VENOM MOVIE ANNOUNCED! Time to Hit ASM 300 | Sell My Comic Books Newsletter

Published: Sat, 03/25/17

Sony Injects Venom into
Superhero Movie Schedule

Breaking news! Last night, I discovered that Sony brought forward the long-rumored standalone Venom movie project.

It's the reason prices of Amazing Spider-Man #300 have gone through the roof in recent years:

The News Release at Hollywood Reporter

Image copyright Sony Pictures

What This Means to Investors

When is the best time to cash in on movie mania? How much of the fuss about ASM #300 is already baked-in to the price?

Let's look at some price data and try to determine what, if anything, this means to:

(a) those of you thinking of this book as an investment, and
(b) those of you already holding a copy of ASM #300

The iconic cover of Amazing Spider-Man #300 by Todd McFarlane

McFarlane's ASM #300 is THE Best-Known
(and a very common) Copper Age Key

Examining the Sales Data

Sales data on Amazing Spider-Man #300 by Sell My Comic Books. Click for values

Prices on most grades of ASM #300 are about to set new records

What These Prices Mean...
And What You Should Do Next

We can pretty much ignore CGC 9.9.

While there are ten of these in the census, and unless you're lucky enough to already own one of those, for most of us the price is out of sight.

You're unlikely to be making a good decision if you buy one now.

Yes, it's exclusive, yes, it's 68 times rarer than 9.8. But my guess is the next 9.9 to sell will hit $15-20K. I just don't see that providing a decent ROI if you're the one ponying up the big bucks.

What if... just saying, because this is after all a late 1980s book... What if a 10.0 hits the census? It would be devastating to the price of those 9.9s out there.

Let's move past the fantasy 9.9 and examine 9.8.

If you're buying a CGC-graded ASM #300, 9.8 is my tip

It's a bit of a conundrum. Prices of CGC 9.8s are already setting records. So far this year, two sales have broken the $2,000 barrier.

Some poor sap paid $2,250 for a copy. Another person (over-)paid $2,026. And one lone sale of $1,900.

Below the "quick-fire and hope for the best" prices these three weekend warriors shelled out, there is plenty of price support.

The most recent sale of $1,500 does not seem crazy anymore -- even though this book was a $1,000 book two years ago, and $1,200 as recently as six months ago.

680 copies in the census... and I predict a rush of extras as more copies make their way into the census now the news is out there.

There is never going to be a shortage of high-grade copies of this book. The question is, should you move on this, or pass?

Do yourself a favor. Set a target, stick to it, and let it go if you can't find one at that price.

DO NOT EXCEED $1,375. Somebody will take that price. Trust me, there are lots of people who have nothing into this book, and will need to pay the rent or something, and that is very good money.

It also means you'll be looking at an easy 20 percent profit in the near future.

Don't be greedy. Moving in and out of a book that's already "known" is a very tricky business. Don't try to double your money! It's not going to happen.

As ever, don't be the one selling pumpkins on November 1st.

What If You Already Have a CGC 9.8?

Great news. You're sitting pretty. All you need to do is decide WHEN to sell.

Not so easy! There were plenty of people thinking that Batman Adventures #12 would go up forever too.

Now it's rapidly cooling off (it will drop a lot of places on the 100 Hot Comics 2017 when we publish it in a few weeks' time).

Even the formerly bulletproof New Mutants #98 has dropped in price.

The release date of the Venom movie seems to be October 2018. We have a year and a half of minor news releases -- such as casting announcements -- to help the price.

Could I see Amazing Spider-Man #300 regularly hitting $2,000 in CGC 9.8? Yes.

Would I take that price if I owned one? Yes.

So if you already own one (unless you paid $2,250 for it :) then that is the price I'd look to achieve for it.

Sell it. Move on. Stop checking prices. Don't shoot me if it gets to $2,500.

Below CGC 9.8, There Be Monsters

I've said it a million times. DON'T BUY MODERN BOOKS BELOW CGC 9.8.

(Obviously if you find one at a yard sale or something... this advice only applies to people buying books to speculate, already in CGC holders.)

There are 2,000 copies in CGC 9.6. 2,235 in 9.4. 1,590 in 9.2. 1,212 in 9.0.

Here's a triumph of hope over experience... There are also 136 copies in CGC 6.0, and 293 in 7.0!

You WILL see record prices of grades below 9.8. You'll see them all the time. People will react to this news release by rushing into whatever grade they can afford.

Eventually the dust will settle. Smart money follows smart money. Those people with overpriced lower-grade copies will be the first losers in this market.

Don't join them.

Alternative Idea: the So-Called
Chromium Edition, aka Marvel Collectible Classics: Spider-Man #1, 1998

The so-called ASM 300 Chromium variant is actually a separate series, Marvel Collectible Classics #1 from 1998

You'll see this book offered regularly on eBay. It's actually a totally different series published ten years later...

But it's usually described as Amazing Spider-Man #300 Chromium Edition

It's a typical 1990s foil cover. This makes them slightly hard to find in high grade, but there are plenty out there.

Let's look at some sales!

Forgetting the 9.9, and anything lower than 9.4, what should you do?

Personally I would avoid this book. It's ten years more recent than the original. By now, "everybody" knew that you should never read a comic book.

More copies pro-rata of Marvel Collectible Classics: Spider-Man #1 would have been put straight into bags and boards for future resale value.

For example, there are already 13 9.9s in the census! And more than 200 9.8s.

Yes, it's rarer than ASM #300, or seemingly.

A nice distraction from the main event, and possibly a profit opportunity. If you can afford to buy both, I would be tempted. Alternatively, buy TWO CGC 9.8s of the original!

If there is any more news on this topic, we'll bring it to you.

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