Valuing your Marvel Card Collection

All collectors have, at some point, asked themselves the dreaded question……….”What is my collection really worth?” This usually doesn’t correspond to the amount of money that you paid out to obtain the cards. Many of us (and especially our spouses) would have a ‘fit’ if we truly looked at the amount of money (not to mention the time) that has been invested in the collection over the years (though too few of us have the determination and will to track this figure with any kind of accuracy). As far as the collector goes any money spent was well spent….. after all ‘it’s my collection and to me it’s priceless’. If only it was so!! Cards, whether they are in boxes, sets or just loose, all have a ‘real’ value. Ultimately the value is determined (as with many collectibles) by the rarity and condition of the card and the amount that a buyer is willing to pay to obtain it at that time. The problem is determining exactly what this value is.

The first thing that you will need to decide is the purpose for the valuation. Is it for insurance purposes (where you’ll want to provide as accurate a pricing as possible so that your collection is valued at ‘replacement cost’) or are you trying to get a rough estimate of the value for your own personal reasons? Are you looking to sell off your cards and you want to have an idea of their ‘real world’ value to help guide you when you come to sell? The reasons for putting a value to a collection vary for individual collectors and each one needs to find a method and the resources that makes sense to them in their situation.

Rarity is one of the main variables affecting the price of the card. For the most part, Marvel cards are relatively easily to find and the prices tend to reflect this. For example many of the sets from the early 1990’s can be found very cheaply……..much cheaper than you would have paid for them at the time that they were released. On the other hand there are ‘gems’ in the Marvel Universe! Three of the items that come to mind are the Mirage cards from the 1995 Masterpieces set, the Bronze Holofoils from the 1994 Masterpieces series and the Silver X-Overs from the 1994 X-Men Ultra collection. These cards were low in production numbers or available only through retail outlets such as Walmart stores. Earlier sets can command good prices especially if they are in NM/Mint condition. Even some of the insert sets seem to have cards that are more limited in their availability.

The condition of the card is also very important. Some collectors want to buy cards that have been professionally graded and they are willing to pay a premium for them. Others will buy lower quality cards as fillers for a set that they have on the go or to start collecting a set that they are looking for. Most of us however want to get the best possible card (usually in a NM/Mint condition – as graded by the vendor) at the best possible price. It’s important to note that it’s the vendor who provides the information as to the card’s condition. For the most part this is satisfactory…………who of us are really qualified to grade a card according to the established standards? But beware, unless you actually get to see the cards before buying them you may get a surprise when you receive them and you may disagree with the advertised condition of the item. Fortunately, in my experience, most online vendors provide fair gradings for their cards and I have seldom had to return a shipment (though it has happened).

A quick thought about having your cards professionally graded. Personally, I don’t see the need for this. Certainly if you are selling high end cards that will fetch premium prices, it may be worth your while to have the items professionally graded. This way both the buyer and seller are assured of the quality of the card and they can conclude the deal without any surprises. I on the other hand, can’t really see the need (or the additional expense required) to purchase ‘professionally graded’ cards, it doesn’t fit with the goals for my collection. While I see my collection as an ‘investment’, I’m comfortable in getting my cards in a ‘pack fresh’ condition and relying on the vendor to give a good description of the cards. Of course, I always ask questions to pull out more details for the card and to see if there are any imperfections in a card that has been listed as NM/Mint.

As far as resources go for valuing my collection, the main ones that I use are the Non-Sports Update’s Price Guide and the ‘real’ world sales prices from Ebay’s auctions and stores.

The Non-Sports Update’s Price Guide was, in the past, the bible for pricing cards. In the days before the widespread use of the internet, this magazine was about the only regular source for card values that was available. Most dealers based their prices on the guide and this provided a bit of stability to the pricing. Unfortunately many sets (i.e. the early Marvel Comic Images sets) aren’t included in the Guide and in most cases the values provided in NSU don’t correspond to the prices that you will actually pay for the item on Ebay or some other auction site. Nevertheless, the Guide is useful as a quick reference tool and when you want to get a baseline value that can be used for trading and other activities where both parties should be using the same source for their pricing. Of course there are other publications that provide pricing information but they tend to be published infrequently and, though I have doubts as to the validity of the prices that they quote, they can be a valuable resource for card identification and in depth information on the sets and promo cards. Two of these publications are: The Encyclopedia of Non-Sport & Entertainment Trading Cards Volume 1: 1985-2006 (by Todd Jordan) and The Sport Americana Price Guide to the Non-Sports Cards (by Christopher Benjamin).

I find Ebay to be the most important resource for valuing my cards. Here you get a ‘real’ world price for your cards and you can find quotes for most of the sets and cards that you want to value. The prices however can swing widely (especially for the more rare items) and the set you bought for $75.00 at auction can turn up later at a $45 Buy-It-Now price (and the reverse as well). The final sale prices can be all over the map (one vendor may not be able to sell the item for $10.00 while the next seller gets $25.00 for the exact same item). Also, the shipping charges need to be considered……some online vendors really overcharge for the shipping (especially to out of country destinations).

Using Ebay for determining the value of your collection can be a very time intensive task. Nevertheless by tracking the sales for a while you can get a fairly accurate idea of what a buyer is willing to pay for that item in the stated condition. Often I’ll look first at the stores where the items tend to be listed at Buy-It-Now prices. By comparing the prices, I am able to get a good sense as to what these vendors value the sets at. This doesn’t mean the best price…………a good auction can save you many, many dollars off these prices! But they provide a price point that you can use if you want to replace the item quickly (i.e. for an insurance claim) or for identifying a ‘quick’, relatively high ‘real world’ value for the cards.

One ‘problem’ with Ebay (and I’ve heard this from local and online dealers) is that the base and insert sets can be purchased at ‘fire sale’ prices especially when you consider the collation issues that many sets have and the actual cost of the boxes. The online dealers hope to make the bulk of their money back from the sale of the Sketch and autograph cards as well as the dealer’s incentives that they obtain for buying multiple cases. Many of them open so many boxes of cards that they are left with a large inventory of base and insert sets, many more than they can hope to sell online even at prices that are marked way down. These items end up collecting dust on their shelves or are ‘bulk sold’ to someone else. For a collector, this is an ideal situation. You can often get a base set, all of the basic insert sets and the case toppers for less than the price that you would have to pay for one box! But will the prices really go up in the future? Card publishers have reduced the number of boxes that they produce. Ultimately this should be good for the value of the cards but will the stockpiled inventories have to be sold off first and put in the hands of collectors before we notice any real change in values? I suppose time will tell!

When I value my collection, I use a combination of both the NSU Price Guide and the prices found on Ebay. Presently I have valued the collection for insurance purposes and as such have used the Non Sports Update as the main resource (it’s relatively easy to get a documented price for most cards/sets though the prices quoted, especially from the early to mid 1990’s, tend to be quite high). I use Ebay prices (either what I paid for an item or an evaluation of the sample prices over a period of time) for most of the rarer cards and those not listed in the Guide. These prices tend to reflect what you will actually have to pay to replace the cards and are often valued way above the amounts quoted in the Guide (as if I’m really going to find a 1994 Venom Bronze Holofoil card for $10.00!). If I were to want a more realistic valuation of the collection, I would put much more emphasis in determining the prices through Ebay.


I use an Excel spreadsheet as a simple tool for cataloguing my collection. This spreadsheet serves as a basic database, allowing me to sort the cards while the numerical functions allow me to track the value. I always thought that I’d like to use a more powerful database such as Access so that I could ‘jazz’ up the inventory data and layout with pictures and more detailed information. But at this point, this remains a dream (I’m not sure that I want to tackle the work that would be involved in developing the database and entering all of the information). However, I’ve learned that should ‘never say never’ (especially when it comes to my collection) and at some point I will make the change and develop a really functional means of inventorying my collection.

My Collection

My Marvel Card Collection (as of 10/03/2008)

I have provided a listing of my current collection for your interest/information. This includes all of the complete sets (base and insert) that I have. It does not list any sets that I am still looking to complete and doesn't include the promo cards and other special cards associated with the sets.

Assembling this collection has been a true ‘labour of love’ for me and I am quite proud of my progress to date. I try and collect cards in NM/Mint condition (where possible) and have my collection displayed in 9 pocket UltraPro Platinum sheets (and penny sleeves for the inserts, promos and other 'special' cards) in over 30 3" D-ring binders. I intend to provide a brief title page for each set identifying the set's basic contents and some information, including a picture of a card from the set as well as having space for me to provide my own personal comments. I've developed a master layout for the title page and hope to start the write-ups soon........a lot of work but the end results will certainly be worth it! This will be my project for the winter.

If you are aware of any Marvel related sets that aren't listed, I'd love to hear about them!

The Early Years

Marvel Super Heroes 1966
Marvel Super Heroes Stickers 1967
Marvel Comic Book Heroes - (Fantastic Four puzzle)
Marvel Super Heroes Stickers - (Conan puzzle)
Marvel Stickers - Series 1 - Official Marvel Universe - circular border
Marvel Stickers - Series 2 - History of the X-Men - circular border
Marvel Stickers - Series 3 - Marvel's Magic Moments - hexagonal border
Marvel Stickers - Series 4 - The Mutant Hall of Fame - trapezoidal border

Artist Sets

Arthur Adams
Jim Lee - Series 1
Jim Lee - Series 2
John Byrne
Mike Zeck
Todd McFarlane - Series 1
Todd McFarlane - Series 2

Parallel Sets

Marvel Masterpieces 1994 - Gold Signature parallel set
Marvel Masterpieces 1995 - E-Motion gold signature parallel set
Marvel Masterpieces 2007 - Gold Border parallel set
Marvel Masterpieces 2007 - Parallel Foil set
Marvel Masterpieces 2007 - Parallel Foil set - Spiderman
Marvel Masterpieces 2007 - Parallel Foil set - X-Men
Conan - The Marvel Years - Refractor parallel set
Marvel vs. Wildstorm - Refractor Chromium Parallel Set
Spiderman Fleer Ultra - Gold Signature parallel set
Spiderman Fleer Ultra 1997 - Blue Foil parallel set
X-Men Chromium - Gold Signature parallel set

Marvel Masterpieces

Marvel Masterpieces 1992
Marvel Masterpieces 1992 - Spectra Etch
Marvel Masterpieces 1993
Marvel Masterpieces 1993 - Spectra
Marvel Masterpieces 1994
Marvel Masterpieces 1994 - HoloFoil - bronze (Walmart)
Marvel Masterpieces 1994 - HoloFoil - gold (jumbo Packs)
Marvel Masterpieces 1994 - HoloFoil - silver (hobby packs)
Marvel Masterpieces 1994 - Power Blast
Marvel Masterpieces 1995
Marvel Masterpieces 1995 - Canvas
Marvel Masterpieces 1995 - HoloFlash
Marvel Masterpieces 1996
Marvel Masterpieces 1996 - Double Impact Embossed set
Marvel Masterpieces 1996 - Gallery Card
Marvel Masterpieces 2007
Marvel Masterpieces 2007 - Spiderman
Marvel Masterpieces 2007 - X-Men
Marvel Masterpieces 2007 - Adams set
Marvel Masterpieces 2007 - Ross set
Marvel Masterpieces 2007 - Struzan set
Marvel Masterpieces 2007 - Subcasts
Marvel Masterpieces 2007 - Ross (ash can set)
Marvel Masterpieces 2007 - Adams case toppers
Marvel Masterpieces - 2nd series (2008)
Marvel Masterpieces - 2nd series (2008)
Marvel Masterpieces - 2nd series (2008) - Avengers
Marvel Masterpieces - 2nd series (2008) - Marvel Heroines
Marvel Masterpieces - 2nd series (2008) - Fantastic Four Memorabilia
Marvel Masterpieces - 2nd series (2008) - Movie Die-Cut (hobby series)

Marvel Universe

Marvel Universe II - Colossal Conflicts
Marvel Universe III - Wolverine Mutant Trivia
Marvel Universe IV - Heroic Origins
Marvel Universe - 1990 - Series 1
Marvel Universe - 1990 - Series 1 - Holograms
Marvel Universe - 1991 - Series 2
Marvel Universe - 1991 - Series 2 - Holograms
Marvel Universe - 1992 - Series 3
Marvel Universe - 1992 - Series 3 - Holograms
Marvel Universe - 1993 - Series 4
Marvel Universe - 1993 - Series 4 - blue/green variant
Marvel Universe - 1993 - Series 4 - multi (green/gold) variant
Marvel Universe - 1993 - Series 4 - Foil Stamped
Marvel Universe - 1994 Flair
Marvel Universe - 1994 Flair - 3D Hologram (green variant)
Marvel Universe - 1994 Flair - PowerBlast (gold - Walmart)
Marvel Universe - 1994 Flair - PowerBlast (rainbow)
Marvel Universe - 1994 Flair - PowerBlast (silver - jumbo packs)
Marvel Universe - 1994 Flair - Suspended Animation
Marvel Universe - 1994 Flair - Suspended Animation Jumbo Cards

Compilation Sets

Marvel Superheroes First Issue Covers (Series 1)
Marvel First Covers (Series 2)
Marvel Annual - 1994 Flair Presents (Marvel Universe 1994)
Marvel Annual - 1994 Flair Presents (Marvel Universe 1994) - FlairPrints
Marvel Annual - 1994 Flair Presents (Marvel Universe 1994) - Power Blast
Marvel Annual - 1995 Flair
Marvel Annual - 1995 Flair - Chromium
Marvel Annual - 1995 Flair - DuoBlast
Marvel Annual - 1995 Flair - HoloBlast
Marvel Annual - 1995 Flair - PowerBlast
Marvel Annual - 1995 Flair - Flair Prints
Marvel Metal
Marvel Metal - Gold Blaster
Marvel Metal - Metal Blaster
Marvel Metal - Metal Prints
Marvel Magnets
Marvel Motion
Marvel Motion - Virtual Vision
Marvel Onslaught
Marvel Onslaught
Marvel Onslaught - 'Mirage' Lenticular Motion
Marvel Onslaught - Mission Assault on Onslaught
Marvel Onslaught - Overpower Hero
Marvel Vision
Marvel Vision - Encryptalizer Decoder card
Marvel Vision - mini mags
Marvel Vision - Vision Tattoo
Marvel QFX
Marvel QFX - LaserBlast die-cut
Marvel QFX - Photographix Heroes Reformed
Marvel Creator's Collection
Marvel Creator's Collection - Editors Choice
Marvel Creator's Collection - Marvel Gold
Marvel Creator's Collection – Sketchboards (no #18)
Marvel Silver Age
Marvel Silver Age - Alex Ross Salutes the Silver Age
Marvel Silver Age - Silver Age Heroes
Marvel Silver Age - Silver Age Tribute to Jack Kirby
Marvel Legends
Marvel Legends - Costume Change Level A
Marvel Legends - Costume Change Level B
Marvel Legends - Secret Identity
Marvel Master Prints - Series 1
Marvel Master Prints - Series 2
Women of Marvel
Women of Marvel - Embossed
Women of Marvel - Embrace
Women of Marvel - Swimsuit
Women of Marvel - Adam Hughes Autograph

Character Sets

Captain America 50th Anniversary
Complete Avengers
Complete Avengers - Earth's Mightiest Heroes
Complete Avengers - Greatest Enemies
Complete Avengers - Legendary Heroes
Conan - Savage Sword of
Conan - The Marvel Years
Conan - The Marvel Years - Conan the Savage
Conan - The Marvel Years - King Conan
Conan - The Marvel Years - Magnachrome Box Topper
Excalibur
Ghost Rider
Ghost Rider 2
Ghost Rider 2 - Glow Sticker Set
Incredible Hulk
Incredible Hulk - Crystal Clear
Incredible Hulk - Gamma Ray Foil
Punisher - The Whole Tough Tale
Punisher - The Punisher Papers
Punisher - Guts & Gunpowder (War Journal)
Punisher - Guts & Gunpowder (War Journal) - Prism
Punisher - Guts & Gunpowder (War Journal) - Scratch 'n Sniff
Silver Surfer
Wolverine - Untamed
Wolverine - From Then Till Now (Series 1)
Wolverine - From Then Till Now (Series 2)
Wolverine - From Then Till Now (Series 2) - Prism
X-Force

Spiderman

Spiderman - World of Spiderman
Spiderman - Webs
Spiderman Team-Up
Spiderman 1 (McFarlane Era)
Spiderman 1 (McFarlane Era) - Prism
Spiderman 2 (30th Anniversary)
Spiderman 2 (30th Anniversary) - Prism
Spiderman, Amazing
Spiderman, Amazing - Gold Web (jumbo packs)
Spiderman, Amazing - Gold Web (Walmart)
Spiderman, Amazing - Hologram (red variant)
Spiderman, Amazing - Suspended Animation
Spiderman, Amazing - Master Prints
Spiderman Fleer Ultra
Spiderman Fleer Ultra - Chromium Masterpiece
Spiderman Fleer Ultra - Clear Chrome
Spiderman Fleer Ultra - Golden Web Chromium
Spiderman Fleer Ultra - Holoblast
Spiderman Fleer Ultra - Ultra Print

Spiderman - Metallic Impressions - 20 card set

Spiderman - Metallic Images - 5 card set
Spiderman Premium 1996 - Eternal Evil
Spiderman Premium 1996 - Eternal Evil - Canvas
Spiderman Premium 1996 - Eternal Evil - HoloMotion
Spiderman Team Metal
Spiderman '97 (Spiderman .99)
Spiderman Fleer - International
Spiderman Fleer - International
Spiderman Fleer Ultra 1997 - Red Foil
Spiderman Film Cardz
Spiderman Film Cardz - Chase (hobby)
Spiderman Film Cardz - Rare
Spiderman Film Cardz - Ultra-Rare

X-Men

X-Men - Covers 1
X-Men - Covers 2 (The Uncanny)
X-Men (Jim Lee Art)
X-Men (Series 1) - (The Uncanny)
X-Men (Series 1) - (The Uncanny) - Hologram
X-Men (Series 2) (The Uncanny)
X-Men (Series 2) - (The Uncanny) - 3D card (green variant - common)
X-Men (Series 2) - (The Uncanny) - 3D card (orange variant)
X-Men (Series 2) - (The Uncanny) - Gold Foil
X-Men (Series 2) - (The Uncanny) - Holithogram Foil
X-Men Ultra 1994
X-Men Ultra 1994 - Fatal Attractions
X-Men Ultra 1994 - Greatest Battle Set (jumbo)
X-Men Ultra 1994 - Silver X-Overs (Walmart)
X-Men Ultra 1994 - Team Portrait (hobby)
X-Men Ultra 1994 - Team Tryptich (Red Foil - Walmart)
X-Men Ultra 1994 - Ultraprints
X-Men Chromium - 1996 Ultra
X-Men Chromium - 1996 Ultra - `Lethal Weapon`Holoflash
X-Men Chromium - 1996 Ultra - 'Alternate-X` Embossed
X-Men Fleer 1995 (Walmart - same art as chromium set)
X-Men Ultra 1995
X-Men Ultra 1995 - 'Hunters & Stalkers' PowerBlast (gold - Walmart)
X-Men Ultra 1995 - 'Hunters & Stalkers' PowerBlast (rainbow)
X-Men Ultra 1995 - 'Hunters & Stalkers' PowerBlast (silver - jumbo packs)
X-Men Ultra 1995 - 'Sinister Observations` Chromium
X-Men Ultra 1995 - 'Suspended Animation' Cel set
X-Men - Metallic Impressions - 20 card set
X-Men - Metallic Impressions - 5 card set
X-Men Team Metal
X-Men Timelines
X-Men Timelines - Dead Pool Party
X-Men Timelines - New Recruits
X-Men/ Wolverine
X-Men/ Wolverine - Holoflash
X-Men/ Wolverine - Mirage/Morph/Motion set
X-Men .99
X-Men 2099 Oasis

Cross Over Sets

DC vs. Marvel
DC vs. Marvel - HoloF/X
DC vs. Marvel - Impact Set
DC vs. Marvel - Mirage Cards
Amalgam
Amalgam - `Secret Crisis of the Infinity Hour` Canvas Cards
Amalgam - Amalgam Classics PowerBlast
Amalgam - Holopix
Marvel vs. Wildstorm
Marvel vs. Wildstorm - Clear Chrome
Marvel vs. Wildstorm - Overpower Refractor Cards

Marvel: The Movies

Daredevil
Daredevil - Costume Card
Fantastic Four Movie Celz
Fantastic Four Movie Celz - Holo-Celz
Howard the Duck
Howard the Duck - Stickers
Hulk Movie & Comic Cards
Hulk Movie & Comic Cards - Comic Covers
Hulk Movie & Comic Cards - Illustrated Film Cards
Incredible Hulk (Television show)
Incredible Hulk (Television show) - Sticker Set
Incredible Hulk - Preview Set (923/999)
Iron Man
Iron Man - Casting Call
Iron Man - Iron Man Archives
Iron Man - Armored Hero
Iron Man - Costume Cards
Spiderman Movie - Glow in the Dark Stickers
Spiderman Movie - Spidey Holograms
Spiderman Movie - Clear Web-Shooter
Spiderman Movie - Web-Tech Foil
Spiderman 2 - United
Spiderman 2 - United - Lenticular
Spiderman 2 - United - Reel Piece of Action
Spiderman 3 - The Last Stand
Spiderman 3 - The Last Stand - Behind the Scenes
Spiderman 3 - The Last Stand - Spiderman Red
Spiderman 3 - The Last Stand - Spiderman Black
Spiderman 3 - The Last Stand - Sandman
Spiderman 3 - The Last Stand - Goblin
Spiderman 3 - The Last Stand - Venom
X-Men - The Movie
X-Men - The Movie - Chromium Double Sided Finest
X-Men - The Movie - Clear Cling
X-Men - The Movie - Movie Memorabilia (Costume) cards
X-Men The Movie Action Flipz Lenticular
X-Men The Movie Action Flipz Lenticular - 3D Chase Card
X-Men The Movie Action Flipz Lenticular - 3D Rare Card
X-Men 2 - United
X-Men 3 - The Last Stand
X-Men 3 - The Last Stand - Wolverine Portraits
X-Men 3 - The Last Stand - X-Men Casting Call
X-Men 3 - The Last Stand - Art & Images of
X-Men 3 - The Last Stand - Take a Stand

Marvel OverPower - Collectible Card Game

Overpower - Series 1
Overpower - Series 2
Overpower - Series 3

Keepsake Collections

Ghost Rider (1990) - #153/5000
Infinity Gauntlet - #1042 of 5000
Peepsake Collection: The Cheesecakes and Beefcakes of Marvel - #0461/5000
X-Force (1991) - #4954/5000 (autographed)
X-Men (1991) - #0564/5000

Marvel Product/Promo Sets

Marvel - Got Milk
Marvel Annuals 1992
Marvel Bi-Weeklies
Marvel Annuals 1993 (comic insert set)
Marvel Crunch 'n Munch - Series 1
Marvel Crunch 'n Munch - Series 2
Marvel Factory Figures Cards - Series 1
Marvel Super Top Trumpf - Helden
Marvel Super Top Trumpf - Schurken
Marvel Trading Card Treats
Marvel Universal Studios Florida - '94
Marvel Universal Studios Florida - '95
Marvel Universal Studios Florida - '95
Mini Comics
Pizza Hut - Marvel Public Service Announcements
Spiderman - Cookie Crisp (package set)
Spiderman - Lenticular Postcard
Spiderman - Ralston
Spiderman 2 - Korea (Magic Ruler)
Uncanny X-Men - Luck of the Draw Sweepstakes
X-Cutioners Song (Comic Insert set)
X-Men Mystery Super Villans - Chef Boyardee
X-Men Timelines - Hardees (Marvel)
Ziploc - Marvel Team Ups

A little back ground information about me and my collecting activities

I guess I have always been a collector. Over the years, I have collected hockey cards, comic books, Canadian stamps and coins and most recently cards based on the characters from the ‘Marvel Comic Universe’.

My first foray into ‘collecting’ was back in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s when I purchased packs of hockey cards (hey, I’m a Canadian……..). However I didn’t really try to collect these cards into sets. Rather, they were used for three main activities:
* Trading with friends for my favourite players
* Playing ‘wallsies’ at school – tossing a card towards a wall and the player whose card came closest won all of the cards that were thrown
* Making ‘clackers’ for my bike – using clothes pins to attach the cards to the back frame of the bike so that the card would run through the spokes ‘revving up’ the sound as if I was a motorcyclist.

As you can see the end result of two of the three activities generally meant damage to, or the complete destruction of, the cards. Not acceptable results for a collector! To make the matter worse, over the years these early hockey cards have increased tremendously in value and I shudder to think of the current value of those ‘clackers’!

I also went through periods where I collected Canadian coins and stamps (including the Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee sets produced by the Commonwealth countries). While I liked collecting these items, I really didn’t pursue them for long as the hobbies got expensive and my financial resources were needed to support my growing family. I decided to try and keep up with my coin collection by assembling annual sets of the Canadian coins pulled from general circulation (but I still have a bit of back filling to do).

Back in 1963 I got 'hooked' on the classic Marvel Comic Books. I can remember taking my allowance to the corner store (with any other money that I could earn) and buying all of the Marvel Comics that I could (for $.10 each at the beginning and maxing out at $.25). It didn't matter about the title as long as it was from Marvel………..they were all GREAT!! The comics were read and then piled in my closet for safekeeping (no special storage at that time).

Unfortunately, this collection met an untimely and unfortunate demise as well. My mother decided to houseclean when I went to college and, you guessed it, one of the first things to go into the trash was my collection of early Marvel Comics...what a loss!!! I have no idea as to how many titles I had but there were a lot of them. I never read a comic after that and it wasn’t until the 1990’s that I came to realize the true monetary value of those early gems……..a BIG loss for me and no great gain for the dump!

However this early dedication to Marvel Comic books formed the roots for my passion for card collecting. Back in 1992, my eldest son (who was then 8 years old) came home from the corner store with a couple of packs of Marvel Universe III cards. When we opened them up, I was blown away! Here were trading cards depicting the super heroes of my youth and I never knew that these types of cards even existed! Well, I went back to the store several times buying more packs and soon had a complete collection of the base set and then went on the hunt at local card shops to complete the hologram series, picking up other sets and insert cards at the same time. I soon ‘graduated’ to buying and breaking down a couple of boxes at once, usually completing the base and insert sets all at once. I partnered with a local card dealer to sell and buy cards at the local Ottawa card shows (1992 – 1995) but I soon found that there was no real money to be made this way, especially when I was pulling out sets and inserts for myself! However this friend has, over the years, provided me with many rare additions to my collection.

I stopped actively collecting the cards in 1995 (once again ….. had to take a family focus) but started up again in 2006 when I retired. Since then I have been busy catching up with the sets that I had missed in the intervening years and back filling my collection with sets from the early years that I don’t have.

As a collector, I am a ‘completist’ with a goal of assembling a complete collection of Marvel card sets that I can pass on to my son. This includes the entire series of card and sticker sets from the 1966 Donruss Super heroes set up to and including the most recent titles. I aim to collect the entire card set including the base and header cards, insert sets and parallel sets (where applicable). Also, I collect promo cards, case/box toppers, sell sheets and some boxes for the sets that I have. I have some ‘special’ sets and cards put out as inserts in comic books and as marketing items for various stores and products. I have avoided purchasing the popular Sketch cards due to their cost and the impossibility of getting a complete set, though I once considered getting enough of the Sketch cards from each series to fill a 9-card sheet…….but I decided not to go down that slippery path! Also, I have not chased down autographed cards.

I recently expanded my collection’s focus to include the card sets from the Marvel movies. I figured that though my son has no real history with Marvel Comics (what kid can afford them), he loves the recent movies that have been produced and I believe that this refocus will make the collection more meaningful for him in the future as it ties in with something from his own youth.

By using Ebay for most of my purchases, I am able to obtain the cards that I want quite cheaply (in some cases), especially when you look at the prices on sealed boxes and the number needed to complete the sets! It just doesn’t make any sense financially anymore for the ‘mainstream collector’ to break down boxes to obtain the sets……..the online dealers break down multiple cases of cards and, hoping to make their money off of the Sketch cards, they sell off the base sets and inserts at low prices, usually way below the values identified in the Non Sports Update magazine’s Price Guide.

However, I do miss the thrill and anticipation of sitting down with a box or two and breaking them down and seeing what I get. I spent more time handling (and admiring) the cards and had a greater appreciation for them. Ebay, though it provides an easy way to collect, basically turned the hobby, for me, into more of a financial transaction and I lost the sense of ‘collecting’ that I had in the early years. But without access to Ebay I would never be able to track down the cards that I need in any kind of a systematic and cost effective manner…..a two edged sword! However since most of my energy has been focused on back filling my collection Ebay has proven to be an invaluable resource for obtaining lots of items at a reasonable price in a relatively short period of time. Hopefully I will soon be able to finish the core elements of my collection and be up to date……then maybe I’ll re-look at breaking down boxes to help rekindle the passion for the cards (but who am I kidding………cost will always be the determining factor).

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