This seems like a logical reason why the market will move upwards before December 31.
"If
you're behind the market this time of year, you're staring down
December 31, every single day of the week,"
That is, pros know they have a limited amount of time generate enough profit to make up lost ground."
Therefore, Cramer says, it's likely that these pros will choose to be
100% invested, and he believes they will put a disproportionate amount
of money in just a few momentum stocks, hoping for outperformance.
What could rally into end of year?.
"There's a whole host of anointed names that fit this bill, including Google, Salesforce.com, Amazon, Netflix and Starbucks.
On the trading desk, those would be my go-to names to buy on weakness,
betting that they could give me the outperformance I need."
I guess if the stock is up big for the year the money manager will buy it to say I am in Google now that it is $1028 a share. They didn't buy it when it was $800 but that doesn't show up in the investment materials. If the Fed doesn't taper in November or December and Christmas sales aren't disappointing you might see a nice bit of change in your 401Ks.
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
Big Buisiness Turns on the Tea Party
I hope the Koch brothers have deeper pockets than normal in 2014 because it seems big business is backing away from the Tea Party.
"If the tea party wants to be part of winning in 2016, they're going to need to be inclusive, they're going to need to stop challenging Republican incumbents in primaries," said Bobbie Kilberg, a longtime Republican operative and donor who is also president and chief executive officer of the Northern Virginia Technology Council.
"They can spend all the time they want in making their points based on principle, but if you cannot win an election and you cannot govern, what is the point?"
Kilberg has supported many Republicans in the past but refused to back Cuccinelli, who was outspent $32 million to $19 million by McAluliffe, according to the Virginia Public Access Project. Kilberg said she was turned off by Cuccinelli's focus on social issues like gay marriage and abortion and the tea party-fueled government shutdown.
Yup social issues don't matter very much if we are defaulting on our debt and slowing down trade deals so Obama "can't get a win." Economic growth and prosperity is much preferable to ideological purity in my book.
"If the tea party wants to be part of winning in 2016, they're going to need to be inclusive, they're going to need to stop challenging Republican incumbents in primaries," said Bobbie Kilberg, a longtime Republican operative and donor who is also president and chief executive officer of the Northern Virginia Technology Council.
"They can spend all the time they want in making their points based on principle, but if you cannot win an election and you cannot govern, what is the point?"
Kilberg has supported many Republicans in the past but refused to back Cuccinelli, who was outspent $32 million to $19 million by McAluliffe, according to the Virginia Public Access Project. Kilberg said she was turned off by Cuccinelli's focus on social issues like gay marriage and abortion and the tea party-fueled government shutdown.
Yup social issues don't matter very much if we are defaulting on our debt and slowing down trade deals so Obama "can't get a win." Economic growth and prosperity is much preferable to ideological purity in my book.
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Next Financial Crisis will "Come From France?" (Said in a Conehead voice)
It seems that big time money managers are seeing trouble brewing in France.
Fink joined Dalio in pointing to France as a potential trigger for problems in the euro region. Fink, who called France “structurally uncompetitive” last year, said today that country may be the cause for an eventual failure of the euro currency.
Dalio said today the next major financial crisis will come from France because of a rise in debt-service payments that will have a “constrictive nature” on the economy. He said France’s debt will be difficult to roll over, resulting in funding gaps and wider credit spreads that will make the debt-service payments more difficult.
Fink runs $4.1 trillion in assets and Dalio $150 billion so they probably have access to information that is pretty far over most investors heads. I know that some European economies will start getting hurt if interest rates rise since they have so much debt they have to roll over. The French are already trying to tax rich people with that 75% tax on earnings over $1 million Euros which caused Gerard Depardieu to flee to Russia.
Fink joined Dalio in pointing to France as a potential trigger for problems in the euro region. Fink, who called France “structurally uncompetitive” last year, said today that country may be the cause for an eventual failure of the euro currency.
Dalio said today the next major financial crisis will come from France because of a rise in debt-service payments that will have a “constrictive nature” on the economy. He said France’s debt will be difficult to roll over, resulting in funding gaps and wider credit spreads that will make the debt-service payments more difficult.
Fink runs $4.1 trillion in assets and Dalio $150 billion so they probably have access to information that is pretty far over most investors heads. I know that some European economies will start getting hurt if interest rates rise since they have so much debt they have to roll over. The French are already trying to tax rich people with that 75% tax on earnings over $1 million Euros which caused Gerard Depardieu to flee to Russia.
GOP Goes Back on the Offensive on Obamacare
Well it seems that they just got a gift from on-high.
In the 2014 elections, "this is going to be a big issue, and it's not going away," said Daniel Scarpinato of the National Republican Congressional Committee. "Democrats who voted for Obamacare," he said, "are pretty desperately running around with their hair on fire, trying to distance themselves, which they're not going to be able to do."
In the 2014 elections, "this is going to be a big issue, and it's not going away," said Daniel Scarpinato of the National Republican Congressional Committee. "Democrats who voted for Obamacare," he said, "are pretty desperately running around with their hair on fire, trying to distance themselves, which they're not going to be able to do."
The White House says
canceled policies can be replaced with better coverage, sometimes at
lower prices. What the administration doesn't emphasize is that better
coverage often costs more, and those looking for new policies may not
qualify for the tax subsidies available under the new law.
Sometimes the coverage is actually worse than what some people have before. In other words they will be paying more for less and the Dems are at fault. Too bad the GOP didn't just sit on their hands and wait for this thing to become a disaster. They could have rode in on a white horse to fix things instead of shutting down the government for no reason.
Friday, November 08, 2013
Abercrombie & Fitch Goes From Cool to Creepy
Oh what a change just a few years makes.
In the age of social networking, aloof isn't cool. It's just boring. Selfies and social networking are all about sharing and being inclusive and being part of a bigger community. There's nothing welcoming about a store that's roped off and seemingly guarded by a buff wall of "ab-tastic" teenagers. Abercrombie's sepia-toned ad campaigns with scantily clad teens romping around on beaches or in locker rooms aren't hip and inviting. They're just... creepy. "It's uncomfortable to shop (there)" as Sozzi puts it, "You don't want to go in there and talk to a (clerk) with your mom or your dad." Rest assured dads don't want their daughters talking to those guys either.
Yeah I never liked the dim lights and dudes with their shirts off cruising around. It had such a shady vibe that I only went to A&F a few times and bought like one pair of shorts there. There was always blaring rock music and everyone there kind of stood around preening but not doing anything to help you. I mostly went as research when I owned the stock years ago.
When American Eagle and Aeropostale came over here I went there exclusively instead of A&F. Those stores just seem cheerful and inviting with bright colors, happy pop music, and helpful staff. I ended up buying quite a few pairs of pants and shirts from those stores and haven't bought anything from A&F since.
In the age of social networking, aloof isn't cool. It's just boring. Selfies and social networking are all about sharing and being inclusive and being part of a bigger community. There's nothing welcoming about a store that's roped off and seemingly guarded by a buff wall of "ab-tastic" teenagers. Abercrombie's sepia-toned ad campaigns with scantily clad teens romping around on beaches or in locker rooms aren't hip and inviting. They're just... creepy. "It's uncomfortable to shop (there)" as Sozzi puts it, "You don't want to go in there and talk to a (clerk) with your mom or your dad." Rest assured dads don't want their daughters talking to those guys either.
Yeah I never liked the dim lights and dudes with their shirts off cruising around. It had such a shady vibe that I only went to A&F a few times and bought like one pair of shorts there. There was always blaring rock music and everyone there kind of stood around preening but not doing anything to help you. I mostly went as research when I owned the stock years ago.
When American Eagle and Aeropostale came over here I went there exclusively instead of A&F. Those stores just seem cheerful and inviting with bright colors, happy pop music, and helpful staff. I ended up buying quite a few pairs of pants and shirts from those stores and haven't bought anything from A&F since.
Tea Party Shows Internal Fractures: Rand Paul and Crazy Cruz chuck Insults at One Another
Well it seems that the long knives are coming out early.
As the New York Times detailed over the weekend, and as The Week's Matt Lewis predicted in July, a rivalry is brewing between Tea Party favorites Rand Paul and Ted Cruz. Each side is badmouthing the other, saying its rival is unelectable in the 2016 presidential race. Cruz reportedly trashed Paul as fatally linked to his extremist father, while Paul's aides call Cruz "the chief of the wacko birds."
Talk about the pot calling the kettle unelectable. Both guys would get romped by Hillary in 2016 no matter what they did. America just doesn't want a Tea Party President no matter how much Rush Limbaugh wants it to happen.
As the New York Times detailed over the weekend, and as The Week's Matt Lewis predicted in July, a rivalry is brewing between Tea Party favorites Rand Paul and Ted Cruz. Each side is badmouthing the other, saying its rival is unelectable in the 2016 presidential race. Cruz reportedly trashed Paul as fatally linked to his extremist father, while Paul's aides call Cruz "the chief of the wacko birds."
Talk about the pot calling the kettle unelectable. Both guys would get romped by Hillary in 2016 no matter what they did. America just doesn't want a Tea Party President no matter how much Rush Limbaugh wants it to happen.
Thursday, November 07, 2013
Obama Sorry He Mislead Americans on Keeping Health Insurance
I can see many Americans saying he can stick his sorries in a sack.
"I am sorry that they are finding themselves in a situation based on assurance they got from me," Obama said.
"We've got to work hard to make sure that they know we hear them and we are going to do everything we can to deal with folks who find themselves in a tough position as a consequence of this," he said.
Obama's expression of regret, in
an interview with NBC News, was aimed at placating thousands of
Americans whose insurance plans are being canceled in spite of his
oft-repeated pledge that if people liked their health plans, they would
be able to keep them under Obamacare.
"We've got to work hard to make sure that they know we hear them and we are going to do everything we can to deal with folks who find themselves in a tough position as a consequence of this," he said.
Wednesday, November 06, 2013
Well Obamacare just Proclaimed a Proverbial Death Sentence for this Cancer Patient
We are going to get far more of these stories going forward.
My grievance is not political; all my
energies are directed to enjoying life and staying alive, and I have no
time for politics. For almost seven years I have fought and survived
stage-4 gallbladder cancer, with a five-year survival rate of less than
2% after diagnosis. I am a determined fighter and extremely lucky. But
this luck may have just run out: My affordable, lifesaving medical
insurance policy has been canceled effective Dec. 31.
My
choice is to get coverage through the government health exchange and
lose access to my cancer doctors, or pay much more for insurance outside
the exchange (the quotes average 40% to 50% more) for the privilege of
starting over with an unfamiliar insurance company and impaired
benefits.
She liked her doctors and wanted to keep them period. She liked her insurance and she wanted to keep it period. I guess Obama lying bold faced to the American people is going to end this persons fight against cancer. You can blame the evil insurance company but they are being forced by Obamacare to cancel their "substandard" policy that is keeping this woman alive. Hopefully Congress can change the grandfather clause on Obamacare in time before this woman loses her insurance and replaces it with something she cannot afford.
The Clash at Chennai!: 22 Year Old Mozart of Chess vs Reigning World Chess Master this Saturday
It's going to be huge!
Reigning champion Viswanathan Anand, age 43, faces off against 22-year-old upstart Magnus Carlsen of Norway-nicknamed the "Mozart of Chess" because of his meteoric rise at such a young age.
"Many people regard the Norwegian Magnus Carlsen as the greatest chess talent to come along since perhaps Bobby Fischer," Rogoff told CNBC.
Reigning champion Viswanathan Anand, age 43, faces off against 22-year-old upstart Magnus Carlsen of Norway-nicknamed the "Mozart of Chess" because of his meteoric rise at such a young age.
"Many people regard the Norwegian Magnus Carlsen as the greatest chess talent to come along since perhaps Bobby Fischer," Rogoff told CNBC.
According to British betting house Ladbrokes, Carlsen is the odds-on
heavy favorite. Hirsch is in that camp-he has a bet on the Norwegian
winning the title. Hirsch knows Carlsen personally and traveled to see
him play last month in St Louis at the Sinquefield Cup.
You can watch all the massive chess action live! My bet is that Magnus will bring out his queen first to intimidate Anand. That is what Mozart would have done!
Netflix Wins! Dish to Shutter last of its 300 Blockbuster Stores
Well the rental era has come to an ignominious end.
The final curtain is falling on the Blockbuster video-rental stores that Dish Network Corp. owns in the U.S.
The closures announced Wednesday will affect about 300 Blockbuster locations scattered across the country. Dish Network expects the stores to be closed by early January. Dish Network says about 2,800 people will lose their jobs.
The final curtain is falling on the Blockbuster video-rental stores that Dish Network Corp. owns in the U.S.
The closures announced Wednesday will affect about 300 Blockbuster locations scattered across the country. Dish Network expects the stores to be closed by early January. Dish Network says about 2,800 people will lose their jobs.
The Englewood, Colo. satellite-TV provider also is shutting down Blockbuster's DVD-by-mail service next month.
Blockbuster used to be a big deal when I was in high school and college. I remember renting Super Nintendo games from there while seeing couples renting movies for date night. They just couldn't compete with being able to see those same movies and 100s more by clicking on an app on your TV or your game console from the comfort of your couch. Now movie rentals will go the way of the buggy whip and the milk man. This digital age we live in.
What Happened to Florida?! More Scare Tactics from Global Warmists Disguised as Thought Experiment
I believe that man made global warming might be possible (despite all the cooling in the last decade) but I don't support anti-growth measures that keep poor people in Brazil, China, etc. in poverty. The latest from National Geographic shows a map of the "thought experiment" if all the worlds ice melted at the same time.
As a result of the drastic rise in sea levels, the average temperature around the Earth would rise from 58 degrees to 80 degrees.
In North America, the entire Atlantic seaboard would vanish beneath the waves, including Florida and the Gulf Coast. Much of California would be underwater. Millions of Americans would be permanently dislocated from their homes to say nothing of the potentially insurmountable impact on natural wildlife.
As a result of the drastic rise in sea levels, the average temperature around the Earth would rise from 58 degrees to 80 degrees.
In North America, the entire Atlantic seaboard would vanish beneath the waves, including Florida and the Gulf Coast. Much of California would be underwater. Millions of Americans would be permanently dislocated from their homes to say nothing of the potentially insurmountable impact on natural wildlife.
And again, this scenario is
only based on current population figures. Who knows what the Earth will
look like in 5,000 years and how many people will be living here?
Try, "and again, this scenario is based on pure fiction made up by a bunch of alarmists."
Pro-Business Candidate Wins in Alabama and Fairly Convincingly
It seems that the Tea Party is down at least one of its members from the reddest of the red states.
Republican Bradley Byrne defeated his insurgent conservative opponent in an Alabama House race Tuesday, notching a hard-fought victory for the business wing of the GOP.
With more than 90 percent of votes tallied, the Associated Press called the race for Byrne over Dean Young, a Christian conservative aligned with the tea party. Byrne led Young 53 percent to 47 percent.
I hope this emboldens the Chamber of Commerce and other business aligned groups to start throwing money at moderates. I mean the Tea Party is actively against their pro-growth agenda so they might as well start backing candidates that won't torpedo the world market.
Republican Bradley Byrne defeated his insurgent conservative opponent in an Alabama House race Tuesday, notching a hard-fought victory for the business wing of the GOP.
With more than 90 percent of votes tallied, the Associated Press called the race for Byrne over Dean Young, a Christian conservative aligned with the tea party. Byrne led Young 53 percent to 47 percent.
I hope this emboldens the Chamber of Commerce and other business aligned groups to start throwing money at moderates. I mean the Tea Party is actively against their pro-growth agenda so they might as well start backing candidates that won't torpedo the world market.
Tuesday, November 05, 2013
Alabama GOP Stronghold pits Tea Partier vs Business Backed Moderate
I guess this is the first test of the over-reach that the Tea Party has brought about.
A tight primary election in an Alabama Republican stronghold has pitted a business-backed former state senator against a Tea Party movement favorite in a race highlighting tensions between the party's pragmatic and ideological wings over the recent government shutdown.
Major businesses including Wal-Mart Stores Inc and Home Depot Inc are backing the campaign of former lawmaker Bradley Byrne, saying the 58-year-old attorney better represents their interests than Dean Young, a wealthy real estate developer running a grass-roots campaign.
It probably won't show much of anything because it is a small race that probably won't get much of a turn out. I hope Byrne wins though. A pro-business/pro-growth Republican is always preferable to slash-and-burn/hurt-my-portfolio Tea Partier any day.
A tight primary election in an Alabama Republican stronghold has pitted a business-backed former state senator against a Tea Party movement favorite in a race highlighting tensions between the party's pragmatic and ideological wings over the recent government shutdown.
Major businesses including Wal-Mart Stores Inc and Home Depot Inc are backing the campaign of former lawmaker Bradley Byrne, saying the 58-year-old attorney better represents their interests than Dean Young, a wealthy real estate developer running a grass-roots campaign.
It probably won't show much of anything because it is a small race that probably won't get much of a turn out. I hope Byrne wins though. A pro-business/pro-growth Republican is always preferable to slash-and-burn/hurt-my-portfolio Tea Partier any day.
Pope Offers 39 Questions for Bishops
It seems like Pope Francis is trying to get some polling data on the Catholic family of 2013.
A questionnaire has been sent to bishops around the world asking them for detailed information about the "many new situations requiring the Church's attention and pastoral care".
"Concerns which were unheard of until a few years ago have arisen today as a result of different situations, from the widespread practice of cohabitation... to same-sex unions," it said.
Religious watchers said the 39 questions were unusual because of their non-judgemental, practical nature in what could be a signal of greater openness and increased pastoral care regardless of a believer's background.
A questionnaire has been sent to bishops around the world asking them for detailed information about the "many new situations requiring the Church's attention and pastoral care".
"Concerns which were unheard of until a few years ago have arisen today as a result of different situations, from the widespread practice of cohabitation... to same-sex unions," it said.
Religious watchers said the 39 questions were unusual because of their non-judgemental, practical nature in what could be a signal of greater openness and increased pastoral care regardless of a believer's background.
Monday, November 04, 2013
Twitter IPO This Thursday (11/7/13) Stock Oversubscribed at $25
It seems that Twitter might be one of the better IPOs of the year.
Twitter (NYSE:TWTR) announced today that it would price its initial public offering at $23-$25 per share, up from its first estimate of $17-$20. Additionally, later in the day it was reported that the stock was oversubscribed by several times at the $25 price, indicating that the IPO could price well above the proposed range. The books close tomorrow and the stock will be available for trading on Thursday morning.
Twitter (NYSE:TWTR) announced today that it would price its initial public offering at $23-$25 per share, up from its first estimate of $17-$20. Additionally, later in the day it was reported that the stock was oversubscribed by several times at the $25 price, indicating that the IPO could price well above the proposed range. The books close tomorrow and the stock will be available for trading on Thursday morning.
Chris Christie to GOP: Win Elections not Arguments
Well the Tea Parties might not like it because Christie isn't "conservative enough" but this rings true of the GOP wants to run anything ever again.
The Washington Post reported on comments Christie made on his campaign bus last week. Christie said he told the Republican National Committee: “I’m in this to win, because if you don’t win, you can’t govern. If you can’t govern, you can’t move the country, the state, the city — whatever you’re running for — in the direction it needs
to be moved in.” Christie went on to say that he thinks too many
Republicans have “become less interested in winning an election and more
interested in winning an argument.”
Yup conservative purity is trumping simple electability for some reason. It almost seems like a false flag attack from the Tea Party sometimes. Let's get rid of the electable guy and put in some firebrand that makes money for Heritage Action or whatever but has no chance against the Democrat. That just means that you go from a so-called RINO to definitely anti-GOP. That just doesn't make sense.
The Washington Post reported on comments Christie made on his campaign bus last week. Christie said he told the Republican National Committee: “I’m in this to win, because if you don’t win, you can’t govern. If you can’t govern, you can’t move the country, the state, the city — whatever you’re running for — in the direction it needs
to be moved in.” Christie went on to say that he thinks too many
Republicans have “become less interested in winning an election and more
interested in winning an argument.”Yup conservative purity is trumping simple electability for some reason. It almost seems like a false flag attack from the Tea Party sometimes. Let's get rid of the electable guy and put in some firebrand that makes money for Heritage Action or whatever but has no chance against the Democrat. That just means that you go from a so-called RINO to definitely anti-GOP. That just doesn't make sense.
Marty the Marmot Roughed Up By Insane Fan
Wow, they don't like mascots north of the border. I hope this guy is charged with assault because this attack was pretty egregious:
Obama Spikes the Football: Says He is "Really Good at Killing People" I have No Problem with That
It isn't too hard to highlight some people on a printout and then have a drone kill them off.
It’s
the kind of quote likely to make Obama supporters cringe or scramble
for justifying explanations, perhaps by rationalizing the quote as
either false or out of context, or critiquing the information-gathering
methods of authors Mark Halperin and John Heilemann. The writers spent
two years interviewing dozens of people connected with both the Obama
and Romney campaigns.
I have no trouble with the drone program or even Obama being a bit bloodthirsty because it has struck terror into Al-Quida and the Taliban. Al-Quida leaders are used to getting a bunch of teenagers to wear bomb belts or go out on suicide raids while they are safe in their enclaves.
The drone strike evens the score and makes them think they should try a different line of work rather than directing a terror network. I have no beef at all with the White House when it comes to drone strikes. Just keep the collateral damage to a acceptable minimum and keep on killing those Al-Quida scumbags.
A quote from a new book on the 2012 presidential campaign, “Double Down: Game Change 2012,” will surely stoke that interest. As first reported in a book review by the Washington Post’s Peter Hamby, Obama told aides in connection with the CIA's drone program that he is “really good at killing people.”
I have no trouble with the drone program or even Obama being a bit bloodthirsty because it has struck terror into Al-Quida and the Taliban. Al-Quida leaders are used to getting a bunch of teenagers to wear bomb belts or go out on suicide raids while they are safe in their enclaves.
The drone strike evens the score and makes them think they should try a different line of work rather than directing a terror network. I have no beef at all with the White House when it comes to drone strikes. Just keep the collateral damage to a acceptable minimum and keep on killing those Al-Quida scumbags.
Friday, November 01, 2013
Send in the Cheap-assed Tablets: 7" Tablet for $100?
It seems we will be getting an avalanche of really cheap tablets just in time for Christmas.
Tablets priced at $79 from Asian manufacturers such as Kobii, Ematic, and Le Pan have been on sale for more than a year, but sales have been slow. More people will buy from a brand they recognize, says IDC’s Mainelli. Jeff Meredith, Lenovo vice president for marketing, says that by Christmas his company will be selling a tablet with a 7-inch screen for less than $100. “This market is about to emerge from Apple’s reality-distortion field,” says Stephen Dukker, the former chief executive officer of 1990s cheap-PC bellwether eMachines. His new company, Ooio, plans to introduce a 4G-equipped 7-inch model in January for $139, roughly $100 cheaper than most 4G models.
Yeah I can't wait to get my hands on a Kobii, Ematic, or a Le Pan. I will probably end up buying a Nexus 7" because I want a pure Google experience on a tablet. Hopefully, the price will come down below $200 to entice my to buy it before Christmas. I'm not in a rush so I don't mind waiting until price drops are coming.
Tablets priced at $79 from Asian manufacturers such as Kobii, Ematic, and Le Pan have been on sale for more than a year, but sales have been slow. More people will buy from a brand they recognize, says IDC’s Mainelli. Jeff Meredith, Lenovo vice president for marketing, says that by Christmas his company will be selling a tablet with a 7-inch screen for less than $100. “This market is about to emerge from Apple’s reality-distortion field,” says Stephen Dukker, the former chief executive officer of 1990s cheap-PC bellwether eMachines. His new company, Ooio, plans to introduce a 4G-equipped 7-inch model in January for $139, roughly $100 cheaper than most 4G models.
Yeah I can't wait to get my hands on a Kobii, Ematic, or a Le Pan. I will probably end up buying a Nexus 7" because I want a pure Google experience on a tablet. Hopefully, the price will come down below $200 to entice my to buy it before Christmas. I'm not in a rush so I don't mind waiting until price drops are coming.
Comic Book Collections: Depreciating Fast
Well, it seems that the great comic book collecting craze of the 90s has hit an iceberg.
On the other end of the spectrum, almost any comic book store owner can supply eye-opening tales of depreciation. Walter Durajlija, an adviser for Overstreet and owner of Big B Comics in Hamilton, Ont., sold a copy of Uncanny X-Men No. 94 in 2010 for a record $26,500. Last year, that same comic sold in his store for only $12,000. “[My] last two sales [of X-Men No. 94] were $9,501 in February of 2013 and $8,089 three short days later,” he says. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. “Incredible Hulk No. 181 was getting $20,000; they now trade for $8,000.”
Unless you are buying the best of the best books like Action Comics #1, Spider-man #1, or Detective Comics #27 most comics are dropping fast. That Incredible Hulk #181 (first appearance of Wolverine) can be had on Ebay for $4950 right now. So even that $8000 that was mentioned in the article is now unattainable. Some of the reasons seem very plausible.
There are many theories for why comic collectibles have stopped being valuable. Some blame readily available reprints. “What drove the collectibility of the old comics was that they were once genuinely rare,” says Salkowitz. Others point to the grading system, which now requires that comics be encased in plastic polymer. “It really is a shady process that’s completely changed the marketplace,” says Santoro. And there’s reason to suspect that the Internet era has yet again worked its magic on prices: “In the ’60s, the only way to read these stories was to own the original issues,” says Salkowitz. “Now you can go on Pirate Bay and download a torrent of anything you want for free.”
The plastic polymer grading system is a big reason why I would not want to be involved in collecting in a big way. You pay $5k for a comic and you cannot even touch it or smell that old comic smell? You just file it away like a gold (I guess silver now) brick and forget about it. You can't read the thing or even just hold it in your hands without breaking open the polymer. That is so different then another antique you pay $5k for. If you buy an old chair you can at least sit in it.
On the other end of the spectrum, almost any comic book store owner can supply eye-opening tales of depreciation. Walter Durajlija, an adviser for Overstreet and owner of Big B Comics in Hamilton, Ont., sold a copy of Uncanny X-Men No. 94 in 2010 for a record $26,500. Last year, that same comic sold in his store for only $12,000. “[My] last two sales [of X-Men No. 94] were $9,501 in February of 2013 and $8,089 three short days later,” he says. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. “Incredible Hulk No. 181 was getting $20,000; they now trade for $8,000.”
Unless you are buying the best of the best books like Action Comics #1, Spider-man #1, or Detective Comics #27 most comics are dropping fast. That Incredible Hulk #181 (first appearance of Wolverine) can be had on Ebay for $4950 right now. So even that $8000 that was mentioned in the article is now unattainable. Some of the reasons seem very plausible.
There are many theories for why comic collectibles have stopped being valuable. Some blame readily available reprints. “What drove the collectibility of the old comics was that they were once genuinely rare,” says Salkowitz. Others point to the grading system, which now requires that comics be encased in plastic polymer. “It really is a shady process that’s completely changed the marketplace,” says Santoro. And there’s reason to suspect that the Internet era has yet again worked its magic on prices: “In the ’60s, the only way to read these stories was to own the original issues,” says Salkowitz. “Now you can go on Pirate Bay and download a torrent of anything you want for free.”
The plastic polymer grading system is a big reason why I would not want to be involved in collecting in a big way. You pay $5k for a comic and you cannot even touch it or smell that old comic smell? You just file it away like a gold (I guess silver now) brick and forget about it. You can't read the thing or even just hold it in your hands without breaking open the polymer. That is so different then another antique you pay $5k for. If you buy an old chair you can at least sit in it.
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