Tales from the Fans

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK!

Write to us at:

    Collector Times Online
    P. O. Box 882
    Bellaire, TX 77402-0882
or E-Mail probts@hal-pc.org

Looking for Elfquest Items

    From: "Jonathan M. Bourgeois" <jonnyb@cyberzone.net>
    To: <probts@hal-pc.org>
    Subject: Elfquest Comics
    Date: Wed, 16 Jun 1999 09:54:19 -0400
Hi there,

I saw your Webpage and was hoping you take "want lists" from collectors. I am looking for any Elfquest items you may have such as T-shirts, posters prints, portfolios, lead miniatures, statues, Graphic Novels, books, pins, stickers, original art work by Wendy Pini........etc. I am also looking for two comics. They are Hidden Years 9 1/2 with the gold cover and also with the silver or platinum cover. I have all the other comics already. Please email me and let me know if you can help me with my collection.
    Thanks so much for your time,
    Heather

Hi Heather!

I'm sorry, I don't carry comics. I will put your letter in my letters section, but I'm betting you that it won't help you to find the comics you are looking for. My suggestion is to post your want list on the newsgroup rec.arts.comics.marketplace. If you don't have a newsreader, you can do it through http://www.deja.com/. I'm betting you will have luck finding your comics there. Another option is to search the ebay auction lists at http://www.ebay.com/ and see if anyone has your wanted comics up for auction. The selections on ebay change daily, and eventually, what you are looking for will appear.

Good luck with your search!

    Sheryl Roberts
    Editor, The Collector Times

"But, Is It Art?"

    Date: Tue, 22 Jun 1999 14:45:55 +0800
    From: Cherrie Wong <wcherrie@netvigator.com>
    Reply-to: wcherrie@netvigator.com
    Organization: Senate Trading Ltd.
    To: probts@hal-pc.org
    Subject: magazine focus
June 22, 1999

Collector Times

Dear Editor;

It would appear that the focus of your magazine is geared toward the mass produced commercial side of collectibles, rather than the artistic and talent area of collectible "art"? Am I correct?

Thank you

    Robert A. Piccus
    robert@imperialpleasures.com

Dear Mr. Piccus,

Our magazine basically focuses on pop culture fandom, more specifically, comic collectors and their interests. Their interests can be quite diverse, and I try to be inclusive of all aspects of fandom. My scope is only limited by what I think may have a general appeal to my readers. I am also limited by what people are willing to contribute, as my writers and artists are strictly volunteers.

Thanks for writing!

    Sheryl Roberts
    Editor, The Collector Times

Matt "thehammer" Responds to a Reader

>Dear Hammer,

>I'm relatively new to selling action figures. I have small pile of Star

>Wars action figures, all loose mind you, from Empire Strikes Back, Return

>of the Jedi and the original Power of the Force series. I checked the

>prices on these figures through Wizard's Toyfare. Some of them are priced

>pretty high.

Depending on the condition and if you have all the accessories; Weapons, robes, capes and so forth; you might be able to get a good price from someone on an auction site. If not then you might be able to get a decent price (maybe 40-50% of guide.)

>I was wondering if how I would go about placing them for auction on Ebay.

First you have to register with eBay. This will allow you to not only be able to post an auction, but it will also allow you to bid on an auction. The only thing about this is that you cannot be with a free E-Mail service like Hotmail, Yahoo mail, or any other free E-Mail service. This should be no trouble for you.

Here is a link to the eBay FAQ that will give you more info: http://pages.ebay.com/aw/faq.html#seller It should answer most of your questions about selling on eBay.

Here is the link to the registration page: http://pages.ebay.com/aw/registration-show.html This will take you to the first registration page and then you can go from there.

>What price should I use for the initial bid.

Take a look at some of the other auctions on eBay that might have the same figures that you want to sell, and use them as a guide.

>Are there any maybe more reliable toy price guides out there?

Not that I have found. Go to a local bookstore and look at their magazine rack and see if they have something that I might have missed. There are alot of speciality ones out there I might have missed. With The Phantom Menace out the market for Star Wars is going up.

>If I do go about doing this, what would be the safest way to mail these

>figures to the bidder?

What I would do, is if it is a small amout of figures (1, 2, 3) then I would put them in seperate plastic baggies along with their accessories and something to pad them (tissue paper or Kleenex) and put them in a padded envlope. Mark the envlope with the words "DO NOT BEND." Padded envlopes should be available at a local office supply store for about $0.75 for the size you need. Since it might be an odd shape (larger than a normal envlope) you'll have to pay a bit more in shipping. Also send them from a post office so you'll know that they were sent.

If it's alot of figures then I would leave it to the professionals at a shipping place like Mail Boxes Exc. so that the figures will be properly protected.

Also if you are sending them though the mail, be sure that you send it insured and certified mail. This is so that if things happen to them while in transit then you should be covered, and with the certified mail you will have conirmation that the person got their package and cannot say that they did not get it.

What a Gamble

    Date: Tue, 22 Jun 1999 18:05:25 -0500 (CDT)
    To: probts@hal-pc.org
    From: antoinette@tecinfo.com (ladoris pope)

I was wondering if Houston was looking to get casino gaming? Someone playing in a casino here in Mississippi said that Houston was being considered as a future site for casino gambling. Tha nk you for your time.

L. Adams

Hi!

Interesting letter. Houston, and for that matter, Texas, has been interested in casino gambling sporadically over the years. Every time it comes up for a vote, though, it gets rejected. I don't know of any current push for casino gambling in Texas, but it does come up every once in awhile. Too many of us in Houston drive over to border to Louisiana to go gambling, and I know there are Texans who are interested in getting that gambling money for themselves. Me, I play nickel slots, I'm a *big* spender.

    Thanks for writing!
    Sheryl Roberts
    Editor, The Collector Times

Zorro Comics

    From: "SB Enterprises" <sbent@sigmais.com>
    To: <probts@hal-pc.org>
    Subject: Comics
    Date: Sun, 20 Jun 1999 14:01:53 -0400

Hello I have 3 Comics I would like to sell #1 Zorro Gold Key 1959 Mint #2 Jug Head Archie Series Feb.#165 . #3 Speed Racer Now Comics First Collectors Issue Dec 1993. If you are interested please offer a price.

Thank you.

Hi!

If you wish to sell your comics, there are a couple of things that I can suggest. First, you might try posting your message on rec.arts.comics.marketplace. Your other option is listing your comics on an auction site, like firstauction or ebay. I'll include your message in the next Collector Times issue on the letters page, so if any of my readers are interested in your comics, they can email you.

    Good luck!
    Sheryl Roberts
    editor, Collector Times


[Back to Collector Times]
[Prev.] [Return to Main] [Disclaimer] [Next]


Copyright © 1999 Sheryl Roberts, Editor