Everyone loves a bargain, don’t they? Unless you have unlimited money, every one of us likes to find a nice key issue that’s been underpriced, or win an auction that no one else has spotted. It’s human nature.
I’ve started to question the notion of bargains.
Why was it a bargain in the first place? Was the seller simply desperate for cash? Were they uninformed? Or was the book not the quality you thought it would be?
I’ll be honest, I’ve always preferred quality. I walked past loads of copies of Hulk 181 (in my youth) simply because they were only VG or FN. I love higher grade books if I can get them.
Speaking of Hulk 181, the feeling of holding a NM copy was like no other. It was so beautiful, so fresh – it looked like it’d been in a box for decades, untouched. It’s hard to describe the feeling of perfection or near perfection.
If you’re talking about investing in comic books, you need to focus on quality because the market reflects that. Fellow investors will spend a lot more money on high-grade books. A 9.8 Hulk 181 recently sold for $96k. A 5.0? Between $4-5k.
It’s about training yourself to spot quality quickly, whether on a site like this, in an auction, or in a claim sale. And that’s where learning to grade comes in.
Speaking of quality, make sure a book is what you think it is. It’s easy to claim something because it seems like a bargain. But if you’re unsure, let it go. If there aren’t enough pictures, and the seller isn’t willing to get more for you, forget it. If the description is vague, pass. There’s always going to be a next time.
I’m questioning bargains because, for me, I don’t just want to have a particular book. I want to have the best grade possible for that book (within my budget). Maybe I need to save up more and become more patient. Maybe I need to watch the market and buy when there’s a dip. Maybe I need to find different avenues, more contacts, and widen my reach.
That’s not to say you can’t have a quality book that was a bargain. I’ve bought loads of quality books that were bargains. But, again, it’s about doing the research and ensuring that you’re buying what you think you’re buying, no matter how lucky you think you might be.