Expert: Chris Brown - 9/2/2008

Question
I just found a container of about 200 comic books - many various titles from late 70's - 80's that our oldest son bought and was "collecting".  How do I begin to find out their value.  We are not collectors and wish to sell.

Answer
Hi Georgia

There are many ways you can determine the value of these comics.  1. If you live in or by a big city, you can call around to comic shops and find one that would be willing to look them over. 2. You can buy a copy of a price guide at a comic shop or bookstore and see if any are listed at a high value.  3. You can look the comics up on the online site nostomania.com.  This is a free site, but you do have to sign up and create an account to use it.  However, don't pay attention to the high-end prices for high-grade copies on this site as they are not credible.  4. Finally, you can go to eBay, go to Advanced Search, and see what similar copies have sold for in "Completed Auctions."  Again, you will have to be a member to access this feature but it's free to sign up on eBay.

A forewarning though--most comics from the 70s and 80s aren't worth much.  They are especially unlikely to be very collectible if they are not in perfect condition.

Chris