I’m reaching out once more to the community for an advice regarding growth. In the last year or so, I notice that the market now commands noticeable premium for NEWSSTAND vs Direct (90s ERA).
Being a DC person, I notice that on key books, DC NEWSSTAND price can command a premium 1.5x to 2x over CGC 9.8 Direct (Look at Batman 428, Batman 404, and Batman Adventure 12)
However, if you look at the Newsstand CGC 9.6 which is currently less than it Direct CGC 9.8, would it be better to buy a Newsstand given its rarity over the direct or would you stay with a Direct CGC 9.8.
I brought this up about 8 months ago…I was contemplating whether I should keep a 9.6 Newsstand or a 9.8 direct.
Needless to say, I just sold the 9.8 today. Keeping the 9.6 newsstand as I believe they are gon average more scarce than 9.8 directs and I’m not a 9.8 snob when it comes to PC books.
I also like spending less for 9.6 newsstands than 9.8 directs when it comes to buying books whether it’s for the PC or investment.
Trends can shift. I’m not saying Newsstand premiums will go away. I don’t think they will but the the difference in prices realized may shift. Myself, I would go for the 9.8 direct over a 9.6. newsstand unless it is a newsstand that has a significantly lower print run on a very key book. Ultimate Fallout #4 comes to mind. Outside of exceptions such as that the 9.8 direct is still the better book for me.
As a collector, neither holds interest for me (9.6 vs. 9.8, or Newsstand vs Direct). I will have to punt.
As a seller, I would consider the option that nets me more $$$.
Newsstand vs Direct, the golden question. It really comes down to the book and the times of when the book was released I think.
ASM #300 Newsstand at 9.8 grade to me is more desirable than a Direct Edition at 9.8, considering most of the directs were likely sold in a bag with board, bought by those who cared to keep in top shape, sticking in their comic book long box after time of purchase while the Newsstand Edition was likely on a magazine shelf or spinner rack, man handled by kids and adults at the store, picked up, put down, picked up, skimmed, put back, pulled down to view other comics behind it on the shelf or spinner rack, etc.
Ultimately in the end, if it’s just for investment purposes, do your homework on the book itself to decide which one you think has the long term advantage over the other.
And of course, if you ever buy for yourself, for the personal collection, just do away with all the label nonsense and buy the book that just happens to be in a slab with a opinionated label slapped in it. When it comes to your own collection, you’re opinion is the only one that matters with the book you choose to buy.
To me this may be best example to gage 9.6 newsstand vs. 9.8 directs for 80s books as it came out at a time where directs started dominating newsstand (greater than 50%). And there are a lot of both out there to draw data from.
Let’s look at recent sales (% 9.8 Direct)
Direct 9.8 ~ $8000
Newsstand 9.6 ~ $4000 (50%)
Direct 9.6 ~ $2000 (25%)
Now let’s look at a more recent Spidey key, UF4:
Direct 9.8 ~ $2800
Newsstand 9.6 > $8000 (>300%)**
Direct 9.6 ~ $1200 (40%)
The only sale I can find is a CGC 9.2 in newsstand. If anyone has better data on this book, let me know.
So it still seems 80s (perhaps early 90s before the collapse) 9.6 newsstands aren’t taking over 9.8 directs as of this date. But perhaps if we look at some other keys we can validate that some more. And that could change over time as more collectors gravitate towards newsstands…still seems like a niche collector to me…but clearly evolving.
If you’re not a 9.8 snob, deals are out there and you can snag a 9.6 newsie for the price of a 9.6 direct if you’re keeping watch.
What Marvel/DC books should we look at from the 80s/90s? Ideas?
Direct 9.8 on anything prior to modern. Newsstands weren’t as rare back then and I’d take the higher grade.
Moderns newsstands are much rarer so comes into play more. I’m not a newsstand guy, so I’d still go the 9.8, but the UF4 example above is the perfect reason why to consider it.
Newsstands weren’t rare back in the day, pre 2000’s but high grade newsstands are rare in most cases considering how they were handled at non comic shops. That’s why depending on the book, I’ll take the high grade newsstand over the direct each and every time. But even then, I buy the book I like most, not the grade. I’ve seen 7.5 books that looked better than 8.0 to 9.2 books at times.
I don’t have a 9.8 ASM #300 but I do have a 9.6 #300 Direct and a 9.4 Newsstand. When the time is right for me to sell one it will be the 9.4 newsstand. I collect ASM and want the higher grade for the pc.
When I first started collecting it was at a local used book store. He had a small shelf for new comics and a small section for back issues. There were also some Magazine stands in the city that displayed and took care of their comics. Places like that weren’t all that rare where newsstand comics were more prominent…of course there were many, many drug stores with typical spin racks where the comics were destroyed after a couple of days. For me, I think it is safe to say pre-1990’s there are plenty of high grade newsstands of almost every comic released outside of maybe low printed indies. The further along into the 90’s the less Newsstands were printed and odds of finding high grade more difficult. The 2k newsstands, well that is a whole other beast especially anything past 2010.
Maybe depending on the location. In the 90s when I was buying most of my comics off the Eckerds spinner racks, I had to figure out what day they were getting new books in in hopes I get one that wasn’t folded over the spinner racks. If I couldn’t make it the same day, it seemed like just a day would go by and most of the comics would all have nasty spine dings and creases…
I may have been a little kind when I said a few days… Where I was growing up we had Thrifty Drugs and they had a couple of spinners. I didn’t’ always have a ride to the comic store every week so sometimes I had to count on them since they were much closer. If I didn’t get to them within a day or two all the good new comics were either gone or beat up. After a week or so, forget it, they were all bent up rags.
I know, but I was replying to you as well but I think my response still answers the question… just as general discussion because it’s more than just a yes or no when asking Newsstand 9.6 to Direct 9.8, which one? Cause there are so many other factors to involve.
To me, a Newsstand from 90s or earlier in 9.6 is what I would consider “high grade”… of course there are going to be more direct 9.8 books, they were catered to the collectors and not reading crowds of the times.
To be more direct. If I was going to drop $$$ for roughly the same price, would you take BA12 9.6 NEWSSTAND (300 Cheaper) or BA12 9.8 DIRECT? Basically, I’m focusing in 90s era, past that I would definitely take a newsstand 9.6 over 9.8 (Try finding a Batman #1 Newsstand or Teen Titan 12 Newsstand) is like trying to find a leprechaun.
Not sure, I’d have to really dig into past sales to determine which one is gonna yield the higher ROI. That’s only if I was buying to sell later on though. Like I said previously, if I was buying for the PC, I buy the book I just like more. If the newsstand had more eye appeal, I’d go with it and vice versa.
If they are the same grade, this is just stating the obvious. The question was a lower grade newsstand vs, a higher grade direct. And I think right now the 9.8 direct is better pre 2000…but there’s a shift occurring and in a few years that may not be true.
I thought of a few other classic 80s books to compare.
