I’ve always been a nickel and dime sort of collector. I prefer to look for the deals at yard and garage sales, store sales and yes, even in the trash some people throw out.
It is much more gratifying to me to wait and find good deals on comic books and other collectibles than to lay down stacks of cash just because something is easy to come by on E-Bay or Amazon.
There’s something exciting about finding old comic books and toys at yard sales. Sometimes some real gems can be found for very little money.
The bulk of my collection of Silver and Bronze Age comic books were found at yard/garage sales, flea markets or thrift stores. Sometimes people have even give me their old collections just so they will be taken care of.
Regardless of how I obtained my old comic books I never spent more than $5 on any old comic book. I did that once with issue #108 of The Uncanny X-Men.
At the time it was a difficult book to find and it also had the distinction of being the first issue of the series John Byrne drew.
Whether its comic books, toys, trading cards, etc. I believe it is my responsibility as a child of God to spend money frugally. After all, it is God’s money.
He only allows me to use it. I’m a firm believer that tithing comes first and paying my bills and then if I have any money left over I put some away in savings and then, and only then, do I spend it any on ‘extras’'.
By extras I mean anything that is not necessary for living. That includes entertainment: whether it is movies, books, etc.
As much as I love comic books when I bought new issues I was very strict about how much I spent each week...it wasn’t much.
Since I retired I spend no money on new comic books since my wife and I live on a fixed income.
It’s not that we don’t have some extra cash-it’s just that other things take priority.
I will not die because I don’t buy comic books. They are not a necessity. They are a luxury as are many things so many people put an emphasis on.
Tithe first, bills second, savings third, extras dead last.
I know where my bread and butter come from. If it were not for God--my family and I would have nothing. Any extras are icing on the cake.
That’s why I can’t fathom spending the ridiculous amounts of money on old comic books, toys and other pop culture items.
Some people are barely eking by and spending their money on frivolities.
My point is: individuals need to set priorities when it comes to spending their money.
I thank God for all that he’s done. Trust me, I’m not that smart. If it were left up to me I’d screw everything up. It’s comforting to know God’s got my back.
It’s not always been easy. I would be lying if I said it was. God has always been there lifting me up whether I recognized it at the time or not.
Back to collectibles, specifically comic books.
Ironically the hobby is destroying itself from within.
With escalating prices on older back issues the normal Joe collector cannot afford to buy most Silver and Bronze Age back issues.
I hear people state that a particular back issue may be $25. I think they tend to forget that $25 is a good size amount for most people. That’s just one example.
Modern comic books sell through hype. Publishers put out a few ‘variant cover’ comic books and collectors clamor to get them. The problem is retailers have to buy a certain percentage of regular covers to get that one special variant cover.
When the variant sells the retailer is stuck with sometimes hundreds of copies of the same comic book with a regular cover. It’s a vicious cycle.
Is it any wonder comic book shops are dropping like flies?
Key collectible comic books (especially high cost early issues) are being relegated to dealers and collectors/investors that have big cash to invest.
Where does that leave regular guys (such as myself) when it comes to collecting? I certainly can’t afford to plunk down hundreds or thousands of dollars for a comic book.
Let’s be honest-we’re talking about comic books. It’s not like they’re the Lost Sea Scrolls or some similar historical document.
I love collecting. I always have and I always will. But, I prefer to seek out and find hidden gems and pay a pittance for them instead of succumbing to the current instant gratification available through E-Bay, Amazon, online and convention purchases.
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