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Original Superman comic becomes the highest-priced comic book ever sold

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Re: Original Superman comic becomes the highest-priced comic book ever sold

#61
post #47
post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I ask because I think the price is only as high if the item in question is still cultural relevant. Les Poseuses Ensemble by Georges Seurat was sold for $149m. Very few people have heard of it, care about it, or even like it considering it's pointillism which no one buys modern versions of. The world of art and collectables is entirely rich people speculating that the price (not value) will go up in the future.

Ah damn. I forgot to add in the whole world of art collection which of course this item belongs in as well. Still baffles me how we humans can put such high prices on some items

It’s mostly money laundering and loan collateral

Re: Original Superman comic becomes the highest-priced comic book ever sold

#62
post #57
post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What tax savings? How does that work?

Different tax loopholes depending on region etc, but basically like this: I’m a billionaire earning $100M this year. I owe $40M as taxes for that. (Too much!) I find a dumb banana painting by a starving artist. I buy it from him for $1000. I wait 6 months. I go to a museum to get it appraised by “professionals”. I pay the professional appraiser’s wife $50K as a gift. The appraiser says the painting is now worth $30M!…

That wouldn't explain the price here, since in your scam the whole idea is to buy cheap and donate dear. not buy for 139M

Re: Original Superman comic becomes the highest-priced comic book ever sold

#63

With this kind of case it's impossible to read the comic book, and it doesn't protect it from UV light. I prefer using covers that block UV light. This both protects it and allows you to read it.

You’re better off just getting UV protective film on your windows.

Re: Original Superman comic becomes the highest-priced comic book ever sold

#64
post #55
post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Makes me think of this Simpsons episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ii4Msc9ESEw

Why did he do that?

In that episode a bored Mr. Burns hires Homer as his „prank monkey”, paying him with loose cash to play cruel pranks on others and humiliate himself. Homer eventually regains his dignity after refusing to ruin the Thanksgiving day parade, even for a million dollars.

Re: Original Superman comic becomes the highest-priced comic book ever sold

#65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can read it (illegally) here: https://www.zipcomic.com/superman-1939-issue-1 And I dare say, someone spending 9 million clams on this comic book is more than likely going to have it sitting in a very UV-protected vault somewhere .. EDIT: Sorry - I didn’t realize that zipcomic.com is infringing the copyright - adding this note to point that out, but I will maintain my original link as intended. Better to read it o…

Not everyone wants to break the law to read things from their collection. Also the physical experience of reading is much different than digital. While you could store your collectable in a vault, many people enjoy displaying their collectables.

I'm not sure the reader would be breaking the law. Copyright law is about distribution, so the site would be violating the copyright by making it available. However, reading it is not distribution so simply reading it would not be an issue.

Re: Original Superman comic becomes the highest-priced comic book ever sold

#66

I have a b&w photo of my (considerably) older brother, from the early 1960s, reading a pile of comic books a foot high. The only cover visible is Spiderman #4. When I was a kid I used to stare at that picture and dream. Needless to say, I kept all my old comics.

I had a British edition of Star Wars #1 at my parent's house that an English friend gave me when we were kids back in the early 80's. I always wondered what it was worth, as I could only find price guides for the US edition. But when I finally got around to go get it a couple years ago, it was nowhere to be found. So the question became only academic.

Re: Original Superman comic becomes the highest-priced comic book ever sold

#67
post #39

It is interesting to me that something like this can have such a high value. It speaks meanly for the our shared cultural global connection when it comes to items like these. For what purpose other than saying: “I have a …” would you buy this? Or is it the believe the price only goes up and it gets bought as an investment? I mean specifically this item with this high price. I ask because I think the price is only as…

The price is determined by the depths of pockets of buyers. High price for such items means only that too many stupid people have too much money in our time.

Re: Original Superman comic becomes the highest-priced comic book ever sold

#68

With this kind of case it's impossible to read the comic book, and it doesn't protect it from UV light. I prefer using covers that block UV light. This both protects it and allows you to read it.

You can read it (illegally) here: https://www.zipcomic.com/superman-1939-issue-1 And I dare say, someone spending 9 million clams on this comic book is more than likely going to have it sitting in a very UV-protected vault somewhere .. EDIT: Sorry - I didn’t realize that zipcomic.com is infringing the copyright - adding this note to point that out, but I will maintain my original link as intended. Better to read it o…

https://comicbookplus.com would have it legally as the Copyright expired long ago.

Re: Original Superman comic becomes the highest-priced comic book ever sold

#69
post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why did he do that?

In that episode a bored Mr. Burns hires Homer as his „prank monkey”, paying him with loose cash to play cruel pranks on others and humiliate himself. Homer eventually regains his dignity after refusing to ruin the Thanksgiving day parade, even for a million dollars.

Ahh thank you.

Re: Original Superman comic becomes the highest-priced comic book ever sold

#70
post #59
post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Different tax loopholes depending on region etc, but basically like this: I’m a billionaire earning $100M this year. I owe $40M as taxes for that. (Too much!) I find a dumb banana painting by a starving artist. I buy it from him for $1000. I wait 6 months. I go to a museum to get it appraised by “professionals”. I pay the professional appraiser’s wife $50K as a gift. The appraiser says the painting is now worth $30M!…

As far as I know, that's not how taxes work. You can't get a rebate for the amount of taxes you would have paid, you can get a deduction for the amount of money you made. So: You made $100M owe $40M in taxes. Your painting is worth $30M! You have such a keen eye for art. Now you made $130M and owe $50M in taxes. You donate the painting, you're back at having made $100M and owing $40M. Otherwise we'd all choose not to…

I’m pretty sure he’s right in how taxes work. There’s no moment where the value of the painting is realized but you are allowed to deduct the FMV if you make enough and if the donation goes to the charity’s exempt use (which it will if it’s a museum or whatever).

So if you buy painting for a dollar and wait a year then next year you make $3m and the painting is now worth $1m then if you donate it, your AGI is reduced to $3m-min($1m, 30% of income) = $3m-$900k.

You don’t count the appreciation of the painting as income. You don’t even count it as LTCG if you don’t sell it.

I think it also applies to stock option awards. When the startup I was at was acquired some people were talking about it.

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