I found a person online who is selling a copy of Captain Britain 8. He's at comicbookrealm. It's a little scary buying from a stranger who I've never met without any protection.

Anyway, he sent me some scans, and they aren't great, but I want some opinions on the grade. I'm saying 7.0 at best, and he is saying low 8.0 to 7.5. Also, after you offer an opinon on the grade, how much do you think this copy is worth?

Thanks

Front Cover



Back Cover

Can't make an accurate assessment of grade with the edges cropped. From what I see, it could be in VF range, but need a full scan.

If he offers a return policy, you can always roll the dice and return it if not happy.

I know. Those cropped corners not in the scan scare me. He is asking $50.00. a 9.4 lists for $50, but he claims that the issue is very difficult to find. I have one other person looking for a copy for me, so I think I'll wait a bit. Thanks for your help, Mr. Zipper.

Just wanted to add that the back cover looks really off white to me. Would that still allow a VF grade?

There appears to be a little soiling, but I don't think it would preclude it from VF. Hard to tell the true color of paper from the scan... Scans can make it look dirtier and more dingy than it really is, or make it look whiter than it really is.

The scans really don't allow you to see the edges and corners very well. If you really want to buy it for $50, then I'd ask for scans that show the entire book so you can see if the corners are good, blunted, etc. The back cover could look a lot better in hand than what the scan shows. The scanner could be accentuating the dark areas. As for pricing, that is really up to you. Yes the book is rare but it has been out long enough that the price guide could be reflecting that in the prices. There are exceptions (30-cent 35-cent Marvel variants come to mind) but for the most part, the older books have already taken the scarcity into account with the pricing. If you want the book badly enough and you think this is the best copy you'd be able to get for the money then by all means grab it. If you think waiting will get you a book that you'd be happier with then pass.

Fifty dollars? Seriously?

No way would I buy that for $50. If I see any copies, I'll let you know but my advice is to leave this one. Especially since you haven't even got any decent pics of it.

Thank you very much, Mr. Zipper, macathro, and Garry. I do have one other person looking for a copy. He is going to Hero's Con this coming Saturday. I believe he has a Ebay Store called Heroes and Dragons.

Hey Garry, thanks. If you do find a nice copy of this issue, please e-mail me at barrysimms@gmail.com or you can message me here. Thanks so much. I know that www.comicspriceguide.com lists a 9.4 for $50. I was hoping to find one of those.

Yeah, I'll certainly let you know if I come across one. I sold my last one about 5 years ago (for waaaaay less than $50). They aren't easy to find in nice shape due to both the poor quality of the paper and the lack of being looked after by the original owners.

Thank you, Garry. That is super nice of you.

The person who has the copy for sale on Comic Realm told me that the issue has cheap newspaper print. I have never seen one in person, so I don't know. Thanks again for helping me out.

I was in Glasgow, Scotland back in 2005, and actually went into a comic shop there. I wasn't looking for a Captain Britain 8 at the time, but if I had been, I might've been able to buy it there. Oh well.

Yeah, the guy at Comic Realm was right about the paper quality and they aren't that easy to find, particularly in good condition. However, the fact that they aren't always looked for by US collectors is what keeps the price from going to to "$50 for a copy with crappy cropped scans" levels.

Hey Logerine,
Is there a specific grade that you are looking for with this comic?
There are 3 up on ebay now being sold individually:
This One says VG condition and ends tonight.
This One says F condition with a BiN price of $65
and
This One is being offered in a LOT (issues 3-9) from a seller in the UK. I'm not certain where you are located so shipping costs may kill the value for you on this lot.

Now here are a few completed sales from ebay.
Sold for $50 on 6/16/2012
2 copies sold for $65 on 6/1/2012
Sold for $21 on 5/28/2012 this copy had two very visible stamps on the cover.

Anyways, for some reason I remember this comic taking a little bit of a bump a year or two back, but I can't remember why exactly. If the seller from your original post is willing to send you better scans, and they look okay, I don't think offering $40.00 or $45.00 would be out of the question for this comic. The back is actually fairly clean considering the paper quality and age of the book. If the spine and the corners check out okay, a VF grade would not be out of the question.
As long as you use paypal or a credit card to pay, you'll be covered... just in case.

Thanks, DeadOne, for the links. I have seen raw 9.4 listed in the price guide
for $50, but it seems that people are selling their VF copies for $65. That seems like too much for that issue.

I think it depends how quickly you want one. If you want to get one ASAP then you'll probably have to pay over the odds. If you're not in a particular rush then I'm sure that one will turn up at a lower price.

Good advice, Garry. I'm holding out for a NM copy for a better price. Fingers crossed. I appreciate all the leads from everyone, though.

No problem.
Ebay is a simple and, I believe, useful way to track current sales of issues. I use it a lot more for this than for the actual buying of comics that I really wish to have.
Holding out for what you want at a price that is reasonable is always best... and now you have eyes in several countries helping you out. Can't beat that.

In the voice of Eric Cartman, "I love you guys."

Seriously, I really do appreciate it.