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Post by Deleted on Feb 5, 2017 15:53:07 GMT -8
Thought this might be interesting. There are a few modern books (1985-up) that, because of production issues, have been quite rare in 9.8 or better condition.
One of the most famous, of course, is Harbinger #1. Though there are a couple hundred 9.8s, such a book pales in number to other contemporary books, like New Mutants #98, or Batman Adventures #12.
Another book is Bone #1. Bone had all black, glossy back covers, so finding one without fingerprints has proven to be an enormously difficult task.
Another is Gen 13 1/2. This was Wizard's second 1/2 book, and almost all copies exhibit extensive spine cracking/feathering, because the book was both quite thin (16 standard pages, rather than 32), and the cover stock was heavy and prone to splitting improperly along the spine.
I had the good fortune to buy much of Wizard's unsold 1/2 stock in 2007 through eBay, and I bought their stock of this book. Out of about 40-50 copies, I was able to find just a handful that might qualify for 9.8.
I've never found another 9.8 potential copy outside of this untouched original hoard.
Of the 8 regular 9.8 copies on the census, all 8 came from me, via that stock.
It's a shame Gen 13 doesn't get any love these days; it was a classic mid-90's Image series, featuring a very young J. Scott Campbell honing his craft.
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Post by jsilverjanet on Feb 5, 2017 17:16:11 GMT -8
what about ASM 301?
does the book have to be difficult to find and 9.8 or just harder than normal to get a 9.8?
I know the census numbers are high for ASM300 but I still think the book is tough. Black back cover, bad cover quality, plus double the pages leads to a lot of minor spine tics that show up too easily on the back cover.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 5, 2017 17:40:10 GMT -8
Yeah, ASM #301 is a toughie, for sure. I sold an early 9.8 for $735 (March 2009), and then managed to get THREE more...and sold them all in the downturn of 2011. Struggled to get even $200 each for them. Sigh. Also decided not to buy the one on Heritage that sold for $99. Sigh. Of course, there IS some vindication: dopey Jaydogrules, who never knows what he's talking about, and never gets strikes despite his far, far over the top behavior, was going on and on in August of 2014 about how it wasn't rare "at all." I replied that it was RELATIVE, and ANY 80's book that sells for hundreds, with LESS THAN 100 9.8s on the census is a rare book in that grade by definition. I think...I'm too lazy to look it up...but I think there were 80-odd 9.8s on the census (blues) at that point...and now, 2.5 years later...there are 91. Toss in the 17 SS copies, and you have 108 total. For an 80's ASM, that's damn rare. So, at least there's a rhetorical victory.
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MetalPSI™
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Post by MetalPSI™ on Feb 5, 2017 19:26:38 GMT -8
Another quite rare one in 9.8 is The Tick #1 regular edition. It has a full black colour that is just terrible to keep clean. Out of 193 copies submitted, only 6 have come back in 9.8
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Post by jsilverjanet on Feb 5, 2017 21:06:13 GMT -8
Yeah, ASM #301 is a toughie, for sure. I sold an early 9.8 for $735 (March 2009), and then managed to get THREE more...and sold them all in the downturn of 2011. Struggled to get even $200 each for them. Sigh. Also decided not to buy the one on Heritage that sold for $99. Sigh. Of course, there IS some vindication: dopey Jaydogrules, who never knows what he's talking about, and never gets strikes despite his far, far over the top behavior, was going on and on in August of 2014 about how it wasn't rare "at all." I replied that it was RELATIVE, and ANY 80's book that sells for hundreds, with LESS THAN 100 9.8s on the census is a rare book in that grade by definition. I think...I'm too lazy to look it up...but I think there were 80-odd 9.8s on the census (blues) at that point...and now, 2.5 years later...there are 91. Toss in the 17 SS copies, and you have 108 total. For an 80's ASM, that's damn rare. So, at least there's a rhetorical victory. I sold two that came from 9.6 cases. I sold one for $1000+ and the second for $780+ (I forgot the exact amounts)
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Post by Deleted on Feb 5, 2017 21:33:55 GMT -8
Yeah, ASM #301 is a toughie, for sure. I sold an early 9.8 for $735 (March 2009), and then managed to get THREE more...and sold them all in the downturn of 2011. Struggled to get even $200 each for them. Sigh. Also decided not to buy the one on Heritage that sold for $99. Sigh. Of course, there IS some vindication: dopey Jaydogrules, who never knows what he's talking about, and never gets strikes despite his far, far over the top behavior, was going on and on in August of 2014 about how it wasn't rare "at all." I replied that it was RELATIVE, and ANY 80's book that sells for hundreds, with LESS THAN 100 9.8s on the census is a rare book in that grade by definition. I think...I'm too lazy to look it up...but I think there were 80-odd 9.8s on the census (blues) at that point...and now, 2.5 years later...there are 91. Toss in the 17 SS copies, and you have 108 total. For an 80's ASM, that's damn rare. So, at least there's a rhetorical victory. I sold two that came from 9.6 cases. I sold one for $1000+ and the second for $780+ (I forgot the exact amounts) You suck.
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Post by awakeintheashes on Feb 6, 2017 8:01:37 GMT -8
A year or so ago, Wolverine #41 (second printing) in 9.8 was commanding quite a bit of money (I think over $400). The price on the book has come down considerably since then.
With that said, there are 28 9.8 copies on the census. I'm not sure if that is because the book is tough in 9.8 or if it is just a lack of interest. Every copy I've purchased through the years has been closer to a 9.4 or 9.2
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Post by Deleted on Feb 8, 2017 21:39:49 GMT -8
I think Sandman #75 2nd Printing is going to be fairly impossible in 9.8. There are now 4 copies on the census, 3 9.4s and an 8.5
I just don't see these as being...perhaps...more than 10 copies, ever, in 9.8.
Double sized book. Prone to splitting at the top, bottom, and along spine.
2nd printing in the 90's, so no one ordered it, and no one cared.
Wasn't even confirmed to EXIST until, what, last year?
We shall see.
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hado
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Post by hado on Feb 12, 2017 10:43:51 GMT -8
This is the thread that finally got me to make an account.
What were the factors involved in a book getting subsequent printings in the 90's?
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Post by Deleted on Feb 12, 2017 10:56:08 GMT -8
This is the thread that finally got me to make an account. What were the factors involved in a book getting subsequent printings in the 90's? Did they sell out at the distributor and/or do they need more copies for collector's sets? That was essentially it. Books like Supergirl #1 3rd Printing were essentially "boutique" print jobs, made by request. There was no reason to make it; they just did it because someone asked for it. But most of the subsequent printings were because the book either sold out at the distribution level, or they wanted to make collector's sets, and didn't have any more earlier printed copies. Collector's sets were all the rage in the 90's, of course, and while Marvel had acres of first printings (and I've NEVER seen a later printing in a Marvel Collector's Set from the 90's), later printings at DC had been done since the 80's, and reprinting books like Batman #492 or Man of Steel #18 were no-brainers. People who wanted to read the books didn't give a flat damn about later printings, and DC just needed a copy to fill the story. Sandman #75 is a very interesting case. The industry was terribly dismayed that Gaiman was ending his award-winning run, so everyone stocked up on the last issue. Oddly enough, they sold out at the distributor level...so, DC ordered a second printing done. But, because demand had been satisfied at the retail level, hardly any retailers ordered the second printing. And, it must be remembered that, until Batman #612 changed the game forever, later printings were universally scorned as worthless drek that no one would ever want. So...those who ordered them...not many, and generally the "higher level" retailers...would have ended up tossing them in the quarter bins, or throwing them away, and whatever was left at the distribution level was likely tossed, too. I KNEW that there was a CLAIM of a second printing of Sandman #75...but had never seen one, and thought it was just a rumor after all those years. Turns out, when I raided Golden Apple in 2000-2002 for their 10 cent comic sales, I bought 3 copies of Sandman #75....which were their leftover 2nd prints...a fact I didn't discover until I was bagging and boarding them (don't ask!) LAST FALL!
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Post by Bats on Feb 12, 2017 11:09:35 GMT -8
...Books like Supergirl #1 3rd Printing were essentially "boutique" print jobs, made by request. There was no reason to make it; they just did it because someone asked for it... I'd like one of those in 9.8 It's a great series.
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hado
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Post by hado on Feb 12, 2017 12:20:50 GMT -8
Very interesting. Thank you RMA.
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Post by jsilverjanet on Feb 12, 2017 13:01:19 GMT -8
I got some books from a dealer this weekend and it had 4 copies of Sandman 75 but none were 2nd prints
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Post by Deleted on Feb 12, 2017 13:58:38 GMT -8
I suspect that the only source for 2nd print Sandman #75s at this point would be readers who happened to buy the 2nd print on accident back in 1996, OR from a larger retailer still in business.
The only source for these books back in 1996 would have been those larger retailers, Metropolis, Comics & Comix, Golden Apple, etc. Most smaller retailers wouldn't have ordered any.
These could be quite a bit rarer than the #8 variants.
I see there were 2 that sold in January, but those certainly weren't 9.8 candidates, and there hasn't been any popping up recently.
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Post by jsilverjanet on Feb 21, 2017 7:42:03 GMT -8
How difficult is it to get a platinum superman 75 in 9.8?
I have one left that has been in a tight Mylar so I suspect the plastic bag has damaged it
Thoughts?
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