Rare Moderns in 9.8+

Of course, with the recent discussion at CBCS, it should be obvious that Batman #457 2nd print newsstand is going to be rare, if not non-existent, in 9.8.

I think it's all relative, for the most part. One of the most amazing realities of comics publishing in the 90's, especially the early 90's, is that there really are quite a few books that managed to escape everyone's attention, and, whether they were made that way (like Supergirl #1 third print...they didn't set out to make a rarity, they just didn't have demand), or they printed quite a few, but attrition wiped them out (like Batman #457 2nd newsstand.)

There's just enough rarity out there, and just enough mainstream-ity, that it makes for a nice hunt, and a thrill when found...even if the financial reward isn't that great.

And the great beauty is that it's entirely natural, not forced like the manufactured rarities. Those have their appeal, too, but when it happens because of time and circumstance...that's pretty neat.

And there IS such a thing as being "too rare for your own good." There are dozens of coins in the United States series that are much rarer than the 1804 dollar, with 15 known examples...but they aren't anywhere near as popular OR valuable, because they're simply too rare for anyone, regardless of the amount of money they have, to buy them. The 1870-S $3 gold...just one. Hasn't been sold since 1982, and before that, the 40's. The 1822 $5 gold. Just one in private hands, and it, too, hasn't been sold since 1982. The 1873 CC no arrows dime. Just the one. The 1870-S half dime. Just one. Even the 1870-S silver dollar is so rare, it doesn't come up for auction much.

The same thing is true in any field; for something to be popular, it has to be obtainable. As far as I know, the Whitman DCP #22 has about 10-15 copies known, and while doubtless more will surface, I think it's great that such a thing exists that was undoubtedly printed in reasonable (several tens of thousands of copies) numbers, but circumstance ended up wiping them all out...no doubt, really, to lack of sales for the dying Whitman DC program.

I'm an ultra high grade collector. Always have been, since the beginning. As a teenager, I watched massive differences in price being paid for impossibly tiny differences in condition in coins, and it came with me to comics. I've got acres and acres of books from 1990-1993 that are in absolutely perfect condition. Sadly, so does everyone else. If I'd been born 10 years sooner, and had done the same thing, I'd be a multi-millionaire....cherry picking copies of ASM #238, or X-Men #129, or #130, or TMNT #1. But, I didn't start in earnest until 1990, and by then, my skills weren't of much value. Without a press, I turned 20 of the 22 original owner copies of New Mutants #98 into 9.8 slabs, and with a press, got the 21st. But, again, that didn't matter, because so many copies had been untouched since the day they were made.

As usual, it depends on where they are when the order to destroy comes down.

If they've made it to retailers...there's no way in hell they're going to destroy them, and they will become relatively common, even in high grade.

If they never make it past the distributor level...like Elseworld's 80 page giant, which only made it to the uK...then there's a good chance a rarity can be in the making.

Publishers really ought not do things like asking retailers to destroy copies, unless their real goal is to create buzz...which is a pretty ty way to do it, all things considered.

Just print the damn thing, let it go, and if you want a do-over, do that.

That one is probably going to be like the Fantastic four 110.

What are these numbers based on?



There are currently five recalled 9.8s on Ebay, one with a BIN of $60.

WRT the numbers on FF 110, they are ballpark estimates of mine, based on what I have seen of the book over the past few years and my general take on the book.

Sorry for responding to a post from 4/2017. It was near the top of the page.

I dunno how you can even see my posts, I have you as Blocked on this forum.

WRT the Saga book, I did include an *if* on my post about it.

As it isn't a 1st to market, than my guess of $38-$100 with the sage bet of it closing at $50 +/- $10 is still pretty much correct.

Cheers, mate.😂🤣🤣