It's a genuine shame we've devolved into a society that requires statements pointing out the blatantly obvious, but I get it (ie. tidepods.) Just as Steve Jobs and Elon Musk represent one side of the intelligence spectrum, there exists a handful of individuals who proudly and diligently represent the diametric opposite.
Investing in comics is so tricky, but I would look at Golden Age books like early Batman, Superman, and Captain America Comics with famous covers and/or artists like Alex Schomburg. These books, especially early Timelys, are very scarce and don’t sell very often. Big Marvel keys like FF #1, AF #15, Hulk #1, and X-Men #1 are great books to own for the long term. They have all come down so much since the comic boom that it’s only a matter of time before they all go up again. Run-filler Silver Age and Bronze Age books should be avoided as they are so very common.
"Don't buy Silver, Bronze, Copper, Modern right now unless you get a screaming deal/half off." - I get what you're trying to say, that the market has not found the floor yet. But, the original question was for long-term investing; about 10-20 years, right? So, unless you think the floor is in 10-20 years (I would guess not), right now should be a perfectly acceptable time to buy. Will it go lower in the near term? Sure, it could, but trying to time the market is frequently a futile exercise; most often, folks will see the market rebounding already before realizing, "oh crap; that WAS the floor." If you feel strongly that the value of a given book will be higher in 10-20 years than it is today, then buying the book today is totally justifiable.
Everything is volatile but early ASM, Batman are solid investments, X-Men keys can only go up as they enter the MCU and specific artists covers that defy the market like McFarlane,Campbell, Adams, Perez etc..
Ever since Carnage and Morbin' Time, I cringe when I see that Sony is going to introduce a character I've been spec'ing on. I used to get excited when a spec would be announced. Now it's 'oh, f**k'
I think being flexible, opportunistic, and knowledgeable of the last 6-12 months of sales history, you can do ok. It’s definitely how you buy the book is the most important factor to avoid losing your shirt.
I don’t know of anything that is the same price as it was before the big C. If you are waiting for comics to reach pre-C prices, you’re going to miss out. There is still some downside pressure but it’s not going all the way back to pre-C prices
Great content as usual. Can you possibly do a series on the lower grades? They are not as pricey and an investment more people could afford. Thank you, for your "advice".
Good video. I would add to avoid low graded Silver Age and Bronze age keys under 3.0. Currently, I see Ebay is cluttered with .05,1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5. You got Ebay sellers begging for us to take these comic books they spent 1000s on. Not many people want them as most have detached cover, chunks of cover missing, and Marvel chipping. Avoid low grade keys. At least try to get a VG so you know the cover is not detached.
Something I keep telling myself (but can't seem to follow) is to pass on buying comics that appear to be a good deal. Only buy it if it is a "HELL YES!" kinda deal. Those no-brainer deals will come up and you'll want to have the money ready when they do.
Telling people to go to variants for moderns is kinda weak advice. Ratio books are manufactured rarity, it's not really "authentic" for me as "collecting". There are many modern options, but any way since the demographic will only be expanded for online use, yall are done lol!, but I should say we all are done lol! Owners of former-Marvel and DC do not want brick and mortar shops, they need data-mining, not the overhead of printing and shipping... I enjoy checking out this cannel as you have loads of selling and buying experience, it was just that one point, thanks for the advice over all!
...On the mfg rarity: But if someone is a collector of say Wolverine and a ratio variant looks dope af, then they will want it and pay a premium typically... sucks tho, I think there should be a different set of Top Tens and just parts of mkt reports that have ratio variants as a separate discussion... Newsstands are acceptable ratios, inadvertently so which makes newsstands "acceptable" for me to include for modern options...
Manufactured rarity is still rarity. There is huge demand for those books and they’ve proven themselves over many years. For moderns, I wouldn’t really go for anything else.
Continuing my rant part 3 -- I apologize for the delay as my phone crashed just before i was about to submit my LENGTHY 3rd comment which is unfortunate as I only have so much time to devote to this. So, i may bounce around a little now since i lost my steam and focus. Moving forward, everything is relative. There are no absolutes. In regards to Master of Kung Fu do collectors truly believe he's important in the Marvel Universe? And even if they do, would most collectors agree that a mediocre copy of a book about a sub-par character from only 1973 warrant such a price tag? Remember, we're ONLY talking about an 8.5. How about Eternals #1. Is that an important title in the Marvel Universe to justify the prices being paid at the height of the market? My point is podcasts that discuss all or nothing philosophies like the market is dead, CGC is evil, grading is a waste of time, investing in comics is a mistake, etc are not serving the community. I cringe when dealers inform people that a book is selling for $550, so if you can get it for $500 that's a good deal. It may or may not be a good deal depending on the length of time of your investment, but MY STRATEGY is to compare it to similar books in that grade range and price point and determine for myself if its over-valued or under-valued.
Continuing my rant part 4 -- I prefer to compare one character to a similar character from the same time period, a black background cover from the 1970's to a similar black cover from the same time period, a DC book to a similar DC book, a 1st solo appearance of a character to another 1st solo appearance of a similar character and determine if a book is valued correctly. I have 45 years in the hobby, and I don't worry about the long-term strength of the market. In my opinion, the market will be on much more solid ground within 3 years. I believe collectors will decide which books have fallen too far and start buying those issues again, realizing it's a buying opportunity. I believe the market will respond accordingly. I believe 3 years is sufficient time for Marvel and DC and Hollywood to get things moving again after the disaster of Covid. My background is in the film industry, and Covid truly wreaked havoc on it. Within 3 years, collectors will have a much better sense of the things to come, and the market will react accordingly. Does this mean that the success of investing in comics is inextricably linked to the success of the films? My answer is yes and no, depending on how one considers the question. If collectors believe that successfully investing in a character's comic is contingent on the success of the character's movie, then I would argue it's not. To me, a movie is like the cherry on a sundae. It's good, but it's not the sundae. Movies help the comic industry, but if a collector is buying a book because they are making a movie its probably a long-term mistake unless it's an inexpensive investment.
Continuing my rant part 5 -- In my opinion, I don't believe comics have ever been a great short-term investment. This doesn't mean collectors can't succeed in making money from short-term investments as millions of people do so, including myself, but I do believe that investing in comics for the long-term is a safer and more responsible play. Obviously, my comments are skewed to collectors who consider themselves investors in some regard. This does not mean comics are about money. Comics are about enjoyment whether one reads them or not. However, if a collector is spending a lot of money buying them, it would be nice if they would at the very least maintain their value. This is called being responsible. An avid reader of comics is buying them for a different reason and may not care as much if they get their financial value out of them as long as they are enjoying the read. This is especially true if they are primarily buying new comics. So, the more money a collector spends buying comics, the more he/she should hold oneself responsible. Sometimes, I buy an over-priced variant because I like the cover, but in my heart, I know it may not be a good investment, so I try to hold myself accountable by not frequently making irresponsible buys. All collectors must make decisions based on their comfort level. Short term, I believe you make money on the buy. However, I usually focus on the long-term because in my opinion, comics are not ideal for short-term investment. It doesn't mean one can not successfully do so, but it's all about one's comfort zone. I'm a less is more guy in that I prefer quality over quantity. This doesn't mean collectors can't make money buying weak collections in bulk. I only mean I'm not that guy. I'm not comfortable doing it. I don't want to work that hard, and I don't want to store it. Many collectors grading everything is the way to go. I don't! I don't believe in wasting my money. I've sold $340 books for over $6k, so I believe in getting things graded when they will sell for a serious premium.
Continuing my rant part 6 -- Many collectors invest heavily in new comics, but I choose to invest in older material. I prefer to buy a $500 or $1,500 book than a $5 book. Once again, I prefer quality over quantity. Other collectors may disagree with me, which is fine. There are many ways to invest in comics, and everyone must decide for themselves what they are comfortable doing and what they are not comfortable doing. However, everyone should know or learn the benefits and negatives of such decisions.
Continuing my rant part 7 -- I'm not sure if this post of mine was particularly helpful to the community. I apologize for meandering all over the place, but it was an honest attempt to be helpful. In conclusion, I offer this advice. If you are an INVESTOR and only buy Marvel, then you're making a serious mistake. There are tons of great DC comics and even Independent publishers that are GREAT long-term plays. Time is a critical factor in all investments, and many DC and INDEPENDENT KEYS will appreciate at a faster rate than many Marvel keys, especially in high grade. Don't underestimate the scarcity of dark covers in high-grade. Buy what you like, but try to push yourself out of your comfort zone to grow and learn. If you don't buy the Overstreet Price Guide, you're making a mistake as it's a fountain of information. If you don't know how to grade, then you need to learn. If you feel somewhat confident in regards to your ability to grade, but there's room for improvement, then try to educate yourself further. Lastly, spend more time figuring out how to acquire what you want than worrying about making a mistake. Most people regret what they didn't buy than what they did buy. Cheers!
Yes, pedigree books are part of the census. They are not broken out separately. If the pedigree book is a universal copy, it will be in the universal numbers. If it's restored, it'll be in the restored numbers, etc.
I wonder… are there any “collectible funds”? In the art industry there are several art funds that invests in various visual art media. In fact, if you meet the fund qualifications, they will “lend” the pieces out to the members to show the pieces at their home. Maybe the best hope to fractionally own an action one…lol
Yea, there are some fractional investing companies for comics. Many of them popped up during the boom and have since gone under. I suspect they were partly fueling the boom by grossly overpaying for assets. Then when individuals started pulling their money out, the firm had to liquidate at a significant loss. It's not a bad idea in theory, but it requires a knowledgeable person to buy the assets at good prices, just like Ryan recommends for individuals.
Amazing Spider-Man #129 is a book I would never want to buy as an investment. It’s a dumpster fire to me. It’s all too common, and the Punisher is a minor character.
I buy what I like. Unfortunately that's mostly pre code and always expensive. Back in the early 90s it was original art and I would buy from a guy out of New York call him up and give my card info over the phone. I acquired several pages around 20 dollars and a few for more. Alan Davis, Ron Lim, Marc Silvestri, great purchases that unfortunately I sold early 2000s. I saw Don Rosa early on and had him draw uncle scrooge for me but didn't want to pay another 10 dollars to have him color it. Still probably best 25 dollars I ever spent on an artist's drawing 😊
An all-solid opinion video. Bravo, agree with all. Sit on your hands. Get some popcorn and watch auctions, hands off approach. See where the economy goes before and after the inauguration. I am making monies in the market and trimming. buy later and add to the collection when you have cash, no debt, and time to research.
Hi - I want to preface this comment that I truly try NOT to leave negative comments, but this podcast is quite weak and inaccurate. I don't know you, but I truly believe you're a nice guy who is simply trying to give helpful advice to collectors in the market. However, that doesn't dismiss the falsehoods you mentioned here. For starters, aren't you the one complaining a week or so ago about not being able to sell CGC books? Aren't you a dealer who traditionally gets most things graded? I'm not sure why anyone should take your advice when you grade SO MANY books, NOT WORTHY of being graded? Podcasts like this are truly as helpful as they are hurtful to the market and the hobby. I CAN'T IMAGINE A MORE IGNORANT COMMENT THAN "I WOULD NOT BUY ANY SILVER, BRONZE OR COPPER COMIC UNLESS IT WAS 50% OFF." I may be paraphrasing, but I know I'm in the ballpark. Exactly, you do you think you're helping with such a comment? Plus, you're wrong! In many ways, the market is stronger than many believe. I say this because, unlike most collectors, I buy a variety of different genres, and there are many success stories in the market. Many segments in the market are quite strong, including cartoon comics, which you mistakenly believe are a waste of time. Many Gold Key, Dell, Photo Covers, Archie, Monster Covers, etc, routinely sell for 200-800% above guide.
You've got the wrong person, I never said I wasn't able to sell CGC books. Also, you're welcome to your opinion, go ahead and buy all the comics you want. But I still stand by the fact that I wouldn't buy any silver-through-modern comics unless they are a screaming deal, and I wouldn't lie and say that others should either right now. Nothing about the current price trends says you should. Also, since you're referencing "guide", that means nothing. Don't use Overstreet for anything with respect to pricing. It's basically useless.
Long term, scarcity is a key factor in managing one’s pricing or value risk for popular key comics. With that said, almost all key silver, bronze and modern comics have census counts that are too high. In addition, these census counts continue to increase (some at significant rates) every year. When the supply is higher, it will suppress prices due to enhanced competition and availability in the marketplace. That is why I sold almost all my post-golden age comics and reinvested these funds into high-demand golden age comics with census counts less than 100. Many key golden age comics have very low census counts. In addition, these counts do not change significantly year to year as the supply of ungraded issues are relatively small relative to the other comic ages. These comics are not cheap but are more likely to hold their value because supply is low and they do not come up for sale very often. Ryan is spot on with his advice.
Ryan didn't say don't buy silver-modern EVER - he said not right now while prices are still correcting. Once values hit their floor resistance levels and stabilize, then outlook/guidance changes.
Brute: The books I go after routinely sell high or above the market. I frequently lose auctions on items that sell at 200-1,200% above guide and sell at or above record highs. The more common the book is or the more common the grade is, the more time a collector can take to pull the trigger. However, if a book is scarcier, tough to acquire, or difficult to find in high grade, then you should be MUCH more quick to pull the trigger.
This is not financial advice. Buy at your own risk. All those things.
It's a genuine shame we've devolved into a society that requires statements pointing out the blatantly obvious, but I get it (ie. tidepods.) Just as Steve Jobs and Elon Musk represent one side of the intelligence spectrum, there exists a handful of individuals who proudly and diligently represent the diametric opposite.
As older collections are liquidated, the market supply is increased. Investors need to look for what will influence future market demand.
Investing in comics is so tricky, but I would look at Golden Age books like early Batman, Superman, and Captain America Comics with famous covers and/or artists like Alex Schomburg. These books, especially early Timelys, are very scarce and don’t sell very often. Big Marvel keys like FF #1, AF #15, Hulk #1, and X-Men #1 are great books to own for the long term. They have all come down so much since the comic boom that it’s only a matter of time before they all go up again. Run-filler Silver Age and Bronze Age books should be avoided as they are so very common.
"Don't buy Silver, Bronze, Copper, Modern right now unless you get a screaming deal/half off." - I get what you're trying to say, that the market has not found the floor yet. But, the original question was for long-term investing; about 10-20 years, right? So, unless you think the floor is in 10-20 years (I would guess not), right now should be a perfectly acceptable time to buy. Will it go lower in the near term? Sure, it could, but trying to time the market is frequently a futile exercise; most often, folks will see the market rebounding already before realizing, "oh crap; that WAS the floor." If you feel strongly that the value of a given book will be higher in 10-20 years than it is today, then buying the book today is totally justifiable.
Everything is volatile but early ASM, Batman are solid investments, X-Men keys can only go up as they enter the MCU and specific artists covers that defy the market like McFarlane,Campbell, Adams, Perez etc..
Ever since Carnage and Morbin' Time, I cringe when I see that Sony is going to introduce a character I've been spec'ing on. I used to get excited when a spec would be announced. Now it's 'oh, f**k'
I’m Kraven a good spec!
I think being flexible, opportunistic, and knowledgeable of the last 6-12 months of sales history, you can do ok. It’s definitely how you buy the book is the most important factor to avoid losing your shirt.
Red Dead Redemption The Western Playstation game is better than any superhero movie I watched the last 5 years.
I don’t know of anything that is the same price as it was before the big C. If you are waiting for comics to reach pre-C prices, you’re going to miss out. There is still some downside pressure but it’s not going all the way back to pre-C prices
Great content as usual. Can you possibly do a series on the lower grades? They are not as pricey and an investment more people could afford.
Thank you, for your "advice".
Good video. I would add to avoid low graded Silver Age and Bronze age keys under 3.0. Currently, I see Ebay is cluttered with .05,1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5. You got Ebay sellers begging for us to take these comic books they spent 1000s on. Not many people want them as most have detached cover, chunks of cover missing, and Marvel chipping. Avoid low grade keys. At least try to get a VG so you know the cover is not detached.
Something I keep telling myself (but can't seem to follow) is to pass on buying comics that appear to be a good deal. Only buy it if it is a "HELL YES!" kinda deal. Those no-brainer deals will come up and you'll want to have the money ready when they do.
Telling people to go to variants for moderns is kinda weak advice. Ratio books are manufactured rarity, it's not really "authentic" for me as "collecting". There are many modern options, but any way since the demographic will only be expanded for online use, yall are done lol!, but I should say we all are done lol! Owners of former-Marvel and DC do not want brick and mortar shops, they need data-mining, not the overhead of printing and shipping... I enjoy checking out this cannel as you have loads of selling and buying experience, it was just that one point, thanks for the advice over all!
...On the mfg rarity: But if someone is a collector of say Wolverine and a ratio variant looks dope af, then they will want it and pay a premium typically... sucks tho, I think there should be a different set of Top Tens and just parts of mkt reports that have ratio variants as a separate discussion... Newsstands are acceptable ratios, inadvertently so which makes newsstands "acceptable" for me to include for modern options...
Manufactured rarity is still rarity. There is huge demand for those books and they’ve proven themselves over many years. For moderns, I wouldn’t really go for anything else.
Continuing my rant part 3 -- I apologize for the delay as my phone crashed just before i was about to submit my LENGTHY 3rd comment which is unfortunate as I only have so much time to devote to this. So, i may bounce around a little now since i lost my steam and focus. Moving forward, everything is relative. There are no absolutes. In regards to Master of Kung Fu do collectors truly believe he's important in the Marvel Universe? And even if they do, would most collectors agree that a mediocre copy of a book about a sub-par character from only 1973 warrant such a price tag? Remember, we're ONLY talking about an 8.5. How about Eternals #1. Is that an important title in the Marvel Universe to justify the prices being paid at the height of the market? My point is podcasts that discuss all or nothing philosophies like the market is dead, CGC is evil, grading is a waste of time, investing in comics is a mistake, etc are not serving the community. I cringe when dealers inform people that a book is selling for $550, so if you can get it for $500 that's a good deal. It may or may not be a good deal depending on the length of time of your investment, but MY STRATEGY is to compare it to similar books in that grade range and price point and determine for myself if its over-valued or under-valued.
Continuing my rant part 4 -- I prefer to compare one character to a similar character from the same time period, a black background cover from the 1970's to a similar black cover from the same time period, a DC book to a similar DC book, a 1st solo appearance of a character to another 1st solo appearance of a similar character and determine if a book is valued correctly. I have 45 years in the hobby, and I don't worry about the long-term strength of the market. In my opinion, the market will be on much more solid ground within 3 years. I believe collectors will decide which books have fallen too far and start buying those issues again, realizing it's a buying opportunity. I believe the market will respond accordingly. I believe 3 years is sufficient time for Marvel and DC and Hollywood to get things moving again after the disaster of Covid. My background is in the film industry, and Covid truly wreaked havoc on it. Within 3 years, collectors will have a much better sense of the things to come, and the market will react accordingly. Does this mean that the success of investing in comics is inextricably linked to the success of the films? My answer is yes and no, depending on how one considers the question. If collectors believe that successfully investing in a character's comic is contingent on the success of the character's movie, then I would argue it's not. To me, a movie is like the cherry on a sundae. It's good, but it's not the sundae. Movies help the comic industry, but if a collector is buying a book because they are making a movie its probably a long-term mistake unless it's an inexpensive investment.
Continuing my rant part 5 -- In my opinion, I don't believe comics have ever been a great short-term investment. This doesn't mean collectors can't succeed in making money from short-term investments as millions of people do so, including myself, but I do believe that investing in comics for the long-term is a safer and more responsible play. Obviously, my comments are skewed to collectors who consider themselves investors in some regard. This does not mean comics are about money. Comics are about enjoyment whether one reads them or not. However, if a collector is spending a lot of money buying them, it would be nice if they would at the very least maintain their value. This is called being responsible. An avid reader of comics is buying them for a different reason and may not care as much if they get their financial value out of them as long as they are enjoying the read. This is especially true if they are primarily buying new comics. So, the more money a collector spends buying comics, the more he/she should hold oneself responsible. Sometimes, I buy an over-priced variant because I like the cover, but in my heart, I know it may not be a good investment, so I try to hold myself accountable by not frequently making irresponsible buys. All collectors must make decisions based on their comfort level. Short term, I believe you make money on the buy. However, I usually focus on the long-term because in my opinion, comics are not ideal for short-term investment. It doesn't mean one can not successfully do so, but it's all about one's comfort zone. I'm a less is more guy in that I prefer quality over quantity. This doesn't mean collectors can't make money buying weak collections in bulk. I only mean I'm not that guy. I'm not comfortable doing it. I don't want to work that hard, and I don't want to store it. Many collectors grading everything is the way to go. I don't! I don't believe in wasting my money. I've sold $340 books for over $6k, so I believe in getting things graded when they will sell for a serious premium.
Continuing my rant part 6 -- Many collectors invest heavily in new comics, but I choose to invest in older material. I prefer to buy a $500 or $1,500 book than a $5 book. Once again, I prefer quality over quantity. Other collectors may disagree with me, which is fine. There are many ways to invest in comics, and everyone must decide for themselves what they are comfortable doing and what they are not comfortable doing. However, everyone should know or learn the benefits and negatives of such decisions.
Continuing my rant part 7 -- I'm not sure if this post of mine was particularly helpful to the community. I apologize for meandering all over the place, but it was an honest attempt to be helpful. In conclusion, I offer this advice. If you are an INVESTOR and only buy Marvel, then you're making a serious mistake. There are tons of great DC comics and even Independent publishers that are GREAT long-term plays. Time is a critical factor in all investments, and many DC and INDEPENDENT KEYS will appreciate at a faster rate than many Marvel keys, especially in high grade. Don't underestimate the scarcity of dark covers in high-grade. Buy what you like, but try to push yourself out of your comfort zone to grow and learn. If you don't buy the Overstreet Price Guide, you're making a mistake as it's a fountain of information. If you don't know how to grade, then you need to learn. If you feel somewhat confident in regards to your ability to grade, but there's room for improvement, then try to educate yourself further. Lastly, spend more time figuring out how to acquire what you want than worrying about making a mistake. Most people regret what they didn't buy than what they did buy. Cheers!
@@flmmkr69 A bit lengthy, but worth the read and well said
Question. Does the CGC census pull in graded Pedigree books?
Yes, pedigree books are part of the census. They are not broken out separately. If the pedigree book is a universal copy, it will be in the universal numbers. If it's restored, it'll be in the restored numbers, etc.
@@AutomaticComics And in your experience, would someone crack a CGC 9.8 Don Rosa to try for a higher grade?
@ someone might. I wouldn’t ever.
Lovely stuff Ryan, many thanks for the time you take doing these
As long as people continue to keep selling their AF #15s at this accelerated rate, it will continue to decline in value.
I wonder… are there any “collectible funds”? In the art industry there are several art funds that invests in various visual art media. In fact, if you meet the fund qualifications, they will “lend” the pieces out to the members to show the pieces at their home. Maybe the best hope to fractionally own an action one…lol
Yea, there are some fractional investing companies for comics. Many of them popped up during the boom and have since gone under. I suspect they were partly fueling the boom by grossly overpaying for assets. Then when individuals started pulling their money out, the firm had to liquidate at a significant loss. It's not a bad idea in theory, but it requires a knowledgeable person to buy the assets at good prices, just like Ryan recommends for individuals.
Great advice, just a few months too late in my case
Amazing Spider-Man #129 is a book I would never want to buy as an investment. It’s a dumpster fire to me. It’s all too common, and the Punisher is a minor character.
True but it’s also in high demand and the Punisher is a major minor character and the cover is sick. I have an 8.5 and love it regardless of the value
The punisher being a minor character is a straight dunce take.
I buy what I like. Unfortunately that's mostly pre code and always expensive. Back in the early 90s it was original art and I would buy from a guy out of New York call him up and give my card info over the phone. I acquired several pages around 20 dollars and a few for more. Alan Davis, Ron Lim, Marc Silvestri, great purchases that unfortunately I sold early 2000s. I saw Don Rosa early on and had him draw uncle scrooge for me but didn't want to pay another 10 dollars to have him color it. Still probably best 25 dollars I ever spent on an artist's drawing 😊
An all-solid opinion video. Bravo, agree with all. Sit on your hands. Get some popcorn and watch auctions, hands off approach. See where the economy goes before and after the inauguration. I am making monies in the market and trimming. buy later and add to the collection when you have cash, no debt, and time to research.
Lot of interesting books, but nothing I'm buying either.
Love the honesty
Maybe your best advice would be to just stay away from ephemeral pop culture junk.
Hi - I want to preface this comment that I truly try NOT to leave negative comments, but this podcast is quite weak and inaccurate. I don't know you, but I truly believe you're a nice guy who is simply trying to give helpful advice to collectors in the market. However, that doesn't dismiss the falsehoods you mentioned here. For starters, aren't you the one complaining a week or so ago about not being able to sell CGC books? Aren't you a dealer who traditionally gets most things graded? I'm not sure why anyone should take your advice when you grade SO MANY books, NOT WORTHY of being graded? Podcasts like this are truly as helpful as they are hurtful to the market and the hobby. I CAN'T IMAGINE A MORE IGNORANT COMMENT THAN "I WOULD NOT BUY ANY SILVER, BRONZE OR COPPER COMIC UNLESS IT WAS 50% OFF." I may be paraphrasing, but I know I'm in the ballpark. Exactly, you do you think you're helping with such a comment? Plus, you're wrong! In many ways, the market is stronger than many believe. I say this because, unlike most collectors, I buy a variety of different genres, and there are many success stories in the market. Many segments in the market are quite strong, including cartoon comics, which you mistakenly believe are a waste of time. Many Gold Key, Dell, Photo Covers, Archie, Monster Covers, etc, routinely sell for 200-800% above guide.
You've got the wrong person, I never said I wasn't able to sell CGC books.
Also, you're welcome to your opinion, go ahead and buy all the comics you want. But I still stand by the fact that I wouldn't buy any silver-through-modern comics unless they are a screaming deal, and I wouldn't lie and say that others should either right now. Nothing about the current price trends says you should.
Also, since you're referencing "guide", that means nothing. Don't use Overstreet for anything with respect to pricing. It's basically useless.
Long term, scarcity is a key factor in managing one’s pricing or value risk for popular key comics. With that said, almost all key silver, bronze and modern comics have census counts that are too high. In addition, these census counts continue to increase (some at significant rates) every year. When the supply is higher, it will suppress prices due to enhanced competition and availability in the marketplace. That is why I sold almost all my post-golden age comics and reinvested these funds into high-demand golden age comics with census counts less than 100. Many key golden age comics have very low census counts. In addition, these counts do not change significantly year to year as the supply of ungraded issues are relatively small relative to the other comic ages. These comics are not cheap but are more likely to hold their value because supply is low and they do not come up for sale very often. Ryan is spot on with his advice.
Ryan didn't say don't buy silver-modern EVER - he said not right now while prices are still correcting. Once values hit their floor resistance levels and stabilize, then outlook/guidance changes.
Brute: The books I go after routinely sell high or above the market. I frequently lose auctions on items that sell at 200-1,200% above guide and sell at or above record highs. The more common the book is or the more common the grade is, the more time a collector can take to pull the trigger. However, if a book is scarcier, tough to acquire, or difficult to find in high grade, then you should be MUCH more quick to pull the trigger.
Also, Brute - He did state he would NOT pay more than 50% for Silver, Bronze, or Copper, which is absurd in my opinion.