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Ali T. Kokmen on Last Week’s Five For Friday
posted May 8, 2006
 

I know the topic is closed, but since the last two questions about biggest bargains and most spent call to mind all those collecting anecdotes that we fans can't resist sharing, I...um...couldn't resist sharing.

Biggest Bargain:
I bought a paperback copy of Michael Fleisher's "Encyclopedia of Comic Book Heroes - Volume 2 - Wonder Woman" at a used book store for $2.98.

Most Spent:
A few years ago, when I had more disposable income/mad money, I was at a comics convention where the dealer was talking to his employee about a trade/acquisition/deal he just made. One of the comics was an issue of Police Comics from 1943 (not, of course, in perfect condition, but a good copy of a rare issue.) He was very pleased about the deal he made, and said that now he would flip it during the con for $200 and make a decent profit. So he went to sell it to me since I was standing around. "$200 for a 1943 comic. What do you say? It's a great deal! And I haven't even looked up the value!"

I wasn't particularly interested, but indulged him as he flipped open his copy of Overstreet and looked up the value, which was whatever impressive number it was. He thumped the book closed and said, "See! This is a bargain for $300."

"Waitasecond," I said. "Whatever happened to $200?"

Duly busted, he went back to the initial price, and I bought the thing. Just to keep him honest, you know. And I feel I gotta get $200 worth of anecdote-telling, too. So thanks for indulging...)

(These days, I have less mad money, so I'm notbut if I'm spending large amounts of money on my comics hobby, it's more likely to be for original art...)