Libertyville comics seller offers tips on collecting for investment or fun

Peter Przysiezny has been buying and selling comics and collectibles since he was in grade school.

The founder of the Comic Buying Center in Libertyville has about 14,000 square feet across two buildings packed with comic books and collectibles, but he’s not necessarily looking to make a splash with the next $15 million comic book.

“When anyone comes into our business to sell their comics or get them appraised, I always tell them that our main mission is to get them to understand what they have and feel comfortable making the right decisions,” he says. “It’s not about us.”

Hoping to encourage a love of comics in young people, Przysiezny recently donated more than 600 kid-friendly and superhero books to the Allendale Association in Lake Villa, which helps youngsters and adolescents recover their behavioral, mental and emotional health.

The stories that comic books tell offer inspiration to their clients, said Jason Keeler, president and CEO of Allendale.

“Comic books marry powerful imagery with compelling storytelling to remind us that resilience is forged in adversity, perseverance is a virtue, and doing the right thing — especially when it’s hard — is what truly makes a hero. Those we serve at Allendale embody this spirit every day.

“This donation is especially meaningful and befitting for youth who may be struggling, offering not just stories on a page, but hope, strength and a reminder that they too, can overcome.”

Przysiezny knows the inspirational value of comic books, as he himself discovered as a youngster.

“That’s what motivates people to collect them,” he said. “But there comes a time when the right thing to do is sell.”

His is one of the few comic book businesses in the area that isn’t a “comic book shop” focused on retail. Przysiezny, along with four appraisers, evaluate about four collections every day, either in-house or by traveling to people’s homes throughout the area, including southern Wisconsin and eastern Indiana.

The days of stumbling on “Action Comics #1,” which introduced Superman in Grandma’s attic, are gone, he says. (That’s the one that sold just recently for $15 million. It’s so rare that fewer than 100 copies are thought to exist.)

The bread and butter of Przysiezny’s business is sales of 1950s-1970s books on eBay and Amazon. His wife, Jessica Bridgewater, and his parents, Pete and Josephine, help keep the business humming.

Przysiezny credits his dad with inspiring his love of comics. He and his wife have a young daughter who’s not yet into comics, but she does call her Spiderman doll “Dada.”

When guiding owners of comic book collections or those interested in investing in comic books, Przysiezny tells them, “Do your homework.”

“Dealers used to go to houses and buy collections for nothing. There’s lots of information out there. These days you don’t go to your local comic store and say, ‘What can I get for this?’” he said.

Online research can tell enthusiasts which comics are most rare and most in demand because of the popularity of the title or the character.

“I see a lot of mistakes happening,” Przysiezny said. “Without education, people get hurt.”

Some of his other do’s and don’ts:

Golden Age comics from the ’30s, ’40s and ’50s are still the most valuable, but increasingly rare. Prices for Silver Age comics (1956-1970) are rising, he says.

“That’s what keeps us in business, early 1970s and older comic books,” he said.

These include first appearances of most of the superhero comics, but some of the humor comic books could be valuable in “really nice condition,” especially early appearances.

“It’s definitely a softer market,” he said. “If you have ‘Richie Rich #1’ in nice condition, it could be worth $1,500.”

Condition is important, he said, but that doesn’t mean everything should be graded by a third-party company like Certified Guaranty Company, which rates comic condition on a 10-point scale and encapsulates them in plastic. Grading fees start around $27 and go up to 4% of fair market value.

Przysiezny tells of a client who insisted on having his entire collection graded and ended up losing money when the books didn’t bring the expected price. “Just because something is graded doesn’t make it more valuable,” he said.

“You only want to get them graded if they’re in almost perfect condition and a little older,” he said. “You want to have it verified, that it hasn’t been restored, that it’s complete — that someone didn’t clip out a coupon or the center pages fell out.”

More important than grading is protecting books by sealing them in acid-free bags with acid-free backing boards in sealed boxes where they can’t bend.

“A client had a book that was potentially worth $30,000,” he said. “But because he didn’t seal it, there was oxidation and mold. It ended up being an $800 comic.”

Books should be kept in a cool, dry place, not garages or attics, he added.

He advises potential investors to buy at auctions rather than at “buy it now” prices.

“Bid on auctions that start really low, $3 or so, and don’t be super aggressive,” he said. “Auction houses give an estimate of the retail value, so set a top limit and stick with it.”

The Comic Buying Center is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Buyers and sellers are welcome “whether they have a modest accumulation or a million-dollar collection.”

For more information, email oldcomics@yahoo.com or call (847) 513-2666.