Collectible Serial Numbers?

shaxper · Post by **shaxper** » Thu Jun 10, 2004 11:37 pm

I remember back when the serial number contest was going strong that I was buying too many Valiant issues (in multiple copies, no less) to check each one for a winning number. I'd imagine a lot of Valiant horders (many of which didn't even read the issues, but were just looking for investments) did the same thing. Plus, with excessive print runs, many of these issues never sold and went into bargain bins and back issue boxes.

With all this considered, I'd imagine it's pretty darn likely several of the winning serial numbers are still out there (after all, how many winners did we ever actually hear about?). It's obviously too late to turn those serial numbers in, but here's the real question that I've taken a ridiculous amount of time to set up.

Would an issue with a winning serial number be considered extra collectible? Would you care about owning one? I personally think it would be pretty cool, particularly considering how exceptionally rare those few winning numbers would be. For a community that pays $50 extra to get a Unity #0 with red on the cover just because it's rarer (and looks a little cooler, granted), wouldn't having one of only a limited amount of winning serial numbers be mind blowing? Particularly if it's the grand prize winner!

Second part to this question: Do we know if any of those prizes were ever claimed?

At any rate, I think it would be amazingly cool, but am unsure as to whether I'd pay extra for it or not. I should go through my issues one day, just to be sure...

x-omatic · Post by **x-omatic** » Thu Jun 10, 2004 11:42 pm

Someone on the boards just sold a winners list on ebay. All the prizes were awarded.

dino · Post by **dino** » Fri Jun 11, 2004 12:02 am

I've got three books with winning numbers. Ive been looking for them for a few weeks. I will look again this weekend and post pics

shaxper · Post by **shaxper** » Fri Jun 11, 2004 6:46 pm

dino wrote:I've got three books with winning numbers. Ive been looking for them for a few weeks. I will look again this weekend and post pics

You didn't claim the prizes, or you didn't obtain the issues until the contest was over?

dino · Post by **dino** » Fri Jun 11, 2004 9:24 pm

I only got the books in the last year.

shaxper · Post by **shaxper** » Fri Jun 11, 2004 10:32 pm

Then my theory about all the prizes not being claimed is true. Since there were so many winning numbers selected for each of the lesser prizes, it might not have shown on an official list of winners. One of each prize was still claimed. I wonder what they did (or would have done) if any of the larger prizes (where there was only one winning number) weren't claimed.

Dino, do you remember, off hand, which prizes your numbers won?

Vault-Keeper · Post by **Vault-Keeper** » Fri Jun 11, 2004 11:45 pm

All unclaimed prizes were given out in a 2nd chance drawing. There may be an interest in owning a serial number winning issue, but it would only be special to me if it came with a Prize Winner's letter from Valiant. Has anyone seen a notification letter from this contest? What about the contest that was held in the Wizard Valiant Era Special? Anyone have any info on who won that?---Steve G

shaxper · Post by **shaxper** » Sat Jun 12, 2004 4:03 am

Vault-Keeper wrote:All unclaimed prizes were given out in a 2nd chance drawing. There may be an interest in owning a serial number winning issue, but it would only be special to me if it came with a Prize Winner's letter from Valiant. Has anyone seen a notification letter from this contest? What about the contest that was held in the Wizard Valiant Era Special? Anyone have any info on who won that?---Steve G

Didn't you have to surrender the serial number to claim a prize (thus no letter)?

Vault-Keeper · Post by **Vault-Keeper** » Sat Jun 12, 2004 11:26 am

I'm sure there had to some kind of a letter involved for congratulations or something. I'd have to re-read through some details from the time period to see if there is any additional info I either missed or have forgotten over the past 10 years.

---Steve G

shaxper · Post by **shaxper** » Sat Jun 12, 2004 11:46 am

No, what I mean is that people who claimed their prizes and got letters no longer have the serial numbers. You can't have both the serial number and the letter if you had to surrender the serial number to claim your prize.

Vault-Keeper · Post by **Vault-Keeper** » Sat Jun 12, 2004 12:25 pm

Maybe they sent back the number with some kind of cancellation mark, along with a letter. If not, I would much rather have the letter than the serial number, but that's just me.

---Steve G

dino · Post by **dino** » Sat Jun 12, 2004 8:30 pm

I had a look and couldn't find my serial number contest winning number books. They are around here somewhere. I'll keep looking and post pics when I find them. I did however find these two which you guys might like to see:

<http://theboro.tripod.com/EWgoldLetter.jpg>

<http://theboro.tripod.com/UnityPlatLetter.jpg>

You'll have to copy and paste the url's

qrnd · Post by **qrnd** » Sat Jun 12, 2004 8:51 pm

Someone on eBay a few months ago was selling both Unity special books accompanied with their official Valiant letters. I didnt bid, but those would have been nice to have.

dino · Post by **dino** » Sat Jun 12, 2004 8:55 pm

uruchuu wrote:Someone on eBay a few months ago was selling both Unity special books accompanied with their official Valiant letters. I didnt bid, but those would have been nice to have.

The diamond trades?

qrnd · Post by **qrnd** » Sat Jun 12, 2004 10:24 pm

dino wrote:
uruchuu wrote:Someone on eBay a few months ago was selling both Unity special books accompanied with their official Valiant letters. I didnt bid, but those would have been nice to have.
The diamond trades?

I believe it was them.

dino · Post by **dino** » Sat Jun 12, 2004 10:37 pm

uruchuu wrote:
dino wrote:
uruchuu wrote:Someone on eBay a few months ago was selling both Unity special books accompanied with their official Valiant letters. I didnt bid, but those would have been nice to have.
The diamond trades?
I believe it was them.

Oh man, I didnt know they came with letters. Well theres another thing I need to add to my list

shaxper · Post by **shaxper** » Sat Jun 12, 2004 10:41 pm

Did some of the EW Golds come with the Shooter autograph? I know Mile High has a Gold with a Shooter autograph too. Otherwise, why would a collector risk defacing such a colectible (especially when he's a completist enough to have the letter too).

dino · Post by **dino** » Sat Jun 12, 2004 10:44 pm

shaxper wrote:Did some of the EW Golds come with the Shooter autograph? I know Mile High has a Gold with a Shooter autograph too. Otherwise, why would a collector risk defacing such a colectible (especially when he's a completist enough to have the letter too).

I don't think they came with the book, but so many EW golds have shooters signature I bet he did a signing tour that month. As a completist I don't mind if my books have signatures on them as long as they enhance the books asthetic. I love the look of some of the deathmate Tourbooks that are signed (Ive got a cool remarked one), Unity San Diego is great looking. Rai 0 and Solar 10 always look cool with signatures. Im hoping the VcVSS Magnus 0 looks good too.

greg · Post by **greg** » Sat Jun 12, 2004 11:00 pm

Mile High had Jim Shooter sign literally HUNDREDS of books a couple years ago.
I forget the occasion, but they announced it in one of their "e-newsletters".
That's why we see his signature on tons of books from Mile High.

shaxper · Post by **shaxper** » Sat Jun 12, 2004 11:01 pm

Funny. That's also what's kept me from buying most of them.

I'd love to have a shooter autograph on some sentimental but worthless issue like Unity 0, but when we're talking investment potential, I'd never risk a signature being interpreted as ink damage.

Thanks for the enlightening info, Greg

dino · Post by **dino** » Sat Jun 12, 2004 11:07 pm

shaxper wrote:Funny. That's also what's kept me from buying most of them.

I'd love to have a shooter autograph on some sentimental but worthless issue like Unity 0, but when we're talking investment potential, I'd never risk a signature being interpreted as ink damage.

Thanks for the enlightening info, Greg

I think a lot of people do consider signatures as damage but Im not sure if that is true for valiant books. This is just my personal experience but I know that when I see a signed book on ebay that I want I usually have to pay more for it than if it wasnt signed. That EW gold for instance cost $30+

shaxper · Post by **shaxper** » Sat Jun 12, 2004 11:10 pm

Granted, but that demand can change over night. An autographed issue of Stan Sakai's Usagi Yojimbo will always be worth more because he draws pictures next to his signature. It's original artwork and a form of authenticity. In all other instances, I won't take my chances.

In all honesty, I've never fully understood why autographs have become an accepted norm of collectibility. What makes a person's signature desirable, regardless of who they are? I suppose it's a way to prove you met them, but wouldn't a picture suffice, and then why is an autograph you purchased from someone else still desirable? You could say "it's proof that so and so held this comic", but I could show you urinals celebrities have peed at too. I just don't get it.

dino · Post by **dino** » Sat Jun 12, 2004 11:15 pm

shaxper wrote:Granted, but that demand can change over night. An autographed issue of Stan Sakai's Usagi Yojimbo will always be worth more because he draws pictures next to his signature. It's original artwork and a form of authenticity. In all other instances, I won't take my chances.

In all honesty, I've never fully understood why autographs have become an accepted norm of collectibility. What makes a person's signature desirable, regardless of who they are? I suppose it's a way to prove you met them, but wouldn't a picture suffice, and then why is an autograph you purchased from someone else still desirable? You could say "it's proof that so and so held this comic", but I could show you urinals celebrities have peed at too. I just don't get it.

I read my post again and it didnt come across the way i wanted. I agree that for investment books with signatures are not the way to go. But I think that there are three or four completists who are looking for valiant books with signatures and that may raise the price over the raw book on occasion. Personally I just like the sig's when they look cool.

greg · Post by **greg** » Sat Jun 12, 2004 11:16 pm

I think the allure of the autograph is the "closer to the source" idea.

The artists are creating the books.
The artwork is turned over to a system that creates copies of the work.
The books are printed somewhere else.
The books get sent to the distributor(s)... somewhere.
The distributors ship the books to somewhere else to be sold...
and then at some point the book makes it to the collector's house.

Signatures put the last step and the first step "a little closer" together
by letting the artist have "some history" with your particular copy of their work.

dino · Post by **dino** » Sat Jun 12, 2004 11:19 pm

greg wrote:I think the allure of the autograph is the "closer to the source" idea.

The artists are creating the books.
The artwork is turned over to a system that creates copies of the work.
The books are printed somewhere else.
The books get sent to the distributor(s)... somewhere.
The distributors ship the books to somewhere else to be sold...
and then at some point the book makes it to the collector's house.

Signatures put the last step and the first step "a little closer" together
by letting the artist have "some history" with your particular copy of their work.

This gets blurry when the books aren't autheticated like the VVSS's or DF's books. Especially when you've got signatures that are easy to forge like Jim Lee's or BWS's. But for the most part its very true.