots of 50, giving collectors the opportunity to buy a lot, keep one copy for their collection and trade the others for similarly rare prizes. Estimates of £60-100 have been deliberately kept low to encourage private buying, particularly via realtime bidding on the internet from the U.S., where the hobby has a huge following.
Internet bidding is provided by LiveAuctioneers.com in association with eBay Live Internet-bidding services.
Other comic book heroes and titles represented in the collection are legion. They include 'American Flagg', 'Champions', 'Outposts', 'Northguard', 'Judge Dredd', 'The Sisterhood of Steel', 'Terraformers, Shapers of Worlds', 'Robotech Masters', 'The New DNAgents', 'Dynamo Joe', 'Dan Dare', 'Mai The Psychic Girl', 'Doom Patrol The Official Index' and many more.
Viewing for this Spring sale at Ewbank's Burnt Common, Guildford, saleroom is on Tuesday March 14 from 2-5pm and on Wednesday March 15, 10am-8pm.
Illustrated catalogues will be available approximately five days before the sale and can be viewed at www.antiquestradegazette.com/ewbank and www.liveauctioneers.com.
For further information, please contact Christopher Ewbank FRICS ASFAV on 01483 223101 or antiques@ewbankauctions.co.uk.
A chance discovery by workmen called in to clear a warehouse in the North West of England is set to produce a substantial cash windfall for the Salvation Army. To their amazement, the workmen uncovered thousands of now highly collectable American comic books and magazines, some dating back to the 1950s, some wrapped and boxed in the same pristine condition as when they left the printer.
The comics - which number approximately 12,000 - will be sold by Ewbank Auctioneers, Guildford, Surrey, on Thursday March 16. After deducting their expenses in handling and shipping the comics to the auction, the liquidation company that discovered them has decided to donate the profit from the sale to the Salvation Army.
"We handle a great number of jobs where we are asked to clear the complete contents of a shop, office or warehouse and we handle some interesting things, but this was one of most amazing discoveries of my career," said Mr Robert Majithia, of Woking, Surrey-based Drakus Limited, distributors of excess, surplus and liquidation stock.
"There were 40 boxes of the comics each containing about 300 copies, sitting on palettes which had been forgotten over the years. When we realised just how valuable some of the collectable comics are, we called in Ewbank to auction them for us. We were working in the warehouse on a completely different assignment and the comics were a surprise bonus. Consequently, we have decided to donate the proceeds from the sale less our expenses to the Salvation Army."
Among the most valuable and sought after comics in the consignment are some dating from 1955 featuring 'Captain Gallant of the Foreign Legion'.
They will be sold in lots of 50, giving collectors the opportunity to buy a lot, keep one copy for their collection and trade the others for similarly rare prizes. Estimates of £60-100 have been deliberately kept low to encourage private buying, particularly via realtime bidding on the internet from the U.S., where the hobby has a huge following.
Internet bidding is provided by LiveAuctioneers.com in association with eBay Live Internet-bidding services.
Other comic book heroes and titles represented in the collection are legion. They include 'American Flagg', 'Champions', 'Outposts', 'Northguard', 'Judge Dredd', 'The Sisterhood of Steel', 'Terraformers, Shapers of Worlds', 'Robotech Masters', 'The New DNAgents', 'Dynamo Joe', 'Dan Dare', 'Mai The Psychic Girl', 'Doom Patrol The Official Index' and many more.
Viewing for this Spring sale at Ewbank's Burnt Common, Guildford, saleroom is on Tuesday March 14 from 2-5pm and on Wednesday March 15, 10am-8pm.
Illustrated catalogues will be available approximately five days before the sale and can be viewed at www.antiquestradegazette.com/ewbank and www.liveauctioneers.com.
For further information, please contact Christopher Ewbank FRICS ASFAV on 01483 223101 or antiques@ewbankauctions.co.uk.
Popular Book For Comic Buyers Taken Off The Market -- Becomes Free To All
The popular book "Comic Book Buying Secrets" has been taken off the market. It sold very well for $29.97 over the last few years. The book is 120 pages and provided extensive information comic collectors and dealers on buying comics for enjoyment and for investment.
But there is good news. Over the next several weeks, all the information in this book will be gradually released to the public and be shared on-line -- at no charge. The book chapters will be released as articles that you can find by going to ComicBookGoldmine.com. There's no catch. Nothing else for you to buy. It's our gift to you. Enjoy!
But there is good news. Over the next several weeks, all the information in this book will be gradually released to the public and be shared on-line -- at no charge. The book chapters will be released as articles that you can find by going to ComicBookGoldmine.com. There's no catch. Nothing else for you to buy. It's our gift to you. Enjoy!
Comic Books Growth Equals The Stock Market
The Metropolis Index, compiled by Manhattan-based gallery Metropolis Collectibles, tracks the value of 30 of the most coveted comic book titles. Over the last ten years, the comics index has increased about 13% on a compound annual basis -- roughly the same growth rate as the Dow. Who said old, vintage comics were not good investments?
But new titles are also growing in value, though on a far smaller scale. Top picks from the most recent Wizard magazine include: "Fantastic Four" #536 — featuring the return of the evil Dr. Doom who had been presumed dead for a number of years — and "Superman" #650.
According to Wizard, popular new titles, costing about $2.99, can double or triple in value in a matter of weeks.
But new titles are also growing in value, though on a far smaller scale. Top picks from the most recent Wizard magazine include: "Fantastic Four" #536 — featuring the return of the evil Dr. Doom who had been presumed dead for a number of years — and "Superman" #650.
According to Wizard, popular new titles, costing about $2.99, can double or triple in value in a matter of weeks.
Sunday
NY Businessman Absolutely Refuses To Sell His Action Comics #1 For $250,000.00
Peter Lutrario, a Staten Island-based businessman, has a love affair with his comic books. He is especially been passionate about Superman since he was a young child. He has bas been collecting vintage books for the last 25 years.
Reported last week in the NY Daily News as part of the story about the NY Comic Con. Lutrario said his most valuable and most-prized possession is an "Action Comics" No. 1. " There are only 50 to 100 of them in the world and this is the comic book that started the whole Superman saga."
He paid $110,000 for it four years ago. It's estimated worth today: $250,000. When asked if he would consider selling? "No," he said. "That book is the Holy Grail of my collection."
Reported last week in the NY Daily News as part of the story about the NY Comic Con. Lutrario said his most valuable and most-prized possession is an "Action Comics" No. 1. " There are only 50 to 100 of them in the world and this is the comic book that started the whole Superman saga."
He paid $110,000 for it four years ago. It's estimated worth today: $250,000. When asked if he would consider selling? "No," he said. "That book is the Holy Grail of my collection."
Superman Returns: When Will The Hype Start For Investing In Superman Comic Books?
It's already happening. The national hype is already starting for "Superman Returns," set to hit movie theaters on June 30. All you have to do is to go to any movie and you'll see it.
The flick, directed by Bryan Singer of "X-Men" fame, features Kevin Spacey as Lex Luthor and newcomer Brandon Routh in the Christopher Reeve role. Yeah, right!
However, this is good news for comic investors. I expect the same thing to happen for Superman as happened with the X-Men and Spidey flicks. I expect to short-term spike in the prices of Superman comic books...especially any comic featuring Lex Luthor...especially if he's on the cover. My advise: Grab 'em....especially if you can put a few away for a few dollars without losing your shirt and then sell 'em within a month or two after this flick comes out. This is ol' buy low, sell high philosophy at work. Works for real estate. Works for stocks. And it works for comics.
The flick, directed by Bryan Singer of "X-Men" fame, features Kevin Spacey as Lex Luthor and newcomer Brandon Routh in the Christopher Reeve role. Yeah, right!
However, this is good news for comic investors. I expect the same thing to happen for Superman as happened with the X-Men and Spidey flicks. I expect to short-term spike in the prices of Superman comic books...especially any comic featuring Lex Luthor...especially if he's on the cover. My advise: Grab 'em....especially if you can put a few away for a few dollars without losing your shirt and then sell 'em within a month or two after this flick comes out. This is ol' buy low, sell high philosophy at work. Works for real estate. Works for stocks. And it works for comics.
CGC Comics Continue To Sell Well On eBay
As I mentioned here last week, CGC comics are the way to go. Slabbing your comics can cost a chunk of change, but if you can swing the cost -- especially on Silver Age Comics -- it usually pays off. Here are just a few comic book prices reported by Scoop on Friday, March 03, 2006 from some sales on eBay that have occured in the last week...
• 1912 Chasing The Blues in fine+ condition sold for $214.50
• Amazing Spider-Man #17 CGC certified 9.0 sold for $975
• If The Devil Would Talk CGC certified 9.6 with white pages sold for $811
• Star Trek #8 CGC certified 9.4 with white pages sold for $798
• Batman #218 CGC certified 9.6 with white pages sold for $535
• March of Comics #41 CGC certified 5.0 featuring Donald Duck sold for $511
• Miracleman #15 CGC certified 9.2 sold for $57
• Journey Into Mystery #120 CGC certified 9.0 sold for $113.71
• Mask of Dr. Fu Manchu #1 CGC certified 6.5 sold for $499
• Incredible Hulk #181 CGC certified 8.5 sold for $879.99
• 1912 Chasing The Blues in fine+ condition sold for $214.50
• Amazing Spider-Man #17 CGC certified 9.0 sold for $975
• If The Devil Would Talk CGC certified 9.6 with white pages sold for $811
• Star Trek #8 CGC certified 9.4 with white pages sold for $798
• Batman #218 CGC certified 9.6 with white pages sold for $535
• March of Comics #41 CGC certified 5.0 featuring Donald Duck sold for $511
• Miracleman #15 CGC certified 9.2 sold for $57
• Journey Into Mystery #120 CGC certified 9.0 sold for $113.71
• Mask of Dr. Fu Manchu #1 CGC certified 6.5 sold for $499
• Incredible Hulk #181 CGC certified 8.5 sold for $879.99
Daredevil Battles Hitler #1 in Hake's Auction
Hake's Auction Hake's Americana is about to list a CGC 8.5 copy of Daredevil Battles Hitler #1 in their Spring Auction. This copy is among the highest graded copies that CGC has seen. The auction is scheduled to open for bidding to start on March 8, 2006. Registering to bid at Hake's is easy. You can find details on the upcoming event as well as past auctions at http://www.hakes.com.
With it's classic Golden age cover, Daredevil Battles Hitler #1 is one of the most sought after comics of all time. Many cite the cover, which incorporates a photo of Adolph Hitler, as the #1 reason that this comic is so popular hrfor its popularity among collectors. Some other comic book collectors feel that it is the origin story of Hitler that is featured inside the book. And there are still others that feel that it is the character of Daredevil who, in his amazing battle with the villainous Hitler, is what actually sells the book. Who really knows? No matter the reason, comic book collectors are always on the lookout for a good copy of this Golden Age comic and Hake's is listing one of the best of all time.
With it's classic Golden age cover, Daredevil Battles Hitler #1 is one of the most sought after comics of all time. Many cite the cover, which incorporates a photo of Adolph Hitler, as the #1 reason that this comic is so popular hrfor its popularity among collectors. Some other comic book collectors feel that it is the origin story of Hitler that is featured inside the book. And there are still others that feel that it is the character of Daredevil who, in his amazing battle with the villainous Hitler, is what actually sells the book. Who really knows? No matter the reason, comic book collectors are always on the lookout for a good copy of this Golden Age comic and Hake's is listing one of the best of all time.
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