Is coin collecting better than comicbook collecting?

WestySteve · July 29, 2011 1:25AM

Hey guys,

I collect coins. I also collect comicbooks.

I like coins because:
1. The history of them
edit: 1a. Artwork like small sculptures, metal luster, etc...general beauty.
2. Its something I collected as a kid and I feel nostalgic about them
3. I love toning
4. Probably a good idea to have precious metal around the house
5. Hopefully, they will go up in value over time.

But I also like comics. For those of you who don't know, you can also buy slabbed/graded comicbooks and they can be quite rare and valuable ($1 million comicbooks do exist). I like them because:
1. Its kind of neat to see pop culture icons in their very early days
2. Its also something I collected as a kid and I feel nostalgic about them.
3. Some have good stories...but admittedly, most stories are juvenile (as expected)
4. The artwork can be pretty good.
5. I think the demographics for the hobby is better than coins.
6. Hot girls at comicbook conventions.

Obviously, everyone here is a die hard coin collector. But what are your thoughts on comics, bad or good? How does it compare to coins? Which is better and why?

Steve

Ahrensdad · July 29, 2011 1:28AM

When they start making comics out of gold or silver let me know.

Actually, I'm just not much into comics. I think like any collecting, it's what you like.

mrearlygold · July 29, 2011 1:29AM

I like comic books too

RYK · July 29, 2011 1:30AM

I have always thought that sportscards are more analogous to coins than comic books are.

When I was a boy, I enjoyed comic books (Richie Rich was my favorite, kind of reminds me of a young Longacre, in retrospect

), and I can certainly see the nostalgia factor. However, comic books are intended to be read, and I would not enjoy owning a comic book that would lose value if I opened the cover, or heaven forbid, spilled a drop of Diet Coke on it. Plus, like all things paper, they can be affected by humidity and are, in general, more fragile than coins.

devious · July 29, 2011 1:34AM

I sold off my collection a few years ago. I bought them when it seemed the market was on fire in the nineties.

I only cared for comic books as a kid, but I did love Evil Ernie, Lady Death, Shi, Gen 13, Kabuki, Vampirella, and the likes. Yes, I liked the women. HEH!

bronzemat · July 29, 2011 1:34AM

I collect both myself. I have been collecting comics longer only cause I took a 15 year break on coins but started collecting coins sooner.

I actually prefer coins more only because they take up less space and I dont care for most of the current comics that are available. Plus silly things like rebooting the entire DC Comics *Superman & Batman* universe is just beyond stupid.

I just buy 2 comic book series a month & enjoy them but I think coins are more fun just cause of the history.

With comics I just buy them, read them and toss them in a tote, many I havent looked at in years.

Also before I got back into coins I ended up throwing away ALOT of comic books from the 90's because they were taking up so much space & no comic book store wanted them. I knew no kids who either.

Coins are easier to unload to someone else

pheh · July 29, 2011 1:37AM

Worst hobby ever...

Bankerbob56 · July 29, 2011 1:44AM

I think the older comics from the 60's and 70's would be cool to collect. I know nothing about them but I think mint comic books would be fun to own (older)...

Do you have any references for info on collecting comic books?

I must add that coins were meant to be spent just like comics were meant to be read!!! I don't get the analogy there.

Drop a coin, spill pop on a coin, they are both sensitive to environmental conditions!!

keyman64 · July 29, 2011 1:47AM

I have both and enjoy both but prefer coins. If there is ever a recovery to comics, I will strongly consider selling mine.

gettyongo12 · July 29, 2011 1:48AM

<< I have both and enjoy both but prefer coins. If there is ever a recovery to comics, I will strongly consider selling mine. >>

The same could be said about Action Figure collecting. Anyone from here do that too?

barrytrot · July 29, 2011 1:48AM

Here is the problem with comic slabs: You no longer get to see anything of the comic other than the cover and the back. To me that is crazy since the joy of a comic is mostly in the interior pages as that is where the story is.

How is the "origin of Iron Man" worth more when you can't read the origin again?

WTCG · July 29, 2011 1:51AM

A coin collection can't be destroyed by one hour of humidity but more gals attend Comic-Con in two hours than one years of coin shows combined.

Collecting which one gives a better shot at hooking up?

Bankerbob56 · July 29, 2011 2:23AM

<< A coin collection can't be destroyed by one hour of humidity but more gals attend Comic-Con in two hours than one years of coin shows combined.

Collecting which one gives a better shot at hooking up? >>

If that is the goal, try bars!

stevek · July 29, 2011 2:28AM

<<< Is coin collecting better than comicbook collecting? >>>

I used to go to coin shows and clubs in the 1970's, and most coin collectors would sneer at baseball card collectors and openly laugh at them. And I avidly collected both, then and now. Well...for example a 1962 proof set was worth about $3.50 then and around $20 now...whereby a mint 1962 Mickey Mantle baseball card was worth a few dollars then, but tens of thousands of dollars now - I guess they don't laugh at that anymore. And of course some of those first edition comicbooks are worth big money as well.

Then and now, I've never belittled anyone's collecting interest, although admittedly, the exorbitant prices paid for Beanie Babies does puzzle me. LOL

pf70collector · July 29, 2011 2:31AM

I used to collect comic books. Have the first year Star Wars in mint condition. I remember when the Death of Superman came out. It was going for around $50, than they did a second printing..... still have three of them unopened in the black cover.

WTCG · July 29, 2011 2:39AM

<< Then and now, I've never belittled anyone's collecting interest, although admittedly, the exorbitant prices paid for Beanie Babies does puzzle me. LOL >>

I'll agree the Beanie Babies collecting is an enigma. I remember those being all the rage in the late 90's and personally I know of a few families that had invested almost a half million dollars in them. I didn't know the slogan "don't touch the tag!" meant so much.

Bear · July 29, 2011 2:45AM

I used to collect comic books from the late 70s thru 80s. However, they are difficult to keep

in pristine condition, the market for post 1970 comics has collapsed and only the golden age

has really maintained value. Further, the cosy of each comic is several dollars and the

chance of getting a fraction of the value retuned, is almost nill. Lastly, they take up a great

deal of room, are heavy to lug around and in time, become a burdon that you can not sell or

even give away.

OldEastside · July 29, 2011 2:47AM

<< A coin collection can't be destroyed by one hour of humidity but more gals attend Comic-Con in two hours than one years of coin shows combined.

Collecting which one gives a better shot at hooking up? >>

Wow, that got me thinking about some pick up lines

Such as "hey baby, I have a 1st edition Superman out in my car, wanna see"

or

"MMM baby, I has me a 09 S VDB in my pocket, reach in there and check it out"

Steve

Klif50 · July 29, 2011 3:01AM

I too collected comics for a lot of years. The bottom dropped out of them just like the baseball card market. I know that the rare stuff remains rare and brings good money but those comics are few and far between. I follow the guy who found the Mile High Collection and he post daily abut his buys. He can buy pallets of golden and silver age comics and then sell them for 60% off of the catalog price or his normal store price. I had quite a few graded comics but they took up a lot of room and when I got ready to sell, the people who wanted the book didn't want it in the plastic since you can't read it.
I regretfully believe that comics, stamps and baseball cards, along with Franklin Mint dolls and Beanie babies have all had their day and will never again see the bright light of major interest. Comics, when I was growing up were 12 cents, now some of the are 3 or 4 dollars and then they come with 6 different covers and holograms and I can't even afford to pick one up to read.

Just my 12 cents worth.

kiyote · July 29, 2011 3:21AM

I love pulp comics from the 50s, but once EC did high quality reprints I just bought those for $3 an issue.

WestySteve · July 29, 2011 3:23AM

Wow...a wealth of interesting replies here.

FWIW, I don't read the modern stuff either. There are some good modern stories here and there, but many are not that good and your $5 investment at the newstand becomes worth 25 cents in a year. Until I can read my way through a wealth of really good stuff that was available in the '60's and '70's, I see no need to buy anything else. And they retain their value.

It sounds like there are people holding onto some of the "speculator" books that came out during the 90's. There was a lot of supply of these books, so they are readily available in high grade and at cheap prices. Not a good return on those.

But the pre-70's books are better and have been gaining ground year after year. The point of my post wasn't about the investment aspect exclusively, but the early books...especially the early keys, have done very well. Just last year, we saw the highest price ever paid for the first appearance of Spiderman. Record setting prices equates to a reasonably healthy market.

As for collecting slabbed books. Only a few of the nicer items I have are in slabs and I can read their stories in reprint. Like coins, I can look at the front and back but can't "read the inside". Interestingly, one of the major slabbing companies is CGC. The are affiliated with NGC. Interesting bit of trivia there. I'm surprised PCGS hasn't tried this yet. (Hey, I work cheap!)

Girls. Yep...If you ever get a chance to go to a big comicbook convention, you should go for no other reason than to people watch. Back in my days, there were no girls. Now they are all over the place. Comicbook purchasing is a small percentage of what goes on at these shows, but all those kids are exposed to the comics while they are at the show and that is generally good for the future health of the hobby...even if they do someday stop printing them on paper. I like that comic characters have a presence in Walmart. It can't be bad for th hobby that birthday parties for 3 year old boys might require Spiderman plates and cups.

Baseball cards? Yeah, interesting stuff. You have to really know what you're doing. I do think its interesting that you can "invest" in your favorite player just as (with comics), you can invest in your favorite character.

I can't say I like one more than the other...its a struggle to figure out how I'll spend my hobby money.

Steve

MrEureka · July 29, 2011 3:24AM

I used to collect comic books. Have the first year Star Wars in mint condition.

I bought 2400 copies of SW #1, straight from the distributor, including (IIRC) 300 of the second printing. I started selling at something like 50 cents and got as much as $1.50 for the last of them. Haven't done much with comics since. What are they worth today?

Anyway, I think the hobbies are equivalent, but coins are a better long term investment. I say that because much of the demand for comics is based on nostalgia, and the value of nostalgia dies along with the generation. Coins, however, derive their value largely for their place in history, and history is forever.

saintguru · July 29, 2011 3:36AM

Kind of interesting...as a kid I loved all the great comics Marvel, DC and a few like RYK's capitalist Richie Rich, Beetle Bailey, Archie (I loved Betty

). But my passion was MAD magazine. I began reading it around 63 when I was nine and for the next 5 or 6 years I tried to get my hands on every issue and paperback I could form the amazing 1950's! I never called them a collection....they were, but I thought of it as just having hard to get magazines.

And like every kid, I went to college and along with my 10,000 baseball cards, they were the victim of a garage cleanup!

Coinosaurus · July 29, 2011 3:48AM

Used to collect comics, but at some point found them, how shall I put this delicately, less than intellectually stimulating.

There are exceptions to be sure. LIke Frank Miller reinventing Batman, etc. But generally I felt them to be a low form of art. It's fun to read Archie when you are a kid, not so much fun when you are an adult.

Heritage came to my house personally and took care of everything

keyman64 · July 29, 2011 3:51AM

I have a lot of baseball cards from 1987 and a few from 1986 and 1988....that's about it there. I think Jose Canseco's rookie card is in there.

My wife has basketball cards including Shaq's Rookie Card.

As for comics, I have Peter Parker the Spectacular Spiderman #1. I also have the "Web of Spiderman" #1-50 and Annuals #1-4. GI Joe #1 and #2. The darn re-prints of #2 killed the original which caused it to tank in value! I have Amazing Spiderman #16 from 1968 I think...it is a bit torn though. Ahhh, the Death of Superman Black Bags...I have a few of those unoppened as well.

I wonder if he actually dies?

I never opened the bags to find out.

I have some limited edition/rare Hot Wheels along with a ton that are not worth anything.

I have a lot of Transformers from the 1980s with their original boxes.

If I don't ever get the opportunity to sell any of this stuff then they will be passed on to my kids...and then they can toss the stuff in the trash can.

Coins101 · July 29, 2011 3:55AM

You can always spend your coins if there was an immediate need. As for a comic book, the only thing I can think of that it could immediately be used for is to start a fire or TP. I look at comic books like stamps. Sure, some are "worth" alot but money is money. Everything else has to be converted to money to be of any use (except fire and TP

).

WestySteve · July 29, 2011 4:06AM

<< I used to collect comic books. Have the first year Star Wars in mint condition.

I bought 2400 copies of SW #1, straight from the distributor, including (IIRC) 300 of the second printing. I started selling at something like 50 cents and got as much as $1.50 for the last of them. Haven't done much with comics since. What are they worth today?

>>

2400 copies of the first print in near mint condition? See the link:

Sorry

ambro51 · July 29, 2011 4:11AM

No.

with comic book collecting, the staples rust............you lose money
with coins, the staples in the 2X2 scratch the coin....you lose money

pheh · July 29, 2011 4:11AM

<< Used to collect comics, but at some point found them, how shall I put this delicately, less than intellectually stimulating.

There are exceptions to be sure. LIke Frank Miller reinventing Batman, etc. But generally I felt them to be a low form of art. It's fun to read Archie when you are a kid, not so much fun when you are an adult.

Heritage came to my house personally and took care of everything

>>

If you like Frank Miller...

... then try Neil Gaiman, Mark Millar, Alan Moore, Garth Ennis, and Warren Ellis. No need to collect.

Broadstruck · July 29, 2011 4:27AM

Certified Coins are better... Try to read a Certified Comic Book!

WestySteve · July 29, 2011 4:43AM

I concur that Neil Gaiman is a great read. Especially his Sandman series.

You all know that there are words printed inside your coins, right? All you have to do is slice them open.

kryptonitecomics · July 29, 2011 12:22PM

I prefer comic book collecting to coin collecting due to the art work but grading and restoration detection make it a much more difficult hobby for the novice.

yellowkid · July 29, 2011 12:40PM

I collected Golden Age in the early 70's when the top pieces were still affordable, it has become too expensive for me now but given deep enough pockets I would collect both.

melvin289 · July 29, 2011 12:40PM

Broadstruck,
To go with your 1940 introduction of Green Lantern the August 1960 1st issue of the Silver Age Green Lantern. I wish this comic was in the condition it was in when I stored it away in 1965. A good reason to prefer coins over comics. Comics are so fragile.

Ron

yellowkid · July 29, 2011 12:41PM

<< Certified Coins are better... Try to read a Certified Comic Book!

>>

One of the reasons I got out of comics, it bothered me to spend all that money on something just for the cover art, and this was long before grading.

mingot · July 29, 2011 1:09PM

<< ... But my passion was MAD magazine. I began reading it around 63 when I was nine and for the next 5 or 6 years I tried to get my hands on every issue and paperback I could form the amazing 1950's! I never called them a collection....they were, but I thought of it as just having hard to get magazines. >>

I started with issue #241 in the summer of '83 and really had no concept of a back issue until a few months later when I visited a cousin who had issue #240. I started hunting down every back issue and paperback that I could get my hands on. My mother knew better than to throw them out when I left home, though. Didn't help when her house flooded, though. I lost the vast majority. Fast forward to about 2002 (and the internet) and I decided I was going to do a complete 1-23 (comic book format) run in mid to high grade. It took a few years, and quite a few upgrades, but I finished a few years ago. I'll need to dig up my link to a "group shot" I posted of the run ATS.

And has anyone tried to use an ANA membership to submit to CGC?

I have about 10 of the run that I would like to get holdered heh.

melvin289 · July 29, 2011 1:23PM

<< 

<< ... But my passion was MAD magazine. I began reading it around 63 when I was nine and for the next 5 or 6 years I tried to get my hands on every issue and paperback I could form the amazing 1950's! I never called them a collection....they were, but I thought of it as just having hard to get magazines. >>

I started with issue #241 in the summer of '83 and really had no concept of a back issue until a few months later when I visited a cousin who had issue #240. I started hunting down every back issue and paperback that I could get my hands on. My mother knew better than to throw them out when I left home, though. Didn't help when her house flooded, though. I lost the vast majority. Fast forward to about 2002 (and the internet) and I decided I was going to do a complete 1-23 (comic book format) run in mid to high grade. It took a few years, and quite a few upgrades, but I finished a few years ago. I'll need to dig up my link to a "group shot" I posted of the run ATS.

And has anyone tried to use an ANA membership to submit to CGC?

I have about 10 of the run that I would like to get holdered heh. >>

I was looking at some of my old Mad Magazines and most still cost 25¢ Cheap. A few were 35¢ Cheap and several were 50¢ Cheap.

Ron

Is coin collecting better than comicbook collecting?

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