Untapped Riches : The Hidden Potential of Vintage Variant Comics

Finally! My hot take on type 1A variant comics.

[@ghost7254]

Nix rocks the comic house foresure. Lots of great info, Thank you nix, keep rocking them out.

[@nixknacks-comics]

More to come!

[@jeffkeller9009]

Definitely brings up some great questions to be asked about U.K. price variants. Seems like that would be something that could be answered,, Mark Jewelers and price variants could be harder to get definitive answers.

[@nixknacks-comics]

Lots of answers to come in my breakdown - I have about 2 weeks left of my day job before summer break (I'm a school teacher), and I intend to ramp up to at least 2 videos/week, one of which will be more info on the different types of variants. There's a LOT of information on the UK price variants that I'm going to put out.

[@HaveNoFearComix]

I've been collecting in the UK since the 70's, and mostly in the UK we don't care about Cents or Pence, maybe the minority do, but they sell for much the same prices here. In the last 20 years I've seen the price gap close for big keys from about 50% to 20% and the rate of change is speeding up. Due to videos like this and the education of the comic collector I think we'll see parity by the decades end, beyond that I don't know. People like their memories, and US collectors have memories of their Cent copies. Great video, thanks

[@nixknacks-comics]

I think I've seen some movement in the past two years myself. As a US buyer, I've found only a few options. Books on Ebay are BIN much more often and auctions start higher. My other otpions have raised their prices. I should have bought another copy of X-Men #129 for £79, they're asking £249 now... I don't think I conveyed it well in this video, but hunting for these harder editions brings back the memories of collecting for me. People can find most anything IMMEDIATELY. I *think* I've finally put together a complete run of Byrne/Claremont X-Men Type 1A variants/editions in high grade. 35 books took 3 years. I may have to wait a bit longer on the #121 Mark Jewelers - I *hope* I can squeeze an 8.5 out of my highest condition copy. The Thrill of the Hunt! Glad you liked the video!

[@original.dwornboy]

Plus in the UK the comics were put on the shelves the actual month printed on the comics.

[@nixknacks-comics]

Yet another headscratcher as to why the UK type 1A price variants are particularly lambasted. With estimates of 5% of the print run (at the most!), shipped (BY BOAT) to the UK, placed on newsstands there, and yet US newsstand "variants" still command a premium.

[@wisegrouch8974]

Love the video , also you sound like Garfield 😂👍

[@nixknacks-comics]

REALLY!? I'll haveta have a listen. Glad you liked the video!

[@raleighcomicbookcollector]

Please keep making videos. You are down to earth, well thought out ideas.

[@nixknacks-comics]

Awww, thanks man. Coming from you that is high praise indeed.

[@jimbowers328]

Great video. I tend to think like you that the fewer available then the higher value it should be. I try to collect the dc universe logo variants, pence, mark jewelers, and other variants of books I like. No cameo of Hedy this time?

[@nixknacks-comics]

She lost her chance early by continuously attacking the tripod. I also love collecting these books and I'm so surprised people pay top dollar for modern spec ratio variants and not these well proven keys in a rarer format. The 30 and 35 cent price variants and Mark Jewelers do a bit better - some keys get their due. Other type 1A variants just aren't known about or have had so much misinformation spread that they're frowned upon. I'm working on my submission to CGC, evaluating all my X-Men for submission. We'll see how I do.

[@bat2275]

The Canadian price variants of the 1980's are so undervalued. Go try to find any DC comics CPV version from 1987 or 1988 in a CGC 9.8 or even 9.6 grade. Go ahead, there might be a couple copies in the world, and then only for the main titles. Try finding a Warlord 1988 comic CPV version. You won't.

[@nixknacks-comics]

It's like people forget why they're buying 9.8s in the first place. Rarity - whether perceived or real, drives demand. You're telling me a 1/32" color break is worth the premium between a 9.8 and a 9.6? If that's the case, then REAL low print run books, especially in high grade, should be bringing a LOT more than they do. Sounds like we're in the same camp, I'll keep buying until people catch up.

[@rogerk3304]

caress the notify button..lol

[@nixknacks-comics]

Glad you liked it. I think I took it a bit far, but everyone is SLAMMING that subscribe button. LOL.

[@joaquinrivera7399]

I have superbly vs spidey, and bunch others. Mark jewekers. 1st deadpool, angel. I've worked comic cons for 6 years so my stock eloped to golden age

[@nixknacks-comics]

Not there yet, I have a couple of GA funny books but nothing of any value. What's a good place to start? I imagine I'll be keen on good girl art.

[@FloridianDemonComics]

Great video! I myself collect 1st app of video game characters/series in 9.8 only and I always go for the rarest variant if possible. It blows my mind how valued they are compared to census count. I make content each time i make a new addition. I have plenty that are 1 of 1 or like 1 of 5.

[@nixknacks-comics]

Yeah, the more I think about it the next follow up video might just be titled "I don't get it, are ya daft?"

[@joaquinrivera7399]

5 copies of 1st spiderman. Signed and sketched which people should try cause hs going blind

[@joaquinrivera7399]

Also the star wwars 1. Both raw and 1 2 tune wigned darth vadir sketch. My maruise r first wolverine signed, af15 signed, 1 cao americanca signed and orokly some i got have over 100 long boxes, big regukarlar bixes.. heck my china is full

[@nixknacks-comics]

THAT is a lot of comics. I have maybe... 20 long boxes (worth - I'm so old I have to use short boxes.) and going through a purge. I'd like to get it under 10.

[@jamesmoss3424]

Great video. 😀👍

[@nixknacks-comics]

Thanks, James. Anything in particular you liked?

[@jamesmoss3424]

@@nixknacks-comics your welcome.😀👍

[@comicpickups]

I’m from the UK and don’t even want pence copies, so I don’t see the value changing anytime soon. On UK eBay prices are inflated for both cent and pence copies, so I’d rather pay a little extra for the cent because it’s far more likely the price will hold or increase compared to pence issues. I do have to state here that I only buy what I like, so it’s my personal collection and not for resale. Great vid as usual all the same! 👍

[@nixknacks-comics]

Out of curiosity, what's the prevalence of pence issues there at your LCS? Are they hard to find compared to the US versions, or does it even come in to play? Thanks for the compliment!

[@comicpickups]

@@nixknacks-comics an actual LCS in the UK is as rare as a pence variant in the US. We don’t really have them beyond a handful in the whole country and when you do find one it’s again rare for them to have back issues, so unfortunately I can’t really answer the question. My experience of LCSs is when I’ve been in the US! 😔

[@steveandspock2290]

DC Questionnaire survey variants ,only in April 1978 issues (not all) DC titles ?

[@nixknacks-comics]

OOOOOOOHHH. I love learning new things,...

[@parallaxspectre]

Enjoyed this vid and the casual-ness of it. Subscribed (I was your 100th subscriber) do I get a free coffee? lol

[@nixknacks-comics]

Come on over, I'll put a pot on. Thanks for the sub!

[@RayW....]

Holy crap...are you George RR Martin's kid...

[@nixknacks-comics]

I wish. I had let the beard get away from me. And the belly. But I can finish things I start, so that's a plus... :)

[@joaquinrivera7399]

5.24 i have both nm cgc ss 9.8

[@davidnix1590]

NICE!

[@uFELLA]

I hear you, and I consider myself lucky to have come across the few UK price variants that i did (and was able to afford them). There are instances where pence copies have gone for a lot more than the cents, but far less often than you would expect from the situation you describe. Sellers should just do fixed price or Buy It Nows b/c eventually a price variant fan will find the book and jump on it. That could explain the better prices realized for pence sometimes. But market has been so gloomy recently, I think the vintage variants are riskier in auctions unless more people are educated about them. A set back, b/c I remember seeing same/more being paid for some pence a couple years ago and regretting not finding more sooner! Anyway, pence are special not just because rare, but becaue of the unique role they played in Marvel history, like the experimental price variants. They were made different NOT for manufactured scarcity like today's variant covers, but a significant core business reason like distribution/market penetration. And look at CGC census--all pence variants for all titles/issues are like 1.5-2.5% of the total print run! There is no doubt whatsoever that they are legit rare compared to cents counterparts. That suggests some SERIOUS untapped value in the UK price variants, I agree. Thx for the vid! Keep it coming.

[@nixknacks-comics]

Exactly what you've said here. I'm ruminating on a follow-up video that is obviously warranted, but I can't think of another way to explain the existence of KEY COMICS at least 20x scarcer than US counterparts, (probably 50x) pence instead of cents, otherwise identical. Canadian Price Variants (also Type 1A) command a premium, exactly the same process. The black plate for ASM 238 (for example) was switched out. 60 cents US, 75 cents Canadian. Same. Exact. Thing. But on Amazing Fantasy 15, Hulk 1, FF 1, X-Men 1, DD 1, etc. etc. etc. Marry me. ;P

[@Chris-ty7fw]

I have a double cover uk price variant x-men I just like it because I hope its unique. uk price variant was 3/5% of run then how many of those were double covers and still in high grade.

[@nixknacks-comics]

Which issue? That's a unicorn!

[@steveandspock2290]

🖖👍 subbed ya

[@nixknacks-comics]

Thanks! Hope you enjoy and stop being so quiet over here. :)

[@leehamilton7788]

Just sent my X-Men 181 mark jeweler to cbgc

[@nixknacks-comics]

The one with the JR JR Lockheed cover? It's pretty.