I've found the same - but am still a rabid collector. Just more discerning. I gladly reglulary donate my pieces of nostalgia to Goodwilll, etc. and then take a 10 minute pass through the store - just to see. 99 visits out of 100 I find nothing. Then there's that 1 - "That belongs in a museum" moment. And I've had several. Collecting is a hell of a drug. And I love it.
Any type of investment is risky. I work in wealth management-banking and we now know even US treasury bonds have shown to be risky when small regional banks got in trouble from liquidity issues earlier this year. Now that I am going back into comics I don’t buy with the intention to make a lot of money by speculating or flipping. I buy and hold what I like but at the same time try to get good value for what I buy. If I’m able to sell it in the future with good gains then great but if I don’t sell it and end up keeping it then it works out too.
Some are more risky like comic books that are driven by hype, movies and nostalgia. There are no cash flows, pop culture can change and they aren’t liquid.
@@DanSchawbelyou would be the person in 1600 saying people buying Shakespeare is all hype and nostalgia and future generations won’t care or read his work so it’s a bad investment.
Great conversation between two great minds in the collectibles trade. I love it that Swag mentioned the stale donut thing early on. One of my favorite Sean-isms.
Wall St. guy here , very well said by Reserved Investments; Comics are just speculative art. I've been collecting for a while now and my strategy is simple : Buy and hold.
Yeah, I'm going to agree with the direction Shawn was going in; the younger generations of today will not generally have any nostalgia for comics at all and for sure baby boomers are going to have their collections hitting the market, and they can be big. Magazine stores hardly exist, comic racks at the drug store are pretty much gone, local comic stores are fewer. The opportunity for impulse and casual comic book buying has decreased unless you are already into it. The underground comix market didn't go to the moon and their print runs were tiny. Stamp collecting was the biggest hobby in the world for decades. There were multiple stamp and coin shops in every city. There was a huge support system of catalogs and peripherals, news articles about amazing sales and finds and thefts. What do I do with my multiple boxes of not super rare top tier stamps now? While I don't see the comic market going to zero, I will note the stamp collecting market dropped by about 90%. Now I do see a future where there are always collectors of books and comics are books. What we are going to see is, for sure, the difference between rare and expensive and common and expensive. But nothing is written in stone. Anyway, great interview. Very thoughful. thx. The impact on me will be extra caution, lots of extra caution.
A good rule of thumb is to not collect because you want to make money. You collect because you enjoy what you are collecting. That way you won’t be disappointed in losing value.
There’s a clear difference between collecting for investment and collecting for the sheer passion of it, but I agree with you 100%. Set goals for your collecting and stick to them!
@@User8vfjhejf , more often than not what you collect will lose value. I’ve seen it too often. Sure some stuff will go up, and you can make a Buck. However, if you think you’ll make money in the long run with most of your collectibles, you will be better off buying stocks. Which are easier to sell also.
So happy someone else said it out loud the absurdity that a grading company and auction house can be owned by the same business. Happening in the sportscard world and is so ripe for manipulation, collusion, and shenanigans!
Just think about sports cards. What exactly is the art! It’s more of a ponzi scheme. Comics are art and rarity, compared to just manipulated rarity. Rarity of dirt clogs is also rarity
@@dirkaminimo4836 There is no art in cards correct, 100% agree. I am not a sports card collector, bought them when I was kid in the 1970's. But a sports fan who lets say is 20 year old MLB fan or NFL fan and loves the history of the game can look back at say Willie Mays or Mickey Mantle and those statistics that both players put together or historical. For an NFL fan, the Pittsburg Steel curtain Defense with Terry Bradshaw at QB won 4 Superbowl Titles in 6 years in the 1970's. That is a real sports historical event. Now I would say Sports cards is ripe for manipulation but a Babe Ruth, or Micky Mantle baseball card tied to the NY Yankees (one of the most valuable sports franchises in the world) is I would say less speculative than coins, stamps, and even comics (of which I have collected since the early 1970's).
Excellent, informative interview. The part where Shawn talks about looking at sales on multiple sites is spot on. Comiclink just had an auction end. An A.F.#15 1.5 grade just sold fpr $14,254 and a 3.0 restored sold for $11,135. Those sales will not show up on GPA or Gocollect . Big difference from what people are asking for A.F.#15 in those grades.
i have 9 nieces and nephews all between the ages of 8-15, and none of them have ever read a comic book. Most of them have probably never even seen one. when i was growing up in the 80s and 90s everyone knew what a comic book was. They were in every corner store and in a lot of peoples homes
One of your best videos yet. It was completely honest and insightful. Comics is a hobby first and and investment second. That was the biggest takeaway I got. Investing can be fun but also dengerous.
Fantastic new collab! Not always directly about comics, but Shawn’s look and experience within the inner workings of the hobby is unmatched - nothing but the cold, hard facts! Time to cook me some dinner and get my watch on💪🏼
Ever since you started doing interviews with other comic creators I've been waiting for this one! Sean's channel has saved me from so many huge financial mistakes!
Beautiful collaboration. Cognitive distortion affects loads of folks. Their situation matters because they know best, others fail due to their character. They never believe they can be in the wrong when investing.
Felt like I was watching a Master Class in collectables investments! Loved the conversation. So much great information and thank you for introducing me to Shawn!
Really! I found him to be immature and obtuse. I think that all these new comics are just like sports cards, no value cept just rarity and hype. Nonsense. But keep your golden, the PCH, but ignore the BLUE COLLECTION like who owned it adds value. The DC collection tag from CGC, who cares…
Sean (Shawn?) Is a knowledgeable and interesting guy. I've been subbed to his channel since the beginning. He's got great insight but also I would say he definitely likes to hear himself talk
Good advice for someone who gets no enjoyment from comics and just looking for an investment. But I think most of Swag's audience has at least some love for comics. The way I see it: I get enjoyment from comic book collecting as I get enjoyment from things like going out to dinner (or other entertainment). The difference is that the $100 silver age ASM I buy is most likely to be worth something in the future while the $100 dinner I buy is most certainly going to end up in the toilet.
I learn so much from both you guys! They make a great point. For most of us, buying comics for investment is with disposable income. Pure investment is not the only motivation for me. I truly love the medium, love the history of it, love the art, love the stories.
Bro what a great video, you knocked it out of the park. The guest kept it real and did not pull any punches. I think I need to grade some more of silver and late golden age so when I am no longer around my family can sell them easier. It's a bit of wake up call as we sadly don't live forever.
Great video my brother, and shoutout to your guest for being honest about collectibles, hands down, super informative for many collectors who are not hip to all that goes on in the collectibles department, going to recommend this one on my YT channel for sure bro.
One thing I've been banging the drum on for current collectors - those who specifically want to sell their collections in the future for money: who do you think you're going to sell your collection to? As Shawn said, the market for physical media is going away. Younger generations do not care about comics the way older generations did. They're not likely to care when they're older because they won't have any associated nostalgia. On top of that, with the prices and availabilities of housing, future generations aren't even going to have room in their condos/apartment/tiny homes for a comic book collection. So while we slab our books, thinking about a day 10-20 years from now where we can cash in on all that value appreciation....it simply won't be there. Nobody will care. The people who are 40-50 years old today will be looking to unload their possessions when they're 60-70 years old. What then? Great chat, Swag!
Reminds me of the people that threw golden age comics away thinking the same as you. Now 80 years later they find a battered copy of Action Comics #1 hidden in a wall that's worth more than their house.
@@ScoutReaper-zn1rz Yeah, and how many copies of Action Comics #1 are out there today? Not many. In 80 years from now, how many copies of of a book like Ultimate Fallout 4 will be out there? Exactly the same number as there is today, and likely even more slabbed copies than are currently available...which is to say many copies of UF4 will always be available. If someone finds an Action Comics #1 in their attic today, sure they're set for many years. But someone who finds a box of today's books (including a UF4) in a storage locker 80 years from now won't be set at all. Books like Action Comics 1 will *always* be desirable, not just by collectors (most of whom can't afford it in any grade), but by investors. And the fact of the matter is that fewer and fewer young people are collecting comics today. If there's no market demand in the future for today's books, all comics will drop in value except for those that transcend the medium and become legit investments, like Action Comics 1. 99.9% of modern books will never reach that status, so your cherry-picked example falls apart really fast under the softest of scrutiny.
@@ScoutReaper-zn1rz And you're allowed to be foolishly naïve, and I won't try to take that away from you if that's what you need to believe. I hope whatever intentions you have for your collection in the future pan out exactly as you want them to.
@@kyleroussel I just like to read them and admire the artwork. They mean more to me than just being of monetary value. When I'm older and can't deal with them anymore I will pass them on to my nephew who also loves comics. A generation from now after another world war and a new baby boom, there will be lots of comics to pass around and trade and barter and buy.
Growing up in the sixties, there were no comic shops! I would walk about a mile to the local confectionery hoping to buy the current issues! I enjoyed reading them as walked home! Never thought that they would become commodities!
This was a great video. I enjoy the analysis and opinions. The other day I went to my retirement planner, and the first question I asked was " What is your personal portfolio worth?" As the saying goes, "Only take money advice from those that know how to make money". How many social tubers give investment or speculation advice, and how many actually have success? I will always be a collector first, investor second. However, speculation does give a higher rush than that of just acquiring a grail, or filling a run - to me at least.
Your guest makes a fair point as to where “the money comes from”. Some collectibles popular with one generation transcend but some are just old ideas being held onto by the older generation. An example might be the muscle car market, I had a new Pontiac GTO in 1969, this car is much desired today but not by me, the handling, stopping power and go power are all inferior to my current car made in the same Fremont factory, a Tesla Model 3. The Tesla runs circles around the GTO and is much more entertaining, I can only imagine values are being held up by old men , holding onto old ideas.
When math and logic collide one gets the facts! I was called Mr. Bah humbug when I would tell friends and colleagues that this is not sustainable. I think we even had the conversation concerning speculation on books based on Disney’s movies.. Welp! Here we are. Those that jumped in hoping to get rich quick may have made a little fast cash, but those that bought at those prices are now in a pickle. We are the last tactile generation. History means little to those who can get damn near anything with a tap or swipe.. I always appreciate the grounded (thinking) you bring to the hobby. BRILLIANT conversation Swag!🔥
Great interview, I can relate to Shawn being into collectibles at a young age. Alot of speculative garbage going on right now but it's not new. Be smart, patience, and buy what you like.
Very interesting! I had so many questions. Specifically this insistence that FMV is a fixed #. Many flippers say FMV is last sale, or even expected next sale! LOL. Or is it 90 day avg? Or 12 mos? Then there is a totally different FMV of BIN verses Auctions. So many of these antique guys swear auction sales are only true FMV. This doesn't even take into account some sellers offer financing which can demand a premium. I always say these are often not commodities. Sure an ASM #300 9.2 CGC is a commodity. But as your guest suggested I like ro focus on harder to find books: Signature series (especially older artists), newsstand, error books, etc. I have seen so many errors in the data reported by GPA. Often I win auctions (smaller auction houses) that are mis marked and I get to see how they are reported (If at all). Especially one man shows. I get a newsstand, that was not marked newsstand and now it's reported in GPA as a direct sale (if GPA has even split out yet). So many examples of garbage in garbage out in reporting. So the average buyer with only ebay sales history gets left behind. And with these unicorns these is not enough sales data to determine a FMV, so it comes down to marketing and reach. I think investing in comic books is waaaayharderthan many realize. I have been collecting for 40 years, and I have an MBA and a degree in statistics. And own 3 businesses. Practically retired at age 40. My comic book business is definitely the hardest. But it brings joy! Age 54.
Hey Swagg, just wanted to say this is awesome content. Like most Collectors now a days, I was into comics as a kid and as I grew I grew out of comics too. And I came back to collecting back in 2012 and have been in it since. I'm a firm believer that comics are only worth what people/someone is willing to pay for them.
Great video. I have been following Shawn's channel for years as well as yours. Good advice that anyone interested in comic book collecting should pay attention to especially as it pertains to $ value and the impact of grading and auction houses. I can see from some of the comments that the "Timmies and pointdexters" just refuse to understand the nature and reality of the comic book collectible marketplace.
Important point around the half hour mark: most prized comic books simply aren't rare enough to be good investments. If you sell, you can almost always buy back in.
I own stocks and collectibles. I get zero joy looking at my stock portfolio, i receive immense joy when i look at some of personal favorite books. Life is more than simply trying to extract the maximum value from every potential opportunity. This person strikes me as jaded and unhappy, nothing I want to emulate.
Great interview, Swagg! I've enjoyed Comic Investments videos for a long time. Always great to get different takes on the hobby - in this case, looking at it as a possible investment.
I'd love to come on your show and present a rebuttal. The guest has a valid point of view based on his experience as an antique dealer. I'd be happy to present a different point of view coming from the fine art business, but also as a lifelong collector of things.
That guy very succinctly articulated what I’ve been quietly thinking. Awesome interview! It’s a 30 year cycle. 40 year olds want what they played with at 10 years old. Sadly, no one plays with toys as a kid anymore. They’ll be nostalgic for iPhone apps.
Great vid and very informative content, on the downside he is speaking truths, most collectors want to believe that the book or specific collectibles they have are going to be the bee’s knees in the future and for most it just isn’t so but fingers crossed 🤞 for the hopeful strong bounce back of the market 🤘🤘🤘this is just my opinion
I've been around long enough to have seen so many bubbles expand and burst (R.I.P. valiant). But when the dust settles, the true core community is always there, be it cards or comics. Then you see the true value of individual items. From 1st ed Charizard to X-Men #1, they'll be worth something within their respective communities. The MCU and DC Studios having any influence on comic values is akin to cartoons driving up sales on action figures. When the cartoon is canceled, the kids stop caring, but the avid toy collecting community will still put a value on it. That value is more reliable and has better odds to hold for decades.
May be 6 days late to the party BUT listened to this entire vlog today. What an excellent insightful episode Swagg 🙌 and that’s really an understatement. So many great takeaways! But the biggest for me is contemplating this guys suggestion that the hobby may completely die out in the next 30-40 years 🤯 and saying that comics are based on NOSTALGIA rather than HISTORY. Does the community agree or disagree on this point?? If anything I think it’s the HISTORY that had a great part in pulling me back to the hobby specifically the contributions made by Kirby and Lee but DC comics and golden age as well going back further. Aren’t comics HISTORY in and of themselves?? Don’t want to think of them as purely nostalgia or ever going away for that matter. Thanks again for the great video and bringing these topics to the conversation✌🏻💯🙏
I just watched this - late to the release as well. Regardless I totally respect your comment. Comics are a timeline of the 20th century. Created by men from WW2 Stan Lee and Jack Kirby both patriots enlisted in the service. Historically comics started with ads for buying war bonds and stamps. We’re gruesome as all get pre code era at a time when we were out of the world war and in the Korean War. Then you had women’s liberation in many books Wonder Woman and Archie in the late 60s early 70s etc. It goes on and on. To me comics are a reflection of the 20th century and are also part of the propaganda in which governments reach the masses. Prior to comics it was posters in Ww1 and so fourth. It’s printed paper a medium to reach an audience since Ben Franklin. Also, who buys news outlets now? Billionaires. They can control the narrative to the masses. They are more than just stories and art. They are a reflection of society, a reflection of power propagandists and a precursor to other mediums. Many many movies were comics books well before they hit the screen. The entire Science fiction category was an Edgar Rice Burroughs or Ray Bradbury story before it became a section in movies. Most people will only collect or make profit on the major commercialized characters. Spider-Man, Batman, Wolverine/X-men and the newest are Punisher, Deadpool, Miles Morales. Collect what you love even if it’s 1980 Team America or a Grenada Pamplet from the 80s. Invest in a dividend stock for 20 years you’ll be able to buy more comics!
I came into this wanting to have him burst as many of my bubbles as possible, since getting new perspectives and grounding your beliefs in reality is important. I’m certainly with him about the silliness (and fragility) of speculation. I also agree, seeing these as long term investments (along the lines of bonds) is a precarious position as best. BUT the attempt to equate comics with things like PEZ dispensers and Schwin bikes doesn’t hold up for too many reason to go into here. They’re more than singular generation artifacts. They’re closer to first edition books of, say, Mark Twain, than some singular item. Certainly character and medium popularity will ebb and flow, but, as stories, they are far more ingrained into the culture than physical items. They are tied to our collective mythology. This doesn’t mean perpetual indefinite growth (though, for older books, rarity and attrition should still occur) but they’re not mere one off disposable cultural phenomenon. There’s some middle ground between “government bond” and “old chair”. And, on a long enough time line (well past our deaths) these artifacts will have value that something like a stock or bond cannot. They are speaking to a culture that exists here and now. They are embodiments of this time and place in a way a kids bike was never and can never be.
good conversation. the explosion in the early 90s was, in some part, a reaction to early valiant increasing in value rapidly, the creation of Image, and other factors. in the early 90s a lot of comics were ordered by sports cards sellers who were burnt by the junk card era and in turn, created a junk comic book era. Comic book grading was an outgrowth of the sports card grading. Ive been selling parts of my collection, but getting some other comics graded to sell. also, putting some aside for my grandson. he can do with them what he wants. my son gets the sports stuff, my grandson gets the comics. but downsizing is still a pain. time for another trip to goodwill!
What’s going on this is Bob in Connecticut anyway if you purchased your vintage comic books a few years ago, you are doing extremely well. I bought most of my books when I was bartending. I never knew they were going to be worth what they are now.. let’s take the first Iron Man. I bought that around 2010 tales of suspense 39 8.5 for $5300. Yes, everything spiked during Covid.. just two years ago this book sold for $120,000 on Comic Link and the next copies sold for $99,000. Now it came down to earth it’s only worth $70,000.. people should not panic. I guess you could never panic with amazing fantasy 15 because November 20 5.0 sold for $70,000 heritage auction and I was offered $100,000 for my. 6.0 last month in New York and I know why because the guy who wanted to buy it said it looks much better no marvel chipping. He was probably going to send it back out and hope for.7.0 because my book was graded years ago
Hi Bob, I think what he is saying is that just because you are 10x in a comic book in the last 10 years, that does not mean that your book will10x again in the next 10 years. I love comic books and have spent a lot on them in the last 2 years and I will continue to buy them because I love them, but stocks and real estate will always be my first priority. I try to keep collectibles to no more than 5% (maybe 10% at the most) of my total net worth because they are inherently risky, and not as liquid, and have no cash flow. There is nothing better than getting paid dividends every month for doing nothing.
@@doctorshawn3461 I don’t care about Stocks anymore to me that’s all BS comic book collecting is profitable and fun stocks can give you a stroke. I’m never going to do that again..😵💫😵💫😵💫
I'm in the sports card hobby and what dude is saying applies over their too. As for this, I'm a true comic book collector so I'm solid on my choices and not worried about value as much. I collect the ones I like before I go for value.
There was some very sound advice given in this video. The reality is, though that much of it is common sense. The problem is that as collectors we rarely use common sense. It’s often an emotional purchase.
Great segment, found a new UA-camr to follow. Curious though why we don’t think of comics as history (per your comment about coins and currency). I think of an iconic 100 year old American icon as history, no?
I watch Reserved investments and its crazy how triggered some people can get when he says something they don't like. I particularly remember him talking about certain markets ageing out. Who wants Pez collectables these days? If the kids no longer buy comics who's going to want to pay big money down the line for a grail?
Finally someone said it. It’s in CGCs best interest to overgrade their books and make people think they need to grade everything. It’s about promoting their business, not improving the integrity of the collectibles. And it’s in auction houses best interest to have record sales, even if those sales were to themselves or money laundering conmen.
I had plenty of baseball cards in the 90s that were "worth" (they were selling for) $25 or even $50.. today, nobody would even be willing to take them for free! I'm a minimalist now, so have much fewer physical items in my home - bur really wish I had known WHEN to cash out
I watched this in one sitting and enjoyed it greatly. I've done a small amount of hustling w comics but I'd never make a lot of money because I don't have the cutthroat gene. And that's OK w me.
I watched this video, and I have been thinking it over. I love to collect, and I also hope that someday it will be worth a few dollars. The thing I see differently with comics is the comic cons and fan cons etc etc. I know people collected stamps, and coins, and beanie babies and they had a very strong market and I think coins still do (I know nothing about coins). Cards are strong as well. But did they have the family hype events of major cons? I mean I was just at Dallas and there were thousands of kids (under 18) running around in dress up and buying merchandise and books and art from the venders. Comics as well. That keeps the hype going. Especially when the older, hand drawn comics, are amazing pieces of art. They see these on the shelves and get interested. I’ve been to a stamp convention once, it was all old people trading with themselves. There was not young blood. I am not saying the market will pick up to COVID years, but I don’t think it will ever die out either. If you get into collecting recently to make money, you’ll likely lose, but if you love the books, and buy wisely, you should about break even, especially on the big keys. Thoughts? Swag, what say you? Thank you for the video. It is a nice dose of reality and give pause to though looking to strike rich
They touched on this a little in the video 😆 Covid set up the perfect conditions and because it happened at the time it did (when mcu was performing at its peak), the stage was set perfectly for newcomers who saw only dollar signs! The bubble (and removal of all these new folk from the market) is the return to normalcy.
This man speaks the truth. Truth hurts most of the time. Rationale is cogent and measured, and also doesn’t mince words. 1990s bubble taught many of us, and then the 2021 taught the new generation.
This is the guy who said the Nintendo Power 9.8 100k was a good buy… we are all just human but he has some wild takes…some good ones too but some absolutely insane takes.
I agree with parking your $ into a Money market fund instead of a non cash flow asset. But that %5 only came about because banks were collapsing starting with Silicone Valley
By parking, I hope you mean short term? Money market funds make no sense long term and are not backed by cash flows. They are simply a loan to someone to else to make a better investment with.
The older you get the better it feels to get rid of stuff. Nostalgia is a hell of a drug.
I've found the same - but am still a rabid collector. Just more discerning. I gladly reglulary donate my pieces of nostalgia to Goodwilll, etc. and then take a 10 minute pass through the store - just to see. 99 visits out of 100 I find nothing. Then there's that 1 - "That belongs in a museum" moment. And I've had several. Collecting is a hell of a drug. And I love it.
Any type of investment is risky. I work in wealth management-banking and we now know even US treasury bonds have shown to be risky when small regional banks got in trouble from liquidity issues earlier this year. Now that I am going back into comics I don’t buy with the intention to make a lot of money by speculating or flipping. I buy and hold what I like but at the same time try to get good value for what I buy. If I’m able to sell it in the future with good gains then great but if I don’t sell it and end up keeping it then it works out too.
Some are more risky like comic books that are driven by hype, movies and nostalgia. There are no cash flows, pop culture can change and they aren’t liquid.
@@DanSchawbelwhat isn’t driven by hype, movies and nostalgia?
@@DanSchawbelyou like bitcoin right? What’s that? Pure hype nothing else.
@@DanSchawbelyou would be the person in 1600 saying people buying Shakespeare is all hype and nostalgia and future generations won’t care or read his work so it’s a bad investment.
@@sleepisthecousinofdeath7395 a comic book doesn’t pay dividends or interest
Sold it, Trade it, Regret it, Pick it... up again : ) A collector's self-torture.
Great conversation between two great minds in the collectibles trade. I love it that Swag mentioned the stale donut thing early on. One of my favorite Sean-isms.
Didn’t even get to watch this yet but I’m amped for this mashup! All the Timmy’s Kimmy’s and Poindexters are in for a treat
Imagine paying $200k for a sealed VHS tape? Where is the value, but short8ng stocks are a thing…
Wall St. guy here , very well said by Reserved Investments; Comics are just speculative art. I've been collecting for a while now and my strategy is simple : Buy and hold.
Yeah, I'm going to agree with the direction Shawn was going in; the younger generations of today will not generally have any nostalgia for comics at all and for sure baby boomers are going to have their collections hitting the market, and they can be big. Magazine stores hardly exist, comic racks at the drug store are pretty much gone, local comic stores are fewer. The opportunity for impulse and casual comic book buying has decreased unless you are already into it. The underground comix market didn't go to the moon and their print runs were tiny. Stamp collecting was the biggest hobby in the world for decades. There were multiple stamp and coin shops in every city. There was a huge support system of catalogs and peripherals, news articles about amazing sales and finds and thefts. What do I do with my multiple boxes of not super rare top tier stamps now? While I don't see the comic market going to zero, I will note the stamp collecting market dropped by about 90%. Now I do see a future where there are always collectors of books and comics are books. What we are going to see is, for sure, the difference between rare and expensive and common and expensive. But nothing is written in stone. Anyway, great interview. Very thoughful. thx. The impact on me will be extra caution, lots of extra caution.
A good rule of thumb is to not collect because you want to make money. You collect because you enjoy what you are collecting. That way you won’t be disappointed in losing value.
There’s a clear difference between collecting for investment and collecting for the sheer passion of it, but I agree with you 100%. Set goals for your collecting and stick to them!
@@User8vfjhejf , more often than not what you collect will lose value. I’ve seen it too often. Sure some stuff will go up, and you can make a Buck. However, if you think you’ll make money in the long run with most of your collectibles, you will be better off buying stocks. Which are easier to sell also.
So happy someone else said it out loud the absurdity that a grading company and auction house can be owned by the same business. Happening in the sportscard world and is so ripe for manipulation, collusion, and shenanigans!
Just think about sports cards. What exactly is the art! It’s more of a ponzi scheme. Comics are art and rarity, compared to just manipulated rarity. Rarity of dirt clogs is also rarity
@@dirkaminimo4836 There is no art in cards correct, 100% agree. I am not a sports card collector, bought them when I was kid in the 1970's. But a sports fan who lets say is 20 year old MLB fan or NFL fan and loves the history of the game can look back at say Willie Mays or Mickey Mantle and those statistics that both players put together or historical. For an NFL fan, the Pittsburg Steel curtain Defense with Terry Bradshaw at QB won 4 Superbowl Titles in 6 years in the 1970's. That is a real sports historical event.
Now I would say Sports cards is ripe for manipulation but a Babe Ruth, or Micky Mantle baseball card tied to the NY Yankees (one of the most valuable sports franchises in the world) is I would say less speculative than coins, stamps, and even comics (of which I have collected since the early 1970's).
Excellent, informative interview. The part where Shawn talks about looking at sales on multiple sites is spot on. Comiclink just had an auction end. An A.F.#15 1.5 grade just sold fpr $14,254 and a 3.0 restored sold for $11,135. Those sales will not show up on GPA or Gocollect . Big difference from what people are asking for A.F.#15 in those grades.
So THATS what Shawns smile looks like! Nice job Swagg
Hey, I smile...sometimes...depending on the day and my mood... ;)
i have 9 nieces and nephews all between the ages of 8-15, and none of them have ever read a comic book. Most of them have probably never even seen one. when i was growing up in the 80s and 90s everyone knew what a comic book was. They were in every corner store and in a lot of peoples homes
so who is going to be buying all these comics when we sell
them in 20 years lol
One of your best videos yet. It was completely honest and insightful.
Comics is a hobby first and and investment second. That was the biggest takeaway I got. Investing can be fun but also dengerous.
Shawn is a legend, excellent advice -- great interview Swagglehaus
Reserved Investments is the GOAT! Great collab
Great collaboration with Reserved Investments. Big fan of both UA-cam channels.
Fantastic new collab! Not always directly about comics, but Shawn’s look and experience within the inner workings of the hobby is unmatched - nothing but the cold, hard facts! Time to cook me some dinner and get my watch on💪🏼
Ever since you started doing interviews with other comic creators I've been waiting for this one! Sean's channel has saved me from so many huge financial mistakes!
and he made you broke by missing tons of opportunities lol
Beautiful collaboration. Cognitive distortion affects loads of folks. Their situation matters because they know best, others fail due to their character. They never believe they can be in the wrong when investing.
This was incredible. I'm so glad you two got together to put this out.
Felt like I was watching a Master Class in collectables investments! Loved the conversation. So much great information and thank you for introducing me to Shawn!
Really! I found him to be immature and obtuse. I think that all these new comics are just like sports cards, no value cept just rarity and hype. Nonsense. But keep your golden, the PCH, but ignore the BLUE COLLECTION like who owned it adds value. The DC collection tag from CGC, who cares…
Sean (Shawn?) Is a knowledgeable and interesting guy. I've been subbed to his channel since the beginning. He's got great insight but also I would say he definitely likes to hear himself talk
Good advice for someone who gets no enjoyment from comics and just looking for an investment. But I think most of Swag's audience has at least some love for comics.
The way I see it: I get enjoyment from comic book collecting as I get enjoyment from things like going out to dinner (or other entertainment). The difference is that the $100 silver age ASM I buy is most likely to be worth something in the future while the $100 dinner I buy is most certainly going to end up in the toilet.
This video confirms what I did in the boom. I bought an X-men 14 for $200 in 2014 then sold it for $1000. I then bought an 8.0 for $1000 recently.
OMG two of my favorite channels together !!!! Awesome content Swaggle !!!
This is the video I waited for!! Always great to hear critical thoughts! Gonna watch later^^
Been following the invest guru for quite some time.
Great guest to have on your show. 👍🏻
I learn so much from both you guys! They make a great point. For most of us, buying comics for investment is with disposable income. Pure investment is not the only motivation for me. I truly love the medium, love the history of it, love the art, love the stories.
Two of my favorite youtubers combined. So exciting!
Dude! Best interview so far, love it
I am a fan of Sean and his Reserved Investments channel - and congratulations on 20K, Mickey!
Bro what a great video, you knocked it out of the park. The guest kept it real and did not pull any punches. I think I need to grade some more of silver and late golden age so when I am no longer around my family can sell them easier. It's a bit of wake up call as we sadly don't live forever.
Great video my brother, and shoutout to your guest for being honest about collectibles, hands down, super informative for many collectors who are not hip to all that goes on in the collectibles department, going to recommend this one on my YT channel for sure bro.
Much appreciated!
Thanks Swagglehaus. Great to hear the contrarian perspective from Sean.
One thing I've been banging the drum on for current collectors - those who specifically want to sell their collections in the future for money: who do you think you're going to sell your collection to? As Shawn said, the market for physical media is going away. Younger generations do not care about comics the way older generations did. They're not likely to care when they're older because they won't have any associated nostalgia. On top of that, with the prices and availabilities of housing, future generations aren't even going to have room in their condos/apartment/tiny homes for a comic book collection. So while we slab our books, thinking about a day 10-20 years from now where we can cash in on all that value appreciation....it simply won't be there. Nobody will care. The people who are 40-50 years old today will be looking to unload their possessions when they're 60-70 years old. What then?
Great chat, Swag!
Reminds me of the people that threw golden age comics away thinking the same as you. Now 80 years later they find a battered copy of Action Comics #1 hidden in a wall that's worth more than their house.
@@ScoutReaper-zn1rz Yeah, and how many copies of Action Comics #1 are out there today? Not many. In 80 years from now, how many copies of of a book like Ultimate Fallout 4 will be out there? Exactly the same number as there is today, and likely even more slabbed copies than are currently available...which is to say many copies of UF4 will always be available. If someone finds an Action Comics #1 in their attic today, sure they're set for many years. But someone who finds a box of today's books (including a UF4) in a storage locker 80 years from now won't be set at all. Books like Action Comics 1 will *always* be desirable, not just by collectors (most of whom can't afford it in any grade), but by investors. And the fact of the matter is that fewer and fewer young people are collecting comics today. If there's no market demand in the future for today's books, all comics will drop in value except for those that transcend the medium and become legit investments, like Action Comics 1. 99.9% of modern books will never reach that status, so your cherry-picked example falls apart really fast under the softest of scrutiny.
@@kyleroussel You can have a negative viewpoint. I won't try taking that from you. I'm just telling you that you're wrong.
@@ScoutReaper-zn1rz And you're allowed to be foolishly naïve, and I won't try to take that away from you if that's what you need to believe. I hope whatever intentions you have for your collection in the future pan out exactly as you want them to.
@@kyleroussel I just like to read them and admire the artwork. They mean more to me than just being of monetary value. When I'm older and can't deal with them anymore I will pass them on to my nephew who also loves comics. A generation from now after another world war and a new baby boom, there will be lots of comics to pass around and trade and barter and buy.
Wow - Shawn did an awesome job - That was very informative and highly educational - I really enjoyed it. Thanks swags for this video.
Growing up in the sixties, there were no comic shops! I would walk about a mile to the local confectionery hoping to buy the current issues! I enjoyed reading them as walked home! Never thought that they would become commodities!
This was a great video. I enjoy the analysis and opinions. The other day I went to my retirement planner, and the first question I asked was " What is your personal portfolio worth?" As the saying goes, "Only take money advice from those that know how to make money". How many social tubers give investment or speculation advice, and how many actually have success? I will always be a collector first, investor second. However, speculation does give a higher rush than that of just acquiring a grail, or filling a run - to me at least.
Thank you for bringing Shawn on. It was a very education. I thoroughly enjoyed the conversation.
Hey, the peanut butter cup video! Love both your channels. Great vid, guys.
Your guest makes a fair point as to where “the money comes from”. Some collectibles popular with one generation transcend but some are just old ideas being held onto by the older generation. An example might be the muscle car market, I had a new Pontiac GTO in 1969, this car is much desired today but not by me, the handling, stopping power and go power are all inferior to my current car made in the same Fremont factory, a Tesla Model 3. The Tesla runs circles around the GTO and is much more entertaining, I can only imagine values are being held up by old men , holding onto old ideas.
Nice video , thanks for keeping us well informed and making us smarter collectors.
Great video, perhaps your best ever! Thank you!
When math and logic collide one gets the facts! I was called Mr. Bah humbug when I would tell friends and colleagues that this is not sustainable.
I think we even had the conversation concerning speculation on books based on Disney’s movies..
Welp! Here we are. Those that jumped in hoping to get rich quick may have made a little fast cash, but those that bought at those prices are now in a pickle.
We are the last tactile generation. History means little to those who can get damn near anything with a tap or swipe..
I always appreciate the grounded (thinking) you bring to the hobby.
BRILLIANT conversation Swag!🔥
Great interview, I can relate to Shawn being into collectibles at a young age. Alot of speculative garbage going on right now but it's not new. Be smart, patience, and buy what you like.
interesting, thank you. ive been subbed to both you guys.
Very interesting! I had so many questions. Specifically this insistence that FMV is a fixed #. Many flippers say FMV is last sale, or even expected next sale! LOL. Or is it 90 day avg? Or 12 mos? Then there is a totally different FMV of BIN verses Auctions. So many of these antique guys swear auction sales are only true FMV. This doesn't even take into account some sellers offer financing which can demand a premium. I always say these are often not commodities. Sure an ASM #300 9.2 CGC is a commodity. But as your guest suggested I like ro focus on harder to find books: Signature series (especially older artists), newsstand, error books, etc. I have seen so many errors in the data reported by GPA. Often I win auctions (smaller auction houses) that are mis marked and I get to see how they are reported (If at all). Especially one man shows. I get a newsstand, that was not marked newsstand and now it's reported in GPA as a direct sale (if GPA has even split out yet). So many examples of garbage in garbage out in reporting. So the average buyer with only ebay sales history gets left behind. And with these unicorns these is not enough sales data to determine a FMV, so it comes down to marketing and reach. I think investing in comic books is waaaayharderthan many realize. I have been collecting for 40 years, and I have an MBA and a degree in statistics. And own 3 businesses. Practically retired at age 40. My comic book business is definitely the hardest. But it brings joy! Age 54.
Hey Swagg, just wanted to say this is awesome content. Like most Collectors now a days, I was into comics as a kid and as I grew I grew out of comics too. And I came back to collecting back in 2012 and have been in it since. I'm a firm believer that comics are only worth what people/someone is willing to pay for them.
EXCELLENT video!! ❤
fantastic episode iam 55 and can relate great stuff
Great video. I have been following Shawn's channel for years as well as yours. Good advice that anyone interested in comic book collecting should pay attention to especially as it pertains to $ value and the impact of grading and auction houses. I can see from some of the comments that the "Timmies and pointdexters" just refuse to understand the nature and reality of the comic book collectible marketplace.
I'm a big fan of both of your channels 👍 Nice interview 👏
Shawn is the man - keeps it real. Great pod
Important point around the half hour mark: most prized comic books simply aren't rare enough to be good investments. If you sell, you can almost always buy back in.
Great guest great host !
I own stocks and collectibles. I get zero joy looking at my stock portfolio, i receive immense joy when i look at some of personal favorite books. Life is more than simply trying to extract the maximum value from every potential opportunity. This person strikes me as jaded and unhappy, nothing I want to emulate.
Great interview, Swagg! I've enjoyed Comic Investments videos for a long time. Always great to get different takes on the hobby - in this case, looking at it as a possible investment.
I'd love to come on your show and present a rebuttal.
The guest has a valid point of view based on his experience as an antique dealer. I'd be happy to present a different point of view coming from the fine art business, but also as a lifelong collector of things.
What's your take?
Happy to. Will DM and we can figure that out.
I'm not an antique dealer...lol. Just want to clarify that...
That guy very succinctly articulated what I’ve been quietly thinking. Awesome interview! It’s a 30 year cycle. 40 year olds want what they played with at 10 years old. Sadly, no one plays with toys as a kid anymore. They’ll be nostalgic for iPhone apps.
Subscribed to your guest. Thanks Swaggle.
Great video
Great vid and very informative content, on the downside he is speaking truths, most collectors want to believe that the book or specific collectibles they have are going to be the bee’s knees in the future and for most it just isn’t so but fingers crossed 🤞 for the hopeful strong bounce back of the market 🤘🤘🤘this is just my opinion
Great content. Thanks for always keeping things real.
Fantastic straight talk discussion.
This is excellent content, Swag! Real talk!
This is an excellent and pragmatic interview. Especially the opportunity cost of time invested.
An excellent, rational video
I've been around long enough to have seen so many bubbles expand and burst (R.I.P. valiant). But when the dust settles, the true core community is always there, be it cards or comics. Then you see the true value of individual items. From 1st ed Charizard to X-Men #1, they'll be worth something within their respective communities. The MCU and DC Studios having any influence on comic values is akin to cartoons driving up sales on action figures. When the cartoon is canceled, the kids stop caring, but the avid toy collecting community will still put a value on it. That value is more reliable and has better odds to hold for decades.
May be 6 days late to the party BUT listened to this entire vlog today. What an excellent insightful episode Swagg 🙌 and that’s really an understatement. So many great takeaways! But the biggest for me is contemplating this guys suggestion that the hobby may completely die out in the next 30-40 years 🤯 and saying that comics are based on NOSTALGIA rather than HISTORY. Does the community agree or disagree on this point?? If anything I think it’s the HISTORY that had a great part in pulling me back to the hobby specifically the contributions made by Kirby and Lee but DC comics and golden age as well going back further. Aren’t comics HISTORY in and of themselves?? Don’t want to think of them as purely nostalgia or ever going away for that matter.
Thanks again for the great video and bringing these topics to the conversation✌🏻💯🙏
I just watched this - late to the release as well. Regardless I totally respect your comment. Comics are a timeline of the 20th century. Created by men from WW2 Stan Lee and Jack Kirby both patriots enlisted in the service. Historically comics started with ads for buying war bonds and stamps. We’re gruesome as all get pre code era at a time when we were out of the world war and in the Korean War. Then you had women’s liberation in many books Wonder Woman and Archie in the late 60s early 70s etc. It goes on and on. To me comics are a reflection of the 20th century and are also part of the propaganda in which governments reach the masses. Prior to comics it was posters in Ww1 and so fourth. It’s printed paper a medium to reach an audience since Ben Franklin. Also, who buys news outlets now? Billionaires. They can control the narrative to the masses. They are more than just stories and art. They are a reflection of society, a reflection of power propagandists and a precursor to other mediums. Many many movies were comics books well before they hit the screen. The entire Science fiction category was an Edgar Rice Burroughs or Ray Bradbury story before it became a section in movies. Most people will only collect or make profit on the major commercialized characters. Spider-Man, Batman, Wolverine/X-men and the newest are Punisher, Deadpool, Miles Morales. Collect what you love even if it’s 1980 Team America or a Grenada Pamplet from the 80s. Invest in a dividend stock for 20 years you’ll be able to buy more comics!
Great interview 😊
I came into this wanting to have him burst as many of my bubbles as possible, since getting new perspectives and grounding your beliefs in reality is important.
I’m certainly with him about the silliness (and fragility) of speculation. I also agree, seeing these as long term investments (along the lines of bonds) is a precarious position as best.
BUT the attempt to equate comics with things like PEZ dispensers and Schwin bikes doesn’t hold up for too many reason to go into here. They’re more than singular generation artifacts. They’re closer to first edition books of, say, Mark Twain, than some singular item. Certainly character and medium popularity will ebb and flow, but, as stories, they are far more ingrained into the culture than physical items. They are tied to our collective mythology.
This doesn’t mean perpetual indefinite growth (though, for older books, rarity and attrition should still occur) but they’re not mere one off disposable cultural phenomenon. There’s some middle ground between “government bond” and “old chair”.
And, on a long enough time line (well past our deaths) these artifacts will have value that something like a stock or bond cannot. They are speaking to a culture that exists here and now. They are embodiments of this time and place in a way a kids bike was never and can never be.
good conversation. the explosion in the early 90s was, in some part, a reaction to early valiant increasing in value rapidly, the creation of Image, and other factors. in the early 90s a lot of comics were ordered by sports cards sellers who were burnt by the junk card era and in turn, created a junk comic book era. Comic book grading was an outgrowth of the sports card grading. Ive been selling parts of my collection, but getting some other comics graded to sell. also, putting some aside for my grandson. he can do with them what he wants. my son gets the sports stuff, my grandson gets the comics. but downsizing is still a pain. time for another trip to goodwill!
Great show!
What’s going on this is Bob in Connecticut anyway if you purchased your vintage comic books a few years ago, you are doing extremely well. I bought most of my books when I was bartending. I never knew they were going to be worth what they are now.. let’s take the first Iron Man. I bought that around 2010 tales of suspense 39 8.5 for $5300. Yes, everything spiked during Covid.. just two years ago this book sold for $120,000 on Comic Link and the next copies sold for $99,000. Now it came down to earth it’s only worth $70,000.. people should not panic. I guess you could never panic with amazing fantasy 15 because November 20 5.0 sold for $70,000 heritage auction and I was offered $100,000 for my. 6.0 last month in New York and I know why because the guy who wanted to buy it said it looks much better no marvel chipping. He was probably going to send it back out and hope for.7.0 because my book was graded years ago
Hi Bob, I think what he is saying is that just because you are 10x in a comic book in the last 10 years, that does not mean that your book will10x again in the next 10 years. I love comic books and have spent a lot on them in the last 2 years and I will continue to buy them because I love them, but stocks and real estate will always be my first priority. I try to keep collectibles to no more than 5% (maybe 10% at the most) of my total net worth because they are inherently risky, and not as liquid, and have no cash flow. There is nothing better than getting paid dividends every month for doing nothing.
@@doctorshawn3461 I don’t care about Stocks anymore to me that’s all BS comic book collecting is profitable and fun stocks can give you a stroke. I’m never going to do that again..😵💫😵💫😵💫
I'm in the sports card hobby and what dude is saying applies over their too. As for this, I'm a true comic book collector so I'm solid on my choices and not worried about value as much. I collect the ones I like before I go for value.
There was some very sound advice given in this video. The reality is, though that much of it is common sense. The problem is that as collectors we rarely use common sense. It’s often an emotional purchase.
Great stuff Swag and Shawn
Great segment, found a new UA-camr to follow. Curious though why we don’t think of comics as history (per your comment about coins and currency). I think of an iconic 100 year old American icon as history, no?
It’s pop culture history but not history like historic events, presidents, etc.
Love Shawn - hoped to get him ranting... Ranting Shawn is best Shawn...
I watch Reserved investments and its crazy how triggered some people can get when he says something they don't like.
I particularly remember him talking about certain markets ageing out. Who wants Pez collectables these days? If the kids no longer buy comics who's going to want to pay big money down the line for a grail?
Outstanding interview and should be required viewing for any collectors ❤ keep up the good work Swaggle !!!
Finally... Someone spitting truth for a change.
Great conversation Swag!
Great one man.
Finally someone said it. It’s in CGCs best interest to overgrade their books and make people think they need to grade everything. It’s about promoting their business, not improving the integrity of the collectibles. And it’s in auction houses best interest to have record sales, even if those sales were to themselves or money laundering conmen.
You can make money in collectibles if it's your business, or if you get lucky. Other than that, just have fun.
I had plenty of baseball cards in the 90s that were "worth" (they were selling for) $25 or even $50.. today, nobody would even be willing to take them for free!
I'm a minimalist now, so have much fewer physical items in my home - bur really wish I had known WHEN to cash out
I watched this in one sitting and enjoyed it greatly. I've done a small amount of hustling w comics but I'd never make a lot of money because I don't have the cutthroat gene. And that's OK w me.
Great video!
Thanks!
Thank you!!
Sean reminds me of my 6th grade math teacher I need to do something with my life
I watched this video, and I have been thinking it over. I love to collect, and I also hope that someday it will be worth a few dollars. The thing I see differently with comics is the comic cons and fan cons etc etc. I know people collected stamps, and coins, and beanie babies and they had a very strong market and I think coins still do (I know nothing about coins). Cards are strong as well. But did they have the family hype events of major cons? I mean I was just at Dallas and there were thousands of kids (under 18) running around in dress up and buying merchandise and books and art from the venders. Comics as well. That keeps the hype going. Especially when the older, hand drawn comics, are amazing pieces of art. They see these on the shelves and get interested. I’ve been to a stamp convention once, it was all old people trading with themselves. There was not young blood. I am not saying the market will pick up to COVID years, but I don’t think it will ever die out either. If you get into collecting recently to make money, you’ll likely lose, but if you love the books, and buy wisely, you should about break even, especially on the big keys. Thoughts? Swag, what say you? Thank you for the video. It is a nice dose of reality and give pause to though looking to strike rich
What happen to collecting just because you love the history you have with it!
They touched on this a little in the video 😆 Covid set up the perfect conditions and because it happened at the time it did (when mcu was performing at its peak), the stage was set perfectly for newcomers who saw only dollar signs! The bubble (and removal of all these new folk from the market) is the return to normalcy.
i see golden age books as i see pop art. Some silver and bronze and modern too even, i think will hold interest due to popular culture
The point is that culture changes
@@DanSchawbel sure, but af15 will be popular as long as spiderman is, even if its miles and he only exists in movies & cartoons
@@horvathsogranfume658that doesn’t mean that the comic book will be the medium people will want. As he mentions, young people don’t read comics.
@@DanSchawbelthats literally your opinion Dan 🤣
@@DanSchawbelwhat a boomer take 🤣
This man speaks the truth. Truth hurts most of the time. Rationale is cogent and measured, and also doesn’t mince words. 1990s bubble taught many of us, and then the 2021 taught the new generation.
The truth leaves you to become an average joe living a boring broke life lol
This is the guy who said the Nintendo Power 9.8 100k was a good buy… we are all just human but he has some wild takes…some good ones too but some absolutely insane takes.
I agree with parking your $ into a Money market fund instead of a non cash flow asset. But that %5 only came about because banks were collapsing starting with Silicone Valley
By parking, I hope you mean short term? Money market funds make no sense long term and are not backed by cash flows. They are simply a loan to someone to else to make a better investment with.
This video is weird with Shawn not yelling at the camera like he does in his 2am recordings lol.
Dam, bro this was an awesome interview
Great interviews