Despite the number of copies (and printings) Sups 75 is a tough 9.8 to get. It’s also somewhat of an iconic cover, despite symbolizing the comic bubble bursting shortly thereafter.
So demand is enough for the 9.8s to drive the price past $100 on these. So don’t pass up on any 9.8 candidates if you find them cheap.
There are ~2,000 9.8s on the census. With 6 million copies I’m sure there are a ton of raw copies that could hit 9.8, people just don’t bother sending them in. Maybe they should at that price…
Sup’s 75 death was the first time I encountered shops inflating prices to secondary market prices on release day. Despite that huge print run, being only 14 years old at the time, I showed up at my local shop to find they priced it at $20 and said they were shorted. That was a huge turn off for me and I think I kind of stopped collecting soon after until I started back up again in 2013 after Walking Dead came out and I quickly found CHU in it’s infancy, researching what comics to buy to read next and the rest is history…
That Sups 75 is very tough to get 9.8 due to the black front and the back is even worse. Is 2000 on the census a lot? Legit asking, Spawn #1 looks to have 18K or so. X-men #1 (1991) had a very large print run as well and it has 15K 9.8 on the census.
Economically, any discussion about price point has to include consideration of supply AND demand. 200K print run? Big winner if 400K people want it. 3K print run? Loser if only 1K people want it.
Yup, demand is the driving factor for all perceived value in things… supply and availability are contributors. Without demand, supply and availability are moot for the most part.
They need to be factored equally. There’s always a supply number that can swamp demand. Worst case scenario: Dark Horse simply adding to the print run of Sister Imperator.
Yes, when demand exceeds supply or availability. I stand by my previous statement still… supply and availability are moot until there’s actual demand in play so it’s the ultimate driving force behind pushing values up.
Boom has their con exclusives up. Shubina and Frison.
$40 ???
Price is too rich for my blood
No mention of print run.
They (the publishers) just keep gouging us flippers with ridiculous high buy-ins.
Nope Nope Nope
Absolutely not. Supply is never moot. The level of supply defines how much demand is going to be needed to move the price needle.
Anyone looking to evaluate the spec value of a book needs to equally consider the print run AND the expected demand.
Agree to disagree, I think we’re just saying it in different ways. But no one can predict true demand, not with speculators gobbling up multiple copies and holding until there is demand, which may or may not happen. But until there is demand, supply is moot.
I can have a one of a kind item but if no one wants it, it’s worthless. Now if a million people want it, certainly supply and availability now are in play.
You even stated it right there yourself… that statement details until “demand” is higher than actual supply (and availability since not everyone sells their copies), then value goes up when people are willing to spend more on the item.
Print runs with comics are determined by a number of factors but start off with retailers filling pre-orders (initial demand for the product) and then shelf copies, which are just reserved for those who didn’t pre-order or casual shoppers who stumble upon it and usually based on the number they “think” they’ll sell. Then there’s shops that just chase ratios and buy more copies than they can sell along with speculators who might buy extra copies in hopes there’s demand.
But yes, if you’re speculating, you can try to pre-determine based on low print runs or availability that the value will go up but only if and when actual demand exceeds supply. So just like you said, if shops ordered 3k books and only sell 1k total while no one else wants it, supply is moot at this point if and only when “demand” kicks in… There’s a lot of low print run crap out there that never commands a premium.
Even this is backing up my statement in a sense.
If there’s no demand, supply doesn’t matter — prices won’t move no matter how rare or abundant an item is.
Demand is the activating force. Value isn’t realized until someone wants the thing.
In markets like comics, art, or collectibles, latent supply (what exists) only matters once people care enough to compete for it.
But yes… I’ll throw you a bone on your stance which I’m reading as:
If supply is huge, it’ll take a lot of demand before prices rise.
If supply is tiny, even a little demand can spike prices.
So price sensitivity is a function of supply.
But until there’s demand… one like me can essentially say it’s moot until there is actual demand.
Supply determines how far the price can move,
Demand determines whether the price moves at all.
Supply only matters after demand shows up — until then, rarity is just clutter nobody wants.
I have a book that from what I can tell hasn’t been offered for sale in many years…can’t find any records…been sitting on ebay for months with no looks or watches, much less questions/inquiries.
If listed it for $0.01, I don’t know of or would sell.
No demand…doesn’t matter. Worthless!!!
I got some golden age religious comics out of a collection that I showed to a shop owner. Said they are very rare. Problem is no one wants them. Not worth anything.
What titles? just curious. If you dont have to dig around.
There is such a thing as so rare that its worthless.
Some Heroes All, some Catholic Comics Vol 3 and some Treasure Chest