AF 15

David_Cody · Post by **David_Cody** » Fri Mar 04, 2005 6:45 pm

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 92100&rd=1

This is such a KEY silver age issue and it's going for pennies. Anyone know why a copy of this quality is going so cheaply?

skiw · Post by **skiw** » Fri Mar 04, 2005 10:22 pm

Looks too good to be true - raw 9.6? Why wouldn't the seller get it slabbed using express service if it is unrestored? I am willing to bet it is restored and he is hoping that the winner does not send it to CGC. I cannot believe it is the genuine article if there is no reserve on it.

Cheers,
Skiw

Daniel Jackson · Post by **Daniel Jackson** » Fri Mar 04, 2005 10:44 pm

You're right, it does seem too good to be true. The book almost looks like it came off the newsstand last week. If it is for real though, someone is going to be very happy. Oh well, I couldn't afford it anyway but it's nice to dream.

x-omatic · Post by **x-omatic** » Fri Mar 04, 2005 11:00 pm

How much would you spend on a book from a seller with only 147 feedback that hasn't sold any comics at all in the past 3 months? If this guy really has this book and is selling like this he must really be clueless to it real value in the market. Yet he states he has been in the comic book business for close to 20 years.

Daniel Jackson · Post by **Daniel Jackson** » Fri Mar 04, 2005 11:13 pm

Yeah kind of weird huh? Just speaking for myself, if I did have that kind of cash to blow on this book I would have to do a face to face meeting with the guy and see the comic for myself. I agree with the comicnut_1, the most suspicious thing is the fact that it has not been professionally graded. That just seems insane for such a sought after book as this one is.

greg · Post by **greg** » Fri Mar 04, 2005 11:33 pm

Excellent questions... logical conclusions.

The seller has a lot of text in his auction, but the only thing you really
need to know is down in the payment instructions.

"This is a final sale and no returns accepted."

Translation...

"I already know that this is not a legitimate item...
but you won't be able to find that out until it is too late."
(including a big evil grin and some eerie sounding music)

Class dismissed.

BodaZoffa · Post by **BodaZoffa** » Fri Mar 04, 2005 11:37 pm

It's not going for pennies anymore.....

X-O HoboJoe · Post by **X-O HoboJoe** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 12:54 am

But I still agree with the G-Man. It's a rip-off waiting to happen.

Escaflown4 · Post by **Escaflown4** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 2:38 am

Yeah this auction sets off alot of alarms. As Greg puts it, 10 out of 10 the guy who wins the auction is gonna get screwed.

Djk300 · Post by **Djk300** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 1:39 pm

Ill tell you what guys, Ill bid to win and Ill tell you guys what happens when I receive this......itll be interesting.

Chuck · Post by **Chuck** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 2:27 pm

Djk300 wrote:Ill tell you what guys, Ill bid to win and Ill tell you guys what happens when I receive this......itll be interesting.

I wish I had the balls. I would buy AF 15 at 9.4-9.6 raw for $15,000.00. But the G-man is right something stinks.

whetteon · Post by **whetteon** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 3:31 pm

Apparently on the cgc forums various posters have traced the person who is selling the AF back to a buyer of a comickey's AF 9.2 restored book. Therefore its safe to assume it has some massive restoration and whoever is the buyer is going to be dissapointed (hey, for comickeys to mention it as restored means something). It still merits as a nice copy of AF but the seller now is trying very hard to pass the book off as UNRESTORED which isn't true. It's a fraudulant auction.

http://boards.collectors-society.com/sh ... e=0#735232
http://boards.collectors-society.com/sh ... =0&fpart=1

whetteon · Post by **whetteon** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 3:36 pm

Of interest is one particular buyers claim of emailing the seller and asking this question:

"Are the two AF #15s available to inspect prior to the auction ending? If they meet my satisfaction and I end up bidding, I can pay immediate cash. Please let me know. Send me your contact information so we can coordinate. Thanks! Mark S. Zaid, Esq."

The response was:

"hello sorry they are not,also there is only 20 hrs left.also i don't take only paypal.my feedback is over 140 and all positive,ive been a user for years now,i offer refunds and any picture you want.bid with no worrys."

I should also note that the other auctions for which this person sold were primarily for small budget items (sometimes a dollar or two) such as single baseball cards or computer printer cartridges. Right now they have four of the top SA comic books on e-bay.

Djk300 · Post by **Djk300** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 5:48 pm

I decided not to go for it. I know I disappointed you all but come on I know "when its too good to be true it is...." I would never spend this much cash unless it was graded professionally.

whetteon, thanks a bunch!!

jedimarley · Post by **jedimarley** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 7:27 pm

Don't spend that kind of cash unles you can see it for your self,
This auction STINKS! Stay away! BAD comic!

Daniel Jackson · Post by **Daniel Jackson** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 8:09 pm

Well it looks like someone was willing to part with almost 19 grand to take a chance.

cinlach@aol.com · Post by **cinlach@aol.com** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 8:27 pm

i'd be interested to hear from the winner...see if we were all paranoid for nothing...lol

if i had 19k to spend, i might take a chance on this book...sometimes, you just luck up on stuff. a guy i work with and his wife were at an antique mall in georgia and he happened upon a showcase #5...yes, THE showcase #5, first silver age book, first silver age flash...he asked the women working the booth how much they wanted for it, naturally assuming it would be sold for what it's worth. well, they told him $15.

obviously he bought it...it sold on ebay, i believe, for around $600 bucks. not a bad turn-around on a 15 buck investment.

so sometimes, cool stuff does happen...if you can afford the 19,000 dollar risk, you might get a outstanding windfall.

i had a guy give me a hulk #181...so it's not always too good to be true.

whetteon · Post by **whetteon** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 9:15 pm

First silver age comic book with the flash is showcase #4. Just so you know.

cinlach@aol.com · Post by **cinlach@aol.com** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 9:45 pm

ah well, i suck...that was the book though...it's got flash running with some film strips in the background.

can ya tell my cold medicine has taken effect??

Djk300 · Post by **Djk300** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 11:10 pm

Can someone give me a hulk 181?

cinlach@aol.com · Post by **cinlach@aol.com** » Sun Mar 06, 2005 9:06 am

lol...here's my path to a free hulk #181.

i had a dude come into my store looking to sell some books...he had nice stuff but i wasn't able to buy anything that expensive without checking with my boss in charlotte, nc first. so i call, tell them what i'm looking at fully expecting them to jump on these books. well, they decided they didn't want them...never mind the fact we didn't have these books up there, and i could sell them easy if i had these copies.

so i had to tell the guy that they weren't interested in buying them...he's upset cause he needs the cash. so as he's leaving i have a friend who was in the store come up and ask if i mind if he talks to the guy about buying some of the books. i tell him "what you fellas talk about in the parking lot isn't any of my concern."

so he ends up going to the guys house, where he finds out this guy has an EXTENSIVE collection and he's willing to let go of all of it. there are multiples of very key books (i.e. 3 copies of hulk #181, etc.). my friend buys the guys whole collection for around 10k.

my buddy comes back into the store and tells me about the killer score and how he's going to start selling the books. he has looked at what he's got and what he paid for it and can sell some of these books at really good prices if i want any. he then tells me he's got the 3 copies of hulk #181 and he's thinking about selling them for $100 to $75 a pop (keep in mind this was 1992...lol). i tell him if he decides to sell one for $75 bucks i'll buy one.

a couple of days later he comes back and he's holding a book, face down and backing board up. he tells me he was looking thru the stuff and found something he wanted to give me. he hands it to me and says "when you take it, it's yours...you can't give it back." so i'm thinking, great...superpro #1...god loves me.

it was the hulk #181. he said he wanted to thank me for giving him the ok to deal with the guy he bought them from. he knew how strict my owner was about allowing customers to buy/sell at the store. if i had said i'd rather he not talk to the guy about buying the books, he wouldn't have because he didn't want to put me in a bad spot with my boss.

he started setting up at local shows and eventually raised enough cash to start his own comic store, tangled web comics, in spartanburg, sc.

he still gives me hell about that hulk #181.

Daniel Jackson · Post by **Daniel Jackson** » Sun Mar 06, 2005 2:04 pm

That's a cool story. See... it does pay to be nice. Now don't you feel bad for thinking he was going to give you a copy of Superpro #1?

KO2003 · Post by **KO2003** » Tue Mar 08, 2005 8:29 pm

My aunt is in Spartanburg and she lives down the street from the Tangled Web. I have been meaning to get down there. I'll wait until there is a comic show in Greenville again.