Collecting Vs. Speculating a poll

RSS
Email

Author	Comment
jpwranglertj	Collecting Vs. Speculating a poll	Lead	[-]
Posts: 372 (07/20/08 05:59:16) Veteran Shockliner Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Beyond being a reader I am a collector. I love books. The feel, the weight, the smell. I love the materials they are bound in, cover and interior art, slipcases, traycases....sorry, I was getting too excited. Lately I have had my eye on some new small presses and have pre-ordered copies of their first offerings, and find myself debating for the first time whether or not to buy extra copies for future resale. I recently received the first title from Chizine Publications "Filaria" a 100 copy limitation and I found myself thinking, "Maybe I should have bought an extra copy". I am already commited to every release from: Delirium Bloodletting NEP Bad Moon Insidious I have ordered all books currently available or up for pre-order from: Tasmaniac Thunderstorm Cargo Cult Press and Full Moon Press They all look very promising and Cargo Cult Press in particular has got my interest with their initial line up. The first offering Population Zero by Wrath James White has sold out all of the lettered copies and is down to less than 50 limiteds left. My finger is poised on the order button for a couple of extra copies. I mean...It's Wrath...it's a new press that could turn out to be be the next Delirium or BLP...it could just be a new symmptom of some undiagnosed mental disease. My question to you is, do you buy as a collector with no intent to ever resell, a speculator with an eye on resale, or do you just want to read and buy the cheapest copy you can get?
kresby		#1	[-]
Posts: 2186 (07/20/08 07:09:10) Apprentice Shockliner Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Cool topic. I am an avid reader/collector too. I frequently buy with the idea of resale in mind. There comes a time in life, hopefully later, when I plan on selling most of my books. They are kind of a retirement fund. It's very hard to figure which books will keep their value or even increase but with many years of experience, I have some wisdom. With high quality production values and low print runs I believe a book can be a good investment. If the writing is good then the chance increases. You have named some very successful presses. The top group should all be collectable in the future. The bottom group is too new to be sure but I believe that both Cargo Cult Press and Thunderstorm have set it up for success for both the publisher and customer. Low print runs are their business model and also very high quality books. I have already secured a copy of every Thunderstorm title. Cargo Cult Press has actually inspired me to buy an extra copy of the limited edition. With print runs of 150 limited and 26 lettered they should be quite collectable. The author lineup looks very good too. Full Moon Press has some great authors and artists lined up but I am a bit wary of the print runs being too high. Tasmaniac is off to a great start. They only do 300 paperbacks and 26 lettered so the 26 hard covers are cool for collectors. Time will tell.
jpwranglertj		#2	[-]
Posts: 374 (07/20/08 09:05:11) Veteran Shockliner Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Kresby, if you want to start selling off a few of those Delirium books now , I could help help you out with that retirement fund. I have thought about selling some of my collection off when I get older, but then I think, nah, I'm takin them to the grave with me. Brian has me very excited about Cargo Cult Press. I think CCP could be the next Delirium which is why I am considering buying extra copies of the limiteds for later resale.
Gaffa		#3	[-]
Posts: 8 (07/20/08 12:35:13) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	A good thread, this one. I began collecting small press horror about a year ago, having been a lover of horror and dark fantasy my whole life. I discovered the joy of limited signed editions after coming across a copy of the signed limited Swan Song by Robert McCammon. I was hooked. I now buy with a mind on value, and sometimes buy just to resell, but am limited with funds at the moment, so tend to buy what I want to keep. I have pre-ordered the new Tasmaniac Simon Clark book (lettered), and arranged matching letters for the first two as well (the very first came out in a numbered HC run of 15, so I settled for a numbered of this one). I have also pre-ordered the first Cargo Cult Press book in BOTH numbered AND lettered editions, my first time at doing this, with an eye on later resale of the numbered run. Pre-ordering this one gives me first option at matching numbers and letters on all future releases, and the author lineup looks GREAT so far. The small limitations (150/26) lead me to believe that this publisher in particular will go up in both value and desirability, and may well be my best decision yet regarding resale at a later date of the numbered, while allowing me to keep the lettered for my own collection. Check them out yourself; HERE
lokilokust		#4	[-]
Posts: 2771 (07/20/08 12:46:52) Top-Tier Shockliner Demon Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	personally, i've never been one for speculation when it comes to book buying. i'm a reader first, and a collector second and i tend not to buy books that i don't actually want. yrs. in exile, -s.j. bagley
jpwranglertj		#5	[-]
Posts: 375 (07/20/08 15:29:27) Veteran Shockliner Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	lokilokust wrote: personally, i've never been one for speculation when it comes to book buying. i'm a reader first, and a collector second and i tend not to buy books that i don't actually want. This is what has me thinking. I ONLY buy books I plan on keeping, so after looking at what I paid for copies of the early Delirium releases on the secondary market I find myself debating whether or not to put a few copies of a book like Population Zero aside for a while. If Cargo Cult Press takes off like I think it will, the early releases will become very desirable, and command a high secondary market price.
lokilokust		#6	[-]
Posts: 2773 (07/20/08 17:38:18) Top-Tier Shockliner Demon Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	well, even a lot of early and hard to find delirium titles are seeing their prices drop on the secondary market. and i really don't see that turning around, any time soon. i think that we're in a slump as far as the secondary market goes, and it doesn't show any sign of letting up. yrs. in exile, -s.j. bagley
ghostbrain		#7	[-]
Posts: 829 (07/20/08 18:39:00) Veteran Shockliner Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	I like to remind myself that a book is worthless, monetarily-speaking, until you sell it. It's only then that it has any value. If it sits on your shelf forever, what difference does it make whether its "worth" $100 or $1 ? It won't help you pay your rent. By that same token, it's only until you sell it that you find out what its "worth" is. Just because a dealer lists it for $250 doesn't mean you'll ever get $250 for it, not without a lot of leg-work. All that considered, I just buy what I'd like to own. I may not read every volume, but I know that I'd like to ... and perhaps, one day when I'm too old to do anything else, I will. Simon Strantzas www.strantzas.com Read the excerpts "Behind Glass" and "Something New" for a limited time!
bloodlettingpress		#8	[-]
Posts: 1806 (07/20/08 19:19:41) Shocklineraholic Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	I started my career in the book trade nearly 20 years ago as a book scout. That part time job allowed me, at a time when funds were very limited, to feed my book collecting needs and sometimes keep my family fed. As I look back over the years I've never seen more potential for an astute small press book collector to make better purchases than now. Print runs are the lowest I've ever seen them, quality overall has never been higher and the economy has pushed some unique books to levels that would have been unheard of even a couple years ago. All of this bodes very well for the long term collector of small press fiction. Larry Roberts www.horror-mall.com bloodlettingpress@yahoo.com
bloodlettingpress		#9	[-]
Posts: 1807 (07/20/08 20:01:56) Shocklineraholic Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	ghostbrain wrote:I like to remind myself that a book is worthless, monetarily-speaking, until you sell it. It's only then that it has any value. If it sits on your shelf forever, what difference does it make whether its "worth" $100 or $1 ? This can be said about nearly any investment. A stock has a number that is attached to it that doesn't turn into reality (cash) until its sold and the same can be said about books. There are pros and cons to both investments. Being profitable at any investment vehicle over the long term is going to be determined by the experience and knowledge of the purchaser. A good bookscout is going to have to follow and take advantage of trends and that will often mean selling some of your treasures when they are the most sought after and the toughest to let go of. If you are going to treat book purchases as investments then you need to make each book you buy a business decision and this can often take some of the fun and joy out of collecting. Because what is good for your investment isn't always fun as a collector. I've struggled with this myself, and it seems like the opposite would be the case, but being a book collector and bookseller, is similar to being a drug addict and drug dealer...it rarely works...the temptations are far too great to dip into your own stock. A successful method for me when I first started book scouting was scouting in other genres. This way all I cared about was getting the most for my purchase and letting it go was easy as long as the profit was there. It also helped me be a better buyer, because I was purchasing to make a profit and had no emotional ties to the book other than money. With all of that said, I do believe that an astute collector can make a tidy sum on his collection and reap far more money than he or she paid for them. Larry Roberts www.horror-mall.com bloodlettingpress@yahoo.com
One More Justin Case		#10	[-]
Posts: 1251 (07/21/08 08:25:32) Shocklineraholic Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	I am first and foremost a collector but I have done a little of both (i.e. collecting AND speculating) but as I get to a level of aquiring sooo many books and space (and, of course money) become increasingly scarce I tend to only speculate on those authors I would normally collect anyway - I just can't afford to speculate like I used to (and I do feel it pays off / has paid off) - I have sold off many great books including House Spider, The Rising, PS Publishing's The Tain, etc.. just because it was such a good profit to not sell them since I orginally got them for list price. But if it is truly a favorite author and the profit margin is not insanely tempting I love to collect great books made well. I will undoubtedly try to keep most all the books by favorite authors and rarely, delibrately buy more than one copy - those days of two SK limiteds are OVER! Phil __________________ Support Small Press Bookstores United
One More Justin Case		#11	[-]
Posts: 1252 (07/21/08 08:33:02) Shocklineraholic Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	BTW, GREAT TOPIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Phil __________________ Support Small Press Bookstores United
One More Justin Case		#12	[-]
Posts: 1253 (07/21/08 08:34:41) Shocklineraholic Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	BTW, GREAT TOPIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Phil __________________ Support Small Press Bookstores United
Shocklines		#13	[-]
Posts: 28690 (07/21/08 08:34:50) Administrator Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	At this point in my life I just want to read and buy the cheapest copy I can get -- although bonus content can easily get me to up to a more expensive version. Shocklines.com -- your one-stop shop for hell on earth
One More Justin Case		#14	[-]
Posts: 1254 (07/21/08 09:10:51) Shocklineraholic Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Good point... bonus content is an extremely important requisite in evaluating any small press purchase, especially if it has been in print and / or is accessable in another small press form. If I even consider a lettered edition of something, it would mostly be because it has bonus content as well as exceptional / different production values than the numbered for example. Phil __________________ Support Small Press Bookstores United
gfaherty		#15	[-]
Posts: 3540 (07/21/08 13:08:46) Top-Tier Shockliner Demon Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	I buy what I want to read. If it's an author I've never heard of, or if I'm not sure I'll like the book, based on description, I go for a paperback. If it's someone I dig and I've been reading for years, I get hardcovers. If it's someone I really dig, I get signed copies. I never sell books I like, or anything that's signed. Books I don't like, I just give to other people to read, or donate to hospitals. I've never bought a book just to display; they always get read first, or put on a shelf in a TBR pile. JG Faherty www.jgfaherty.com 'Everyone has a monster inside.' "Bones," in Cemetery Dance #58 (available now) "The Toll" and "Hybrids" in Wrong World, www.wrongworld.com (available now) "Experimental Subject," in Bits of the Dead "Family First," in Dark Territories
jpwranglertj		#16	[-]
Posts: 377 (07/21/08 17:58:10) Veteran Shockliner Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	As I mentioned in the original post, I LOVE BOOKS. I enjoy handling and reading even my most expensive lettered editions. I buy them for my enjoyment. Of the new presses I originally mentioned Tasmaniac, Thunderstorm, Cargo Cult Press and Full Moon Press, Cargo Cult Press has particularly captured my attention and I have decided that in addition to Lettered and Limited copies I have on order for my own collection, I am going to put aside extra copies of at least the first few releases for "Investment" purposes. The initial line up: Population Zero by Wrath James White (available for order now) Injustice by Steve Gerlach Remains by Michael McBride
One More Justin Case		#17	[-]
Posts: 1265 (07/22/08 09:49:22) Shocklineraholic Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Sounds good.... like the old days of Dark Harvest when people would put a few Swan Songs in thier closets for a rainy day - what a nice rainy day fund indeed. I also love the nice books, lettered and all - they all get carefully fondled Phil __________________ Support Small Press Bookstores United
jpwranglertj		#18	[-]
Posts: 378 (07/22/08 10:01:22) Veteran Shockliner Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	I have both a lettered and limited Swan Song from Dark harvest on my shelf. No extra copies though.
One More Justin Case		#19	[-]
Posts: 1266 (07/22/08 12:21:09) Shocklineraholic Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Then you have an excellent shelf indeed. I know some people have put away a Carrion Comfort or two for later trade. I've been known to trade alot more than sell (and, in the past, ebay stuff to pay off other book debt, etc..) but now a days I am very narrow in regards to the speculation arena and even my collecting is confined to a small group of loved authors or small presses... Phil __________________ Support Small Press Bookstores United
Gaffa		#20	[-]
Posts: 11 (07/25/08 00:51:25) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	jpwranglertj wrote: As I mentioned in the original post, I LOVE BOOKS. I enjoy handling and reading even my most expensive lettered editions. I buy them for my enjoyment. Of the new presses I originally mentioned Tasmaniac, Thunderstorm, Cargo Cult Press and Full Moon Press, Cargo Cult Press has particularly captured my attention and I have decided that in addition to Lettered and Limited copies I have on order for my own collection, I am going to put aside extra copies of at least the first few releases for "Investment" purposes. The initial line up: Population Zero by Wrath James White (available for order now) Injustice by Steve Gerlach Remains by Michael McBride I would like to get some extras of CCP for future sale, but I damn can't afford them!

<< Previous Topic Next Topic >>

Yuku free message boards

Collecting Vs. Speculating a poll

Collecting Vs. Speculating a poll

Quick Reply