| |
What is a Comic Book Price Guide?
By Dave Gieber
A comic book price guide is a great tool for determining
what your comic books are estimated to be worth in the
market today. The going worth of individual comic books can
range all over the board. Some issues have been known to
carry a value of six figures, while other issues aren't
even worth the price you paid for them. A comic book price
guide can go a long way in helping you determine this kind
of information.
Action Comics #1 (the introduction of Superman) in mint
condition has been quoted at being worth $650,000. A pretty
tidy piece of change. Then Weird Science, issue #13, in
near mint condition can command a respectable price tag of
$5,750. There are also multitudes of back issues purchased
at a newsstand price of around 5 bucks, that are now worth
even less than that.
The ability to determine the actual value of individual
collections is not an easy task or one to be taken lightly.
Comic book pricing is a highly perceived value and will
vary quite greatly, depending on which opinion and which
comic book price guide you choose to follow. By all means,
if there is a reputable comic book dealer in your local
area that you are comfortable dealing with, get his or her
opinion. But in all my research so far, it seems that "The
Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide" is the bible of most
active comic book collectors.
I have my copy in electronic format, reachable from my
desktop. It is very handy. If you truly want to understand
what your magazines are worth, the first thing you need to
do is to determine the physical condition of each comic
book. Is it raggedy ass poor with pages missing and in need
of a paper clip to hold it together? Or has it never been
opened since being purchased and appears to be in mint
condition? Even brand new comic books may not make the
grade of mint or perfect condition.
The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide gives a very detailed
description of all the grades and sub-grades used in the
0.5 to 10.0 scale. This grading system is generally
accepted by all comic book aficionados. If you follow
Overstreet's physical condition explanations and grading
scale, you will get a pretty good feel for the conditions
of your own collection.
The next step in your comic book pricing exercise is to
then go through the myriad of pages in the comic book price
guide to find your particular issues. Along with your now
determined physical and grade conditions, you can find your
issue's current assumed value.
The comic book price guide also has tips on collecting,
preserving and storing your comic books. And it defines the
various ages (Golden Age, Silver Age, etc.) that comic book
history has moved through.
I guess if I had to mention a drawback to this guide, it
would be the fact that there is soo much information to go
through, it could take you quit a while to devour the whole
book. Once you get well acquainted and comfortable with the
comic book price guide though, you could consider yourself
an expert in your own right and help your friends out with
their collecting and comic book pricing questions.
I do believe this guide to be an invaluable and inexpensive
resource to have and I don't think you will be disappointed
with it. Heritage Comics seems to be the top dog for
delivering an electronic version of a comic book price
guide. You can visit Heritage at
http://www.comic-book-collection-made-easy.com/CBPG to
learn more about the guide.
While you are there, you may want to surf around Heritage's
site. There are some very interesting subjects there. They
also have on of the biggest on line comic book auctions on
the Net. If you have never seen Heritage Comics' site
before and you really enjoy it, just remember where you
heard about it at (ha, ha).
Of course if you would rather have a hard copy of the
Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide, I am sure your local
comic book store would have a copy and I hope this little
review has helped you with your pricing questions.
If you are serious at all about the monetary worth of your
comic book collection, then a comic book price guide is a
valuable tool to have. There are several available and even
a few for free. But if you want some of the most relevant
and up to date data, then the "Overstreet Comic Book Price
Guide" has developed a superior reputation over the past 30
years.
About the Author
Dave Gieber owns and edits a website built
around one of his childhood passions. Learn the basic
essentials to comic book collecting success. To receive
your free 5-part mini course visit:
www.comic-book-collection-made-easy.com/5-day-course.html
Article Source: http://www.simplysearch4it.com/article/7507.html
| If you wish to add the above article to your website or newsletters then please include the "Article Source: http://www.simplysearch4it.com/article/7507.html" as shown above and make it hyperlinked. |
| Some other articles by Dave Gieber | |
| |
|
|
|
