Did I manipulate the market? Well, I bought one of two graded copies of a particular comic. Two months later, would you believe, the other graded copy was put up for sale by a different seller. Being a favorite of mine, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity. I paid twice as much for it. Both are CGC 9.8s. The listed value for both is the average of the two. That was over a year ago and I still own the only two graded copies. I’ll enjoy this feast for as long as it lasts! 👍🏾😀
*_I must have at least 50 different books where I own ALL the slabbed versions of the book, as I buy them out quickly. I have sold extra copies; these sales have paid for ALL the slabs bought of that book; as I OWN that market. I remain the highest grades of all these books as well. ANY of the slabs is pure profit if I sell, but they only go up in value and I currently "do not need the money"._* *_25% of these books I have cracked and applied some magic to and they have gotten an even higher grade. All labels were sent in so the correct, low population is present._* *_Make The Hobby Pay For Itself._* *_I don't find this "owning a market" to be crazy. What is crazy is I have past decade sent in to CGC 250+ copies of Jim Lee's X-Men no.1; and never got a 9.9 or a 10._* Edit: for clarification, it's 50 different books "I control" in my Mad Comic Book Collecting Kingdom, muhahahahah.
Insane. They definitely changed their grading standards with their recent 9.9s smh. You have like golden age markets or silver age? Cuz 50 isn’t most census of bronze or copper books right?
No, it's recognizing an opportunity and yes safeguarding your investment is a factor, but you were willing to shell out not once but twice because you like the book, and ultimately, that is the genesis of the purchase. Two purchases is also not going to significantly move the needle long term. Even on a scarce book. Fluke auctions that aren't listed correctly or end at odd hours can also throw off FMV. Now you have one to keep and one to sell. Not a bad situation to be in
Since you paid the same price for a 2.5 as you did for the 1.8, you really devalued the 1.8 in my eyes. But buying and holding fast to the number you want for the 1.8 is a reasonable gamble.
I still have left over peanuts from a comic link purchase like a year ago. I live in the boonies, soni keep certain boxes and packing materials. No close by stores.
I’m so glad that I took Stand Lee’s advice when I saw him in the the middle 70s. And that advice was if you have the money, buy two of the same comics and that I did and it has paid off. I collected war comics. Super hero comics and horror comics with my saved allowance. I kept one for reading and one for putting it away . So I don’t have an issue with someone buying an extra copy, like I did and I still do at times. I just have an issue with someone coming in and buying up all the monthly issues of a certain comic book that I’m also collecting and I can’t get that issue because someone bought them all lol .
I was wondering if you were the winning bidder. I recently picked up another 6.5 otherwise I would have bid to win. Congratulations. I’d be a buyer on the 1.8 for $1,500
Crypto is returning making 10-30% gains A MONTH. Hope this floods into comics again. I bought some bitcoin in 2023 and am up 200% already so I’ll be putting it into some FA silver age like a AF15 or high grade X-men 1. Maybe a hulk 🧐
I just did the same had a Detective 241 (rainbow Batman) 5.5, recently won a second 7.5 copy. Definitely overpaid on the 5.5 lol I'll not get what I paid unless I hang on to it a long while. Not a lot on the census tho so eventually will probably come out OK. Not trying to manipulate the market just wanted a nicer copy.
Whoah Swagg...so is this going to be a Dark Hawk situation where you just buy every copy you see? Also, I hate shipping peanuts as well, and not sure why anyone still makes them. I don't buy them, but I do re-use them when I ship, just to get rid of them. Maybe that's why they never go away? Maybe we are all just shipping each other the existing peanuts.
I don't necessarily have an issue with anyone "cornering the market". BUT if they then are trying to sell what they have a unrealistic multiples because the books "never come to the open market" simply because they control the "market" for that particular book, then I might find that to be shady. It's almost (if not exactly) the definition of created/false scarcity.
Peanuts are crunchy and sound delicious. I think Haunted Thrills #6 is a very under valued book. The census count is lower than Action Comics #1 with only 44 copies known to exist. #Amazing
THE problem with RAW comic prices is THAT they don't reflect REAL liquidity. They only apply AFTER the buyer has accumulated other books in the set at exstream low cost. THEN, and ONLY THEN, raw prices apply for those buyers who need a book. Because of THIS, official published raw prices inflate a little.
Swagglehaus, anyone who has a You Tube channel is an INFLUENCER and not a Market Manipulator. Many factors influence the comic market, including influencers, but no single element reigns supreme. Ultimately, supply and demand are the driving forces, largely shaped by collectors. As the saying goes, the value of something is determined by what someone is willing to pay for it.
Market participation is not market manipulation. If I pay way over FMV, because I am nutso crazy for Batman, Fomo driven, or whatever, the market is simply responding to my joining in to buy at that point. Even if I do it many, many times for Batman #227, is market manipulation then going on? No, the test for that scale of intervention would be measurable disruption of the customary and usual conduct of general market participation. Market manipulation would be overpowering the usual countervailing effects of other market participants. I am not sure that outside of extremely expensive books bid on by dealers or owners with deep pockets that the general comic book market can be manipulated to a desired goal. One auction on one book does NOT make a market. The general pattern of all comics sold year in and year out, with predictable patterns holding secure to make the comic buying public confident in pursuing the hobby over decades would have to be impacted by OBSERVABLE disruptive actions crashing that confidence.
Not manipulative, because you actually paid for the book. Selling and not paying is one thing. But you are the market and paid what it was worth to you. The market in protected.
Sorry Swag, October used to be the month of horror funny book FOMO. Your influencer coverage of October horror FOMO has pushed horror FOMO back to September now. October is actually now the start of Santa funny book FOMO.
