comic books

[stickarts]

I finally went through my storage room and did some major cleaning and organizing. I am a very bad pack rat. I have martial arts tee shirts from all around the country that I used to collect when I used to travel a lot and they are all stuffed in boxes. I must have 100.

Anyway, I found my old comic book collection. I have LOTS of spiderman and superman. Some of the classics with Green Goblin.

Any advice on the best way to sell them? E-bay?

They are not in mint condition. They are used and a bit worn. Think they are still worth anything?
I have some Red sox cards from the 70's too.

Anyone have experience in buying and selling these kinds of items?

 

[arnisador]

They are not in mint condition. They are used and a bit worn. Think they are still worth anything?

Probably a lot less than you'd hope if they're not in mint condition. Check the Overstreet Guide first and then decide if you want to go the E-Bay route or see what a local dealer might give you...or give them to a newphew over a series of birthdays and Christmases if they're not worth so much.

 

[Kacey]

Probably a lot less than you'd hope if they're not in mint condition. Check the Overstreet Guide first and then decide if you want to go the E-Bay route or see what a local dealer might give you...or give them to a newphew over a series of birthdays and Christmases if they're not worth so much.

I agree with all of the above - and don't buy a copy of the Overstreet Guide; you can usually get it at the library.

The other sales option is to take them to a comic convention - a dealer will not pay you book value (usually around half), and may not take all of them, depending on the condition and the titles - you could make more at a convention selling them direct, but there are usually table fees whether you sell or not. You could also try a flea market or yard sale, but you're not likely to get a great price.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Check the value and then store them again and hopefully in twenty or so years the value will really increase. I have a small collection worth a small fortune. However to cash it out now would be a waste when I can wait till I am eighty or so and reap the rewards then. (patience :asian

 

[fnorfurfoot]

If you check out any local comic book stores, they might be able to sell them for you on consignment. That is what the guy around here does. He takes 30% of the sale. From what I have seen on eBay, you will be lucky to get more than a buck per book, unless it's a hot issue.

 

[stickarts]

Thank you all for the great advice.
I tried to sell them to someone around 20 years ago but the $$ I was offered wasn't worth more than the sentimental value I place on them. As a kid, I used to get so excited when the next issue would come out, especially Spiderman.

I will try the different avenues you each suggested and see what the offering is.

Thank you all again!!!!!

 

[zDom]

I used to have a stack of Marvel comics that I read and re-read until the covers were falling off.

Among them was the Super-size Spiderman issue in which he fights the Green Goblin. It also had a special section that showed all about his Spidey suit.

I wish I had 'em all back, just for sentimental value and to show my little brothers (who got into comics in the '90s) and my kids.

 

[redfang]

Depends on certain things, condition, even fair books can have good value depending on the issue. Thats next, what issue. I helped a woman Iused to work with sell some comics on ebay. She had about the first 150 or so issues of amazing spiderman. Some of the books list in the thousands in mint condition. These she had bought when they came out and the kids (we worked in residential treatment center for adolescents.) read them. I accurately described all of the damage, which was significant in some cases, but many of the books still sold for a substantial amount.

Then, what exactly are you talking about, in SpiderMan, you have Amazing Spiderman, Peter Parker the Spectacular Spiderman, Web of Spiderman (80's, i think you mentioned 70's) Early amazing's are typically worth a lot more than ppssm's.

You may do better on ebay than through a shop. Comic shop owners have to be cheap to make a buck. Even on consignment, Ebay may be the better bet. Check a price guide, or see what similar titles are going for on Ebay, ask some local shops for an appraisal.

 

[Carol]

Usually no matter what you sell, whether its something like comics or musical instruments, or cars....youcan get more money selling it on your own or through a classified/ebay type of listing than you can selling it to a retailer that has to provide you with a wholesale price.

The advantage to selling it to a retailer is that its faster and you get money right away, rather than running about and having to disclose your residence to whatever kind of weird creepy people are out there.

 

[MBuzzy]

With comic books - I would caution one thing....take the time to look up EACH BOOK in a price guide. You would be surprised what issues are worth something. If you try to sell in bulk, you may end up giving up a thousand dollar comic in with a bunch of dollar books.

I have one that is worth a few hundred, because it was the last time a certain illustrator worked on the book. To the untrained eye, it looks like a worthless issue, nothing important happens plot wise, it is not striking at all, but I would have never known if I hadn't looked them all up.

Also, once you've looked them up, you might have good luck grouping them. For example, you may have 5 issues out of 30 that are worth something, so make groups of out them. Sell the 5 individually and group the others in sequential groups.

GOOD LUCK!

 

[Drac]

With comic books - I would caution one thing....take the time to look up EACH BOOK in a price guide. You would be surprised what issues are worth something. If you try to sell in bulk, you may end up giving up a thousand dollar comic in with a bunch of dollar books. GOOD LUCK!

Read and heed MBuzzy's post..It happened to me..I diodn't find out until MUCH later..

 

[stickarts]

Thanks for all the great advice! I will start looking each one up and take it from there. I will probably still hang on to my favorite ones. Still a kid at heart!

 

[Drac]

A friend of mine is a SERIOUS collector..He hit's every garage sale and always seems to find bargins..His greatest find at one of these sales was a mint condition Number 1 issue of "Creepy" Magazine which I believe came out in the late 60's early 70's..I think he got $300.00 for a 50cent investment..

 

[stickarts]

Wow!
I just found out a student of mine buys and sells these. He is going to grade them all individually for me and give me an estimated value for each one. I am also going to go over the numbers myself from a catalog.
I am hoping for at least one really good one!

 

[Kacey]

Wow!
I just found out a student of mine buys and sells these. He is going to grade them all individually for me and give me an estimated value for each one. I am also going to go over the numbers myself from a catalog.
I am hoping for at least one really good one!

Lucky you! One of these days I should really go through the ones I have... I was into collecting in high school and college, and they're all bagged and in comic book boxes (the long skinny ones) - mostly from the late 80s and early 90s, but some older ones I bought to fill in series. The thing is, the ones I'm most willing to part with are the ones that aren't really worth anything!

 

[Drac]

I remember the Superman comics my Dad use to bring home..Went to a comic book show one year and saw many of them for sale..The cheapest was about $200.00..Who knew???

 

[mrhnau]

I remember the Superman comics my Dad use to bring home..Went to a comic book show one year and saw many of them for sale..The cheapest was about $200.00..Who knew???

Ain't that the truth! My dad used to have tons of baseball cards back in the day. Lots of Mantle, Mayes, Gehrig... His mother threw them out once while cleaning the house, thinking they were worthless!

Hindsight is so 20/20

 

[Drac]

Ain't that the truth! My dad used to have tons of baseball cards back in the day. Lots of Mantle, Mayes, Gehrig... His mother threw them out once while cleaning the house, thinking they were worthless!

To quote Dr.Smith from the old "Lost In Space" series..Oh the pain, the pain...

 

[stickarts]

I have many of the classics. I am just hoping at least one of them is of value! I wish i would have kept them in better condition.

 

[Drac]

I have many of the classics. I am just hoping at least one of them is of value! I wish i would have kept them in better condition.

Get a comic colectors guide...Sometimes even books in poor condition are worth something..