Post your Garage Sale/Flea Market/Antique Mall Finds Here

59 59

Went to the big flea market at the fairgrounds. This used to be a monthly deal, but now it's closer to quarterly, with Memorial and Labor Day weekends being the big ones.

I go every year, and usually there aren't many comics, and what comics are there are usually junk and drek.

So, I was surprised to find several dealers this time, even one guy who actually had some keys and GA stuff. I didn't bring any serious cash so I only picked up some cheap stuff.

On the way out, I noticed a guy with a bunch of Amazing Stories. I was initially only interested in the covers with babes on 'em, but couldn't pass up the deal on the set.

The fact that the amount of comic dealers had more or less doubled from the usual was just one sign that the comic boom is definitely back. The SURE sign? EVERY dealer I talked to, completely unsolicited by me, asked me this exact question, verbatim:

"So, do you have a big collection?"

Followed by

"Let me know if you're looking to sell."

Keep in mind that I had never once referred to my own collection or books or mentioned selling in any way. These guys were all looking to buy. One guy was a sports card guy who is now "back into comics". I knew that the speculator days were back upon us, it it's been a long time since I've seen such an aggressive microcosm outside of an actual comic show.

found this at a flea market today

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Picked up a box of Astounding Science Fiction pulps from a garage sale Saturday morning. About 45 issues from 1945 to 1951, including the issues featuring L Ron Hubbard's little ditty, Dianetics!

Not my usual stuff by any stretch!

Great finds and what a great variety of items we're seeing in this thread. Keep 'em coming guys!

 

The fact that the amount of comic dealers had more or less doubled from the usual was just one sign that the comic boom is definitely back. The SURE sign? EVERY dealer I talked to, completely unsolicited by me, asked me this exact question, verbatim:

 

"So, do you have a big collection?"

 

Followed by

 

"Let me know if you're looking to sell."

 

Keep in mind that I had never once referred to my own collection or books or mentioned selling in any way. These guys were all looking to buy. One guy was a sports card guy who is now "back into comics". I knew that the speculator days were back upon us, it it's been a long time since I've seen such an aggressive microcosm outside of an actual comic show.

Yeah, this is pretty revealing here.

Right, so there's another boom here - but, given the nature of this recent one (high quality films vs. the original "gimmick" speculation books) - is there a chance this one stays?

Went to the big flea market at the fairgrounds. This used to be a monthly deal, but now it's closer to quarterly, with Memorial and Labor Day weekends being the big ones.

 

I go every year, and usually there aren't many comics, and what comics are there are usually junk and drek.

 

So, I was surprised to find several dealers this time, even one guy who actually had some keys and GA stuff. I didn't bring any serious cash so I only picked up some cheap stuff.

 

 

On the way out, I noticed a guy with a bunch of Amazing Stories. I was initially only interested in the covers with babes on 'em, but couldn't pass up the deal on the set.

 

 

The fact that the amount of comic dealers had more or less doubled from the usual was just one sign that the comic boom is definitely back. The SURE sign? EVERY dealer I talked to, completely unsolicited by me, asked me this exact question, verbatim:

 

"So, do you have a big collection?"

 

Followed by

 

"Let me know if you're looking to sell."

 

Keep in mind that I had never once referred to my own collection or books or mentioned selling in any way. These guys were all looking to buy. One guy was a sports card guy who is now "back into comics". I knew that the speculator days were back upon us, it it's been a long time since I've seen such an aggressive microcosm outside of an actual comic show.

I know what you mean. Twice a year a small town (Packwood, WA.) out in the middle of nowhere turns its' parking lots and open areas into one huge swapmeet. It used to be just mostly hunting and fishing dealers, but this year a couple people, I know, brought out over 10,000 comic books and people were actually showing up to buy them. Since the town is on a back country road there are homes all over the place miles before and after the town selling. One of these sellers owns a house on that road and they set up in their yard.

The Giant Size X-Men #1 that I bought was from one of these sellers who had picked up from another seller in Packwood.

I'm glad the market is back and doing well. I have always enjoyed dealing with this market.

Right, so there's another boom here - but, given the nature of this recent one (high quality films vs. the original "gimmick" speculation books) - is there a chance this one stays?

You get recessions, you have stock market declines. If you don't understand that's going to happen, then you're not ready, you won't do well in the markets.

Peter Lynch

Right, so there's another boom here - but, given the nature of this recent one (high quality films vs. the original "gimmick" speculation books) - is there a chance this one stays?

 

You get recessions, you have stock market declines. If you don't understand that's going to happen, then you're not ready, you won't do well in the markets.

Peter Lynch

 

Exactly. Nothing is permanent. Just like people now are wishing they'd have held on to their FF 45, 46, 52, and Luke Cage 1, in 5 years (or whenever) people are going to be talking about how they wish they had sold back when the books were going bonkers.

I'm glad the market is back and doing well. I have always enjoyed dealing with this market.

You're lucky to be finding quality books. Around here, I have to deflate about one guy a week on kijiji (craigslist) who thinks they can sell 2000 issues of drek for $5000.

I'm glad the market is back and doing well. I have always enjoyed dealing with this market.

 

You're lucky to be finding quality books. Around here, I have to deflate about one guy a week on kijiji (craigslist) who thinks they can sell 2000 issues of drek for $5000.

Yes, I see these type of ads by sellers trying to sell their dreks for high dollars on CL and kijiji everyday. There is one guy selling one comic per ad daily

It's a matter of having patience while sorting out ads online to make a "hit"

I'm glad the market is back and doing well. I have always enjoyed dealing with this market.

 

You're lucky to be finding quality books. Around here, I have to deflate about one guy a week on kijiji (craigslist) who thinks they can sell 2000 issues of drek for $5000.

Ahaha, but it's down to 3k!

I'm glad the market is back and doing well. I have always enjoyed dealing with this market.

 

You're lucky to be finding quality books. Around here, I have to deflate about one guy a week on kijiji (craigslist) who thinks they can sell 2000 issues of drek for $5000.

I think everyone who finds something here will agree that most of the searches reveal/reward very little. These successes are one out every 10 etc. But when they do, they are pretty exciting and make you get up at 3am every weekend or drive that extra mile etc.

FYI - I started a journal about a recent collection of independent/weird/copper/modern collection I purchased.

Since some of the collection has a little more eclectic stuff I thought it would be better to have it's own journal thread as I post some of the more unusual stuff.

http://boards.collectors-society.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Main=379662&Number=8630394#Post8630394

It's a numbers game. The more time and effort you put into it, the more good buys you get.

It's a numbers game. The more time and effort you put into it, the more good buys you get.

except in Chicago, there's nothing but drek here.

 

The fact that the amount of comic dealers had more or less doubled from the usual was just one sign that the comic boom is definitely back. The SURE sign? EVERY dealer I talked to, completely unsolicited by me, asked me this exact question, verbatim:

 

"So, do you have a big collection?"

 

Followed by

 

"Let me know if you're looking to sell."

 

Keep in mind that I had never once referred to my own collection or books or mentioned selling in any way. These guys were all looking to buy. One guy was a sports card guy who is now "back into comics". I knew that the speculator days were back upon us, it it's been a long time since I've seen such an aggressive microcosm outside of an actual comic show.

 

Yeah, this is pretty revealing here.

How about last week when I walked into a comic shop that's been around since the 80's, (I went there as a kid) and I start browsing the back issue bins, he's got a ton of stock, and he says "None of the back issues are for sale, I have to re-price everything".

I had a Batman #442 in my hand, the first book I picked out before he noticed me looking, and wouldn't even let me buy it for the $8 sticker price.

except in Chicago, there's nothing but drek here.

agreed - no reason to even look for anything in Chicago,,,,,,,,,

I'm glad the market is back and doing well. I have always enjoyed dealing with this market.

 

You're lucky to be finding quality books. Around here, I have to deflate about one guy a week on kijiji (craigslist) who thinks they can sell 2000 issues of drek for $5000.

 

I think everyone who finds something here will agree that most of the searches reveal/reward very little. These successes are one out every 10 etc. But when they do, they are pretty exciting and make you get up at 3am every weekend or drive that extra mile etc.

 

FYI - I started a journal about a recent collection of independent/weird/copper/modern collection I purchased.

 

Since some of the collection has a little more eclectic stuff I thought it would be better to have it's own journal thread as I post some of the more unusual stuff.

 

http://boards.collectors-society.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Main=379662&Number=8630394#Post8630394

I agree Hector. To many times I have gone to a yard sale that listed comic books to either be 10-20 drek books, or even worse, they sold them last night to somebody else.

My wofe thinks me crazy to get up early to drive a distance, but I am hoping she keeps looking at the rewards I can find, like the batch I got with the ASM 300. We drove to Packwood last Sat. She fought me on that one, but it yelded the Giant Size UXMN #1. If you aren't out there putting in the work you won't find anything.

 

The fact that the amount of comic dealers had more or less doubled from the usual was just one sign that the comic boom is definitely back. The SURE sign? EVERY dealer I talked to, completely unsolicited by me, asked me this exact question, verbatim:

 

"So, do you have a big collection?"

 

Followed by

 

"Let me know if you're looking to sell."

 

Keep in mind that I had never once referred to my own collection or books or mentioned selling in any way. These guys were all looking to buy. One guy was a sports card guy who is now "back into comics". I knew that the speculator days were back upon us, it it's been a long time since I've seen such an aggressive microcosm outside of an actual comic show.

 

Yeah, this is pretty revealing here.

 

How about last week when I walked into a comic shop that's been around since the 80's, (I went there as a kid) and I start browsing the back issue bins, he's got a ton of stock, and he says "None of the back issues are for sale, I have to re-price everything".

 

I had a Batman #442 in my hand, the first book I picked out before he noticed me looking, and wouldn't even let me buy it for the $8 sticker price.

 

They did you a favor. I would gladly sell you mutilple copies of Bats 442 for $8 each. I hope that owner went on Ebay and looked at the $.99 recent sales for that book and felt like a insufficiently_thoughtful_person.