Oh the horror! Many of you reading this have heard the stories and winced in sympathy when they were told them. The plot is always the same: evil, sadistic mothers who had nothing better to do than throw away countless treasured comic book collections. These chilling stories almost always involve impoverished, unwitting kids who were in college or the military at the time it could have been stopped. Then, after suffering several 4 years of bedroom angst or worse, they came home to face the most amazing horror of all: realizing that the one person they trusted and loved the most had plunged a giant dagger into them. no edge on the back. And she twisted it! It is largely due to that very fact (sorry, moms everywhere, but you’ve been waiting a long time for this) and the many paper drives that occurred during World War II that make comic books the 1930s to the 1970s are sometimes weird. and it’s worth so much today.
It’s interesting to note that the most valuable comic collections were amassed by people who never considered books as investment vehicles. Davis Crippen (1930-2005) assembled a large collection of 10-cent comics, the period referred to by comic book collectors as the “Golden Age”, buying them outright from 1938 to 1953. To keep track of the books, he created his own special coding system that included the letter “D” written on the cover of many of his comics. Although he may never have considered them an investment, they turned out to be. As many comic book collectors have an almost mental desire to keep their books very neat and tidy, they in turn become investment gurus without realizing it and this was clearly the case with Mr. Crippen. Many of his books turned out to be the highest-rated examples ever released. Since he had collected approximately 11,000 books, his investment costs were probably around $1,500 (I’m adding a bit for bike tires and gum). By the end of 2007, his books had already raised $2,000,000 with several thousand still to be auctioned. The return on investment? A staggering 133,233.33% on the $2 million alone (minus 10% auction fees, for sure). Some collectors jokingly accused Mr. Crippen of having a time travel device.
Most comic book collectors agree that unless you are an expert in comic book grading or the price is too good to pass up, newbies should stick to copies of books that have been professionally graded and sealed in hard plastic by the CGC of Sarasota, Florida. . That way, investors can be sure of the ratings of the books they’re buying and not rely on the opinion of “Earl” from Tulsa, Oklahoma. They should also take the time to peruse Overstreet’s Official Comic Book Price Guide, the comic collection guide most collectors use and trust, to learn how to qualify, discover other investment candidates, and see if they might be paying too much.
One of the best things about investing in comics is the low maintenance involved. As long as they are kept in a cool, safe, dark environment with low humidity, you should be good to go. It’s also important to keep them lying down, away from pets, cigarette smoke, and curious chocolate-covered hands. If kept upright, books tend to slip and bend over the years, which can completely ruin your investment. It’s best to have books professionally graded and sealed in plastic, or at least bagged and bound with proper acid-free comic book supplies. This way, the book is safe from the occasional dent or fingerprint. A simple insurance policy will cover any loss from your books in the event of a flood or fire. The other comforting fact about comics is that unlike stocks or other investments, you don’t have to worry about that new CEO’s decisions or the sudden drop in the price of oil because of that newly discovered giant oil well.
Typically, the higher the book’s rating, the more desirable it is to collectors and the greater the return on investment in the long run. The books listed below in this article have had a regular average 10% to 15% return on investment over the past 30 years. There are many other examples of high-quality books that provide much higher returns and other ways that investors can make money from books, such as printing or having books signed by their creators or other significantly involved people. Some books can also increase in value if properly restored, but most of the time restoration is frowned upon by the industry, and restored books can take big hits in value if the book is not a good candidate for restoration. .
do not fear. Although most of us can’t afford to travel back in time to select our books, interested investors can still find stability even paying full market price for certain books. According to Hulk181.com, The Incredible Hulk #181 featuring the first full appearance of the popular character Wolverine has risen in value in almost every year except one since it was published in 1974. This book that originally cost 20 cents is now available for purchase. the sale. for anywhere between $2,000 and $30,000 at very high grade. Interested investors can even purchase an investment-grade copy of Hulk 181 through his site.
“When I select a comic book to invest in,” says collector Keith Nickerson of Portland, Maine, “I look for the first appearances of characters that have really made an impact on our culture. Characters like Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, and big inversions. from the Bronze Age (’70s era comics) like the Punisher’s first appearance in Spider-Man #129 and the New X-Men’s first appearance in X-Men #94 are the types of books I invest in. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 has also proven to be a good long-term investment, but I like to stick to the main characters who have really had a big impact on our culture.”
This is what we would consider to be the best caliber of investment
Most comic book collectors agree that unless you are an expert in comic book grading or the price is too good to pass up, newbies should stick to copies of books that have been professionally graded and sealed in hard plastic by the CGC of Sarasota, Florida. . That way, investors can be sure of the ratings of the books they’re buying and not rely on the opinion of “Earl” from Tulsa, Oklahoma. They should also take the time to peruse Overstreet’s Official Comic Book Price Guide, the comic book collection price guide trusted by most collectors, to discover other investment candidates.