I would like to find a website that I can enter the comic book by name and number and look up it's value. I've had these for apprximatly 20+ years stored in mint condition in plastic sleeves and would like to know if I have any that might be worth some good money. I've tried Ebay but it does not give me the information I need. I also have some Star Trek "Next Generation" collectables like action figures, cards, phasers, etc. in their original unopened boxes. Is there somewhere I can go to check on their worth?
Some practical advice from someone who's been collecting comics for 20 years - If the comics are from the early 1980s, they're not going to be super valuable. The highly valuable comics are from the 1960s and earlier. For the 1980s, you'd have to sort through all of the books to MAYBE find a hand full that would go for over $20 apiece, and that's only if they're in just about perfect condition. The most valuable books for this time period were those that were independently produced. Mainstream books like X-Men, Spider-Man, Superman, etc..from the 1980s are extremely common and easy to come by, and therefore, not rare or desirable. EVERYBODY in the 1980s was keeping their comics in plastics and in mint condition. Back in the 60s and before, kids treated their comics like crap and would throw them out since they didn't think they would be worth something someday. That's why older comics are rare and more valuable in better condition.
If you want to price the books, pick up a copy of Wizard or use www.comicspriceguide.com but you should know how the price guide works first. The prices listed for any given issue are the highest prices a retailer would reasonably be expected to ask for the issues in near perfect shape. That's for retailers. Retailers can put a $5 price tag on a comic and wait 10 years for someone to walk in and buy it at that price. If you want it sold NOW, instead of in ten years, you usually have to settle for 50 cents a piece or less for most books from the 80s and 90s.
There are two quick and easy basic options for someone like yourself: Check your local phone book for your nearest comic store, give em a call and ask them if they're buying. They'll look through them, tell you if they're interested, and make you an offer. This is quick, easy, and you'll get paid fast. Your other option is to split the books up into lots, usually of one title a piece (All your X-Men, all your Fantastic Four, all your Spider-Man, etc.) take some pictures and list them on ebay. You'll get a little more money but you'll have to do more work.
edit: VVV Thanks for the compliment HOPLITE, but, Spawn #1? Spawn #1 printed something like 3 million copies. It was one of the worst books of the speculator boom (for being over-printed). Only about 250,000 people regularly read monthly American comics these days. That means there's enough copies of Spawn #1 for each of us to have 12 mint copies of it. It's not rare at all. I just did a quick ebay search, and the last auction that sold that included it had Spawn #1,2 and 3, and sold for $2.25. I'll link it below.
The most valuable books from 1988-1995 or so would be Amazing Spider-Man #300 (1st Venom. Not really rare, but still goes for $60+) New Mutants #98 (1st Deadpool), maybe a few of the limited edition rare printings of Death of Superman or Spider-Man #1 (not the normal editions that sold millions of copies). I'm not positive, but I'm fairly certain THE most valuable book of the 1980s is the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1, which can go for up to $2,500. That book had almost ten printings, and only the extremely rare first printing is worth that much, since there were only a couple hundred copies of it, having been an independent book that exploded in popularity. The 2nd printing and the rest bring in peanuts in comparison.
Dark Knight Returns would be worth a few bucks, as would Wolverine #1 or #10. Secret Wars #8, or ASM #252, Miracleman, Sandman, a run of Watchmen or Crisis on Infinite Earths would be worth a little something, a few independents like original TMNT or first Grendel, but that's pretty much it for 80s comics.
http://www.sell.com/23DR5X
This is the feature on the Star Wars action figures, toys, playsets, collectibles and memorabilia shot at the Penang Toy Museum. You can see the lifesize Darth Vader statue, the rare DV headmask, the collection of LightSabers, the battle area with the AT-ST Walker, the Mr. Potato Head “Star Wars Edition” figures, the Death Star flip-open playset, and many others. I hope you like this small silent documentary on the Star Wars items.
The south park action figure movie made by me and my cousin with stan cartman kyle and stan. ***I do not own south park, I am only a huge fan with all the collectibles, games, underwear, t-shirts, pants, and everything.*** Trey Parker and Matt Stone are awesome!
Action Figure Times www.aftimes.com takes a video tour of some of the booths at SDCC. Sideshow, always a crowd pleaser is full of new products coming soon.