With the downturn in the economy are there deals to be had on a complete set in nice shape?

I (like so many others) have always wanted the originals. I have the reprint set, the 1994 set, the unpublished version by Rosem and even the postcard sized set. I did at one time have the 1994 First Day set (a Topps factory-issued set and not a hand collected set) Sadly I sold it years ago.

If I could find a nice 1962 set at a good price I might splurge.

What are people's thoughts on the long term collectibility of this set?

Wayne

Somewhere, I don't exactly know where, I have card #1 of the original Mars Attacks set. I picked it up in the late 80's. It didn't cost that much and it wasn't in mint condition, good at most. But the first card is generally regarded as the best card and it is such an iconic set. I put it in box and one of these days I may even find it.

As far as long term collectibility, I think that ship may have sailed. I would view the Mars Attack cards as being in a similar position today as most of the vintage baseball cards of star players. In terms of prices, they peaked in the 80's and then fell off, perhaps never to reach those values again.

Maybe its because the record prices got too inflated to begin with, maybe its because the big money collectors have already got them, maybe its because only mint cards are deemed good enough and most are in lesser condition, maybe its because modern collectors have so many more choices, maybe its because money is tighter. Take your pick of reasons. I just haven't heard of any upward movement or great demand for these cards in a very long time.

Of course any collector would be happy to have them just because of the history, so there will always be a market for them, but whether or not there is appreciating value is another matter again. I think NOT, at least for the present time.

Thanks Raven... I enjoyed your reply.

I wonder if those cards ever made it to Canada? I don't ever remember seeing even one here (I'm in Winnipeg)

Any Canucks on this board that can jump in?

W

I have no idea what the current prices are. . . Not all that long ago I was working on a low-mid grade set. . . The prices were pretty reasonable at that time (I guess about 10 years ago). . . I was well on my way to a set with about half the different cards, including many of the tough cards, plus a bunch of cards I could trade. Then you could pick up low-mid grade cards in lots for about $3-6 a card.

Then grading took hold of vintage cards, Mars Attacks individual cards became crazy expensive as people were buying 'em to get graded. . . I thought I hit a nice goldmine at Wizard Chicago this year -- a dealer had a small stack of beat up Mars Attacks cards wrapped in a rubber band in the corner of his display cabinet. There were a few other cards on his table, but not many. I asked how much the cards were and he said $50! Excitedly I asked to check the cards out, and then he clarified -- $50 per card!

A quick look at eBay shows the cards starting at around $10 for the common cards. . . Perhaps I should see what I need to finish out my set! Sadly I know I need card #1. . . I have one, but it's in horrible shape -- there is a quarter sized burn hole through the card!

Looks like if I do jump back in it's going to be a challenge to find cards that aren't graded, which is sad. . . Graded cards aren't my thing. . . guess I can always pop open the slabs if I need to.

Jon

Ohh yeah, and I had the factory first day set too. . . didn't even know it existed until I saw it at a comic shop that was closing out it's non-sport stuff in 1998 or 1999. Picked up the set for $50! Had no idea how rare it was, unfortunately it's no longer in my collection.

Jon

I got my set for $15... I think it may have been a promo for the dealer (who had a reputation of being a guy who would sell his mother if the price was right)

Some girl who was working part time sold it to me for the same price that they had some other smaller sets priced at.

This was at the time the set came out. I had a hard time controlling myself until I got to my car with my prize.

I sold it almost 10 years ago for $250 if memory serves.

And I agree: GRADING SUCKS! It's hurt the secondary comic and card market big time.

Jon... you should talk to Raven and convince him to dig out his minty #1 for you!!!

My uncle has the original set still from back when he was a kid. It's nowhere near mint condition, but it's real!

You will find mid and poor grade cards are not that scarce high grade sets are VERY VERY desirable and command very high prices... I have a high grade sets and i have some uncut printers sheets, which are irreplaceable which i wont sell, well i suppose there is always a price !!
The downturn may have brought more cards to the market but it has not decreased prices for vintage rare and hard to find items, in fact on some of these items go for much much more than they are valued at.

The rare set is the Argentinian set of MA i believe from the 60s something that a few have part sets of but none have complete sets of, although i may be wrong on that as you never know what someone has out there

Mars Attack were never available up here in the Boston area. I believe that they will always be a good investment. I bought my one and only NM Mars Attack single from that renown non-sport card dealer, Roxanne Toser, at least 20 years ago along with a set of Wacky Packages Series 16 for my son. It was at a Parsippany NJ Show. I must have dropped a whopping $20.00 for both items.

Mars Attack will have staying power along with its two Saunder's cousins, Civil War News and Battle.

At the time that the reprint series was released sports card dealers were typically opening packs of new product and selling singles for a dime. They were not aware of the First Day cards and I managed to put my whole set of First Days together by rumaging through dealers' "commons". Like an idiot, I did not stock up on dupes.

Ted, Darren, Bill... thanks for the replies.

Question: what is a NM set worth or would one even exist? They would have to be like new with perfect registry and no fading. While I do not understand how the grading system works my guess is that an 8 or 9 would be as good as one could expect to find and I'm sure it would be worth thousands.

Would like to get lucky and find a nice set for a good price. other than eBay where else are sets like that sold? I get mails from Heritage auctions and some other place that charge a monthly fee (Worthpoint?) They seem to have lots of oddball stuff but I've never tried their paid service so I can;t see what stuff has sold for. Anyone?

Wayne

Back in the 1962 era, I was 10 years old and helped my mother at a local store (Bannon's Spa - milk,juice soda, etc..., coffee counter type of store), here in Haverhill, Ma., and was given an unopened box of the original Mars Attacks set. The destroying the dog was the card I did not like, so I (like a fool), traded them off when I was in the Boy Scouts. I know, dumb idea.

Don't forget there is a UK set as well, and incidently UK sets of Civil War News and Battle.

I have part sets of MA USA and UK issues but alas no Argentinians although I have seen a couple of cards

I have both the 1962 Mars Attacks set and both of the 1994 Topps regular and first day sets.
My 62- set is in nice shape. Overall I would grade it about an average 6 The #1 card is really nice and the checklist was lightly checked and erased. I have the 1994 first day factory set with the gold seal and a hand collated set of all 100 cards. I don't know what either is worth other than the NSU values posted in the price guide. As for the true value of the 62' set, I really don't care what it is worth because I have no intensions of selling it right now.
I love looking at the artwork on the cards and the bright colors.

In 2005 a low grade set of Mars Attacks went for over $7,000 on Mastronet. 3 years later a hi grade set went for over $60,000
So today who knows. There are several hi-grade sets (8 or better) that could bring oner $100,000

Ebay always has complete mars Attacks sets up for auction. Some are very lo grade and go for under $1,500 You just have to search and be willing to spend the money.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: beamer,

Values like anything is subjective

I would not go by Mastro...as is playing out at present, prices realised will be proved to be bogus and gouged and essentially not worth as reported

I think a low grade set probably worth $1000 and a high grade one $7-$10k on a ''very good'' day, but im sure a 9 or 20 could go far higher than that.

MA like Horors of War will continue to sell forever and prices will remain strong

quote:

Originally posted by darren:
Values like anything is subjective

I would not go by Mastro...as is playing out at present, prices realised will be proved to be bogus and gouged and essentially not worth as reported

I think a low grade set probably worth $1000 and a high grade one $7-$10k on a ''very good'' day, but im sure a 9 or 20 could go far higher than that.

MA like Horors of War will continue to sell forever and prices will remain strong

I don't disagree with anything you, or really anyone else has said so far, but I don't know if that is really what Wayne was asking when he said "long term collectibility". Or at least that's not the way I interpreted it. My thought was, are they going to go up in value?

I think the pricing on MA cards peaked, went down, and has now leveled off for the last several years and at least as many years to come.

MA is an iconic set and collector demand will always be there. Unquestionably the better the condition the cards are in the more they will fetch, but most that are readily available today are in lower grades. Will the value of those cards increase if you buy them now?

I'm not talking about the mint set that few people have, at auction a buyer with more money than sense can still break records. I'm talking about the average card that you are likely to find. Do you expect that the low grade 5 set selling for about $1000 by your own estimate now will go for $3000 any time soon?

Values are subjective and in general I would guess that people have decided on a range for these cards, subject to condition, and the pricing is stagnant. MA will always be collectible and will always sell, just don't think that you will triple your money in the process because you're 20 years too late for that.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Raven,

I think the set is iconic will always be collectible. It's certainly not going to get any easier to put together in the future so I can't see values going much lower than they are now. I have a mint set of the English Topps version (smaller than the American cards and not as deeply-coloured)as well as Topps UK Civil War News. I don't think either set gets anywhere near the quality of Bowman's Jets, Rockets and Spacemen cards for great colouring. I too am NOT a great fan of grading. I have a JRS set in crappy condition, but I wouldn't trade it for anything!

As you say Raven it is a matter of supply and demand to some extent, that said the iconic card product will increase its just a matter of by how much.
The peaking was artificial to some extent, due to dubious practices of some of the 'named' auction houses who are now deeply under invenstigation by the FBI for these practices, and unfortunatley the market was inflatyed because of it.
The prices today are probably normal and fair, that said anything 60s and before, that is mint, will go for multiples, with no knowledge of what those multiples may be.

Horrors of War is a good example of that where some of the higher numbers going for silly money if they are considered mint, or The Three Stooges which seemingly are bieng bought for crazy money by one collector, who seems to have a money no object attitude.

I pretty ambivilant towards grading, i quite like it that the cards can be handled 100s of times without a problem of deteriorating grade, that said i completely understand those that hate grading...but there is no doubt that grading has brought a new lease of life to archive product, and thats not to say to some thats a good thing. It somewhat depends what side of the fence you are on at a particular time, if your selling it may be great, if your buying it could be expensive !

A decent set sat on "The Bay" for a week with a starting bid of $1,199 and it never got a nibble.

I was tempted and I'm sure there was many others who considered it. I think it's the economy.

W

there is an Argentinian set (in spanish) as well

I have a complete set of the 1962 Mars Attacks Cards. All cards are in VG-Fn with quite a few in better condition. I am a collector of many years and this grading is close to what the carda actually are, in fact, I try to grade conservatively.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: H_Toser,