Rob Salkowitz on the collectible comic book boom

Several factors may be contributing to the [collectible comic book] boom. Though the pandemic sidelined in-person conventions and auctions where many expensive collectibles changed hands, sometimes through impulse purchases, more serious buyers had the time and focus to pursue their collections online. Rising markets, including in areas like cryptocurrency, may have lead to a “wealth effect,” encouraging people to open their wallets wider for discretionary passion purchases. Also, the practice of getting the condition of collectible comics graded by third party agencies like Certified Guarantee Corporation (CGC) has now been around for nearly two decades, painting a clearer picture of the exact number of copies of rare issues in existence and painting targets on certain high-grade issues for blue chip buyers. 

Beyond that are extrinsic factors. Collectible comics are a store of value, and one that can be easily stored and transported, making the format attractive to individuals who prefer to maintain part of their wealth discretely. There’s also the matter of momentum. Big gains in the market bring in money that’s seeking returns, irrespective of the intrinsic value of the underlying asset. Comics are ordinarily not the easiest market to crack because of the huge amount of esoteric knowledge necessary to identify what makes certain books collectible, but all bets are off if everything is going up in value in huge chunks. 

~ Rob Salkowitz, "What The Hell Is Going On In The Collectible Comics Market?," Forbes.com, June 23, 2021

A copy of Marvel Spotlight #5 (1972, Marvel Comics)
sold for $264,000 at a Heritage Auction