Obviously I need to do more research. Counted the available eBay books and direct editions outnumber newsstands. Counted 69 directs and 49 Newsstands.
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Heh… I always see more directs compared to newsstands as well. That’s why I eyeballed and bought the one I did when pulling the trigger.
But the sad part is, we’ll never truly know all the exact numbers and facts on print runs, newstands vs directs during this period, etc. It’s all a guessing game. Even if you went by sold listings on eBay, how many of those books could have sold twice in the 90 day period, it’s possible.
Good info coming from both sides though. This is why we created the forums, discussions amongst us comic book nerds… 
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I didn’t include the unsold because many are relisted over and over and over…some are one and done. I have much more confidence in that sold plus currently for sale are closer to a true sample size…knowing there is still likely some error that someone cancelled a sale or returned a book or immediately listed it again for resale in that window of time. But I doubt it accounts for more than a couple books.
Not an exact science…but good enough for seeing trends.
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First 6% is from the chart you provided which you state are “Marvels numbers” I think are approximations made up by someone that worked at marvel during that time. I’ve seen that chart before in other forums so I think we should look into the true source of it before saying they are hard numbers/fact. I use them loosely because of that, which is why I’m providing a “range” just to supplement some of the discussion points. I’m guessing like everyone else is, including the developer of this chart,I believe.
Secondly, 6% is for 1979. The book is I chose is 1980, 1982 jumped to 20% according to the chart. So I guess I could have said 6-20%. Either way, I’m still guessing and I feel like providing a range of 10-20 is more closer to being feasible than 6%, especially since who knows how popular she-hulk #1 was and how many were tossed/returned.
Hope that helps. I’ll dig into where I saw that chart before, feel free to point me to your source if you have one.
In order for a book to be sold, it must first be available to sell.
And the debate was not about what was available/selling. The debate was the scarcity of High Grade newsstands vs high grade directs, from the first (few) year(s) that directs were available. And if we are debating the scarcity issue, both sold and active listings can help us, to some degree, in aquiring information to use within the debate.
Wolverine #1 (1982):
9.8 = 93 Direct vs. 10 Newsstand
9.6 = 83 Direct vs.15 Newsstand
9.4 = 53 Direct vs. 9 Newsstand
9.2 = 18 Direct vs. 5 Newsstand
9.0 = 12 Direct vs. 8 Newsstand
8.5 = 8 Direct vs. 0 newsstand
8.0 = 1 Direct vs, 2 newsstand
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I have also seen Shooters direct vs newsstand approximation chart before. We will never have hard facts on the exact ratios of direct vs newsstands, as I am fairly certain that those records do not exist. Shooters chart, imo, is the ‘standard’ within the hobby, that we use as our baseline. But, you are correct, I think, about those being educated estimates more than they are hard facts.
The numbers are from Marvels Editor In Chief Jim Shooter which was previously discussed in this thread. So I trust the numbers more or less. How are we do determine which is rarer without looking at what’s available and what’s sold? We can’t go door to door so it’s the best we have for right now.
agreed.
Im aware of Jim Shooter and the chart of his that you kindly provided above, @ToddW. Imo, It is the most reliable numbers provided for this particular topic/discussion.
I was actually surprised I didn’t see any real price difference Dir vs. NS for the Wolverines #1. I’ve also been in the market for a G.I. Joe #1, which I think is 1983, and that’s not much of a difference either.
I think the market will eventually correct itself for these NS editions, as more collectors become aware. It is surprising to me how many people are not aware of the difference. Im also sure that there is a sect of the community that just doesn’t care and probably never will. Which is fine. I enjoy the extra dimension that the different editions gives me, when Im diggin’ through bins n boxes.
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I always look for newsstands first…if I can replace a direct comic for a newsstand of equal or better condition, it’s a no brainer.
Especially Canadian price variants. The toughest of the tough to find in NM or better condition…
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Good ol’ CPVs. The butter to my bread. I am no stranger to the elusiveness of the high grade CPV. 
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I’m just stockpiling post 2000 high grade newsstands. Especially any keys or firsts. I’m having a lot of fun doing so.
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Maybe we can get a petition going and see if we can the census beauro to have people check their comics while they go door to door?
Where do you find your post 2000 newsstands, @ToddW? Do you find them mostly online, at your LCS’ or at shows? And what is the typical buy in?
I find them almost exclusively online right at the moment but I do also hit up my LCS’s. I’m paying low prices unless they’re key issues. No more than cover price often time less.
The real issue is if they aren’t aware of what they have they’re also not aware of how to package books. I have to be really proactive about asking exactly how they package and ship and if it’s not up to my standards I ask them to package it differently. Like today almost a full run of new 52 Justice League Newsstands and it was packaged poorly so I have a bunch of comics that now have corner impact creases.
In your experience, @ToddW, what kind of prices are attached to post 2000 newsstands non keys, when compared to their direct counterparts? EG. Issue #35 of that New52 JL run. #35 is a nothing book that wont even fetch cover price on the secondary market. How much would the market pay for a newsstand edition of that modern, nothing book?
It’s hard to say as I’ve only just begun collecting them in the last month or two and have filled two long boxes. I did get an uncanny x-men 423 newsstand in a lot of 21 other x-men comics, mostly newsstands as well $40 including shipping. So $1.90 each and sold it for over $40 so 8x as much as I paid. Also a Spawn 42 paid $3 and sold for $20 including shipping. As far as I know it’s not a key. That maybe the only non key I’ve sold. The only “keys” I’ve sold have been a Witchblade 10 newsstand that I paid $2 for and sold for $82.50, 41x what I paid. I have a bunch listed but no ones buying. I have them priced pretty high for the most part.