865 replies to this topic

[RecurringAwesome]

I have a question. What do you think the release of the Sub Press versions of GoT and CoK will do to the Meisha Merlin prices. I think GoT will stay relatively the same price being the first book as well as the art was done by a very popular and now deceased artist. However, CoK will probably plummet in value because it will no longer be part of a set and doesn't hold the same weight as GoT. What do you guys think?

[midnightrider]

I do not think it will affect the prices too much.  I disagree with the Meishas no longer being apart of the set.   To have a true, complete, set, you must have the Meisha Merlins, as well as, the Subterranean books.  Also, the MMs are the true, first, limited editions and will be sought after, because of their rarity.  

As for a CoK, it was never as valuable as the GoT book, and single copies sold for $600 on ebay.   It will probably stay in that ball park. (my guess)

One other thing to consider, is the popularity of the TV show.  If the show, keeps gaining momentum, more viewers, etc, you have no idea how it will effect the market.  Having a signed, limited edition book, no matter what book in the series, may be a treasured, and valuable find.  

On the other hand, if the show, starts losing views, and gets cancelled,  all the books may go down in value.  

who knows...

[Sword of the Morning]

The books aren't going down in value, this HBO thing is going to be ridiculous.   Remember the CRAZY shit hasn't even started happening yet like the Red Wedding, Mountain.

Also please remember that the Meisha Clash of Kings is John Howe who arguably has the greatest reputation of all the artists commissioned in the series.  He is a legendary Tolkien illustrator . . . along with Alan Lee the best known in the WORLD.  His art for that book is incredible.

So no, I don't think the SP versions will affect the Meishas at all actually.  It will simply create a subdivision of the "super set" which has everything.

[RecurringAwesome]

Excellent, those both sound like reasonable reasons to me for it to maintain it's price. Thanks for the info.

[althanis]

I'm not 100% sure about the price of the GoT MM holding it's value in the long term. Remember 2 years ago it was selling for around 1100 or thereabouts if I remember correctly. The TV show has hugely inflated it's price, but the TV show may not continue to be as good as it is right now (I actually wasn't impressed with Season 2 at all, but I feel like I'm in the minority here), and for sure won't last forever. When it's finished I'm pretty sure the price is going to drop, but by how much I don't know.

I mean, look at LOST, one of the most popular TV shows ever. I've never checked, but I'm pretty sure that the prices of collector items have fallen quite sharply since the show ended.

[The_Wolfbrother]

You can't compare it to Lost, that would be ridiculous. The books stands on their own merits.

But the show has definitely added to the value, and when the show ends, there could be a drop. On the other side, when GRRM dies - and that could be any year now - that will set the bar, as far as value goes. Or so I think.

On Clash of Kings: as a standalone, it has very little value (300-600USD), but it's required in a complete set, so it's not obsolete or anything. And btw, I totally agree about season two. I enjoyed it, but that was TV done bad.

[althanis]

Yeah I can't compare it to LOST at all, because it's not like they have anything in common at all, both being TV shows that are/were hugely popular in their time with a big following that's going to eventually come to an end. That would be ridiculous of me.

[The_Wolfbrother]

Good of you to catch on.

The show has gained GRRM ALOT of new readers, thus adding to the lasting base of potential collectors. Non readers aren't all that relevant to the books, even if they are collectibles.

[midnightrider]

Yes, I agree with you guys on season 2!  (You are not alone) Although, when I say this, I know I am going to spawn a bunch of posts tell me why season two was so good. haha The show definitely derailed and lost some of its mojo.  

The bottom line, I think is it unarguable that the show has a drastic effect on the value of these books.  There is more demand which drives the prices up!  

I think there is just too many factors to say for sure what will happen.

Edited by midnightrider, 18 July 2012 - 11:11 PM.

[vvkkpp]

i think that there are going to be fans of the show who would be interested in buying these books as a collectors item even if they are non readers. and i agree that it is to hard to say what will happen but if you bought these books as an investment i would suggest selling them before the show ends. i also seriously do not get how clash sells for 500 stand alone though, i saw one on ebay recent for 494 that didnt even sell but to me personally it is the most desirable of all of them. mostly because of john howe i love his art and what he did was amazing, and i always thought it would hold a similar if not greater value because of that similar to the way many copys of the mm game of thrones were acquired by jeffery jones fans and stuff. i thought that more people would be into clash because lets face it the howe illustrations are much more appropriate for the series than the jones stuff. the end stuff about clash is obviously just my opinion but i am surprised that it turned out to be so cheap compared to the others.

[BoldAsYouPlease]

RecurringAwesome, on 17 July 2012 - 03:21 PM, said:

I have a question. What do you think the release of the Sub Press versions of GoT and CoK will do to the Meisha Merlin prices. I think GoT will stay relatively the same price being the first book as well as the art was done by a very popular and now deceased artist. However, CoK will probably plummet in value because it will no longer be part of a set and doesn't hold the same weight as GoT. What do you guys think?

My hope is that if the MM versions are no longer considered part of a complete set, they will then be regarded as even more valuable rarities. Apparently Jeffrey Jones and John Howe are both widely known artists with substantial followings.

That's the hope, anyway - obviously the preference would have been that SubPress and Martin hadn't decided to re-do GoT and CoK at all.

[vvkkpp]

BoldAsYouPlease, on 21 July 2012 - 01:16 PM, said:

My hope is that if the MM versions are no longer considered part of a complete set, they will then be regarded as even more valuable rarities. Apparently Jeffrey Jones and John Howe are both widely known artists with substantial followings.

That's the hope, anyway - obviously the preference would have been that SubPress and Martin hadn't decided to re-do GoT and CoK at all.

i agree, and i think your barkin up the right tree. i think that once they are all printed the "set" will be the sub versions. and there will be many people who only have the sub version. the MM's will be as you said more of an oddity and worth a pretty penny by themselves to collectors. BUT (thats a big but) there are going to be the sets that have all the subs and the MM's too and those will be the most expensive. i believe this because there are collectors who will not want the "set" but NEED the "complete set". nothing will change the fact that these books were printed and there are people that have them in there collections. for me personally if i was buying the set after all is said and done and it came with just the subs i would search high and low for the matched numbers for that set, or if someone had a set of 1-7 of the subs and another has a set of 1-7 of subs plus the 2 MM i would def go for the set with the subs even at a greater cost. i do not think that the MM's will ever just be worthless though they may not retain the same value as they have now (mm got sold for 2100 recently) and i think that chances are they will remain worth a good deal of money. again none of this is fact and i am not an expert on the rare book market, i am basing these ASSUMPTIONS/SPECULATIONS on the way that i think of the books and the value they hold to me. so by all means winds of winter could suck huge dick and the hbo serious could derail hardcore there are lots of ifs and buts, but i think if the books and show stay true to their beginnings they will have lasting value to collectors everywhere.

[lookwhoitis]

I am seeking  Sub Press: A Storm of Swords S/N LE #218

or

ANY number of Subterranean Press Storm of Swords (Including Publisher's Copies)

shoot me a pm if you have one to sell

[RecurringAwesome]

I have recently purchased the Complete #97 of MM and Sub books with follow on rights and was hoping to expand my GRRM collection beyond solely ASOIAF. I have preordered GRRM's "Dying of the Light" and requested number 97 and was wondering if anyone has any of his other books in that number they are willing to part with. Thank you for your time.

[Marakh]

Looking for Storm of Swords #303

[evogeler]

So, trying to get this page back on track, anyone out there looking to reunite any sets? Any stray copies of MMs that people are looking to sell?

That was the original intent of this thread, was it not?

[becca69]

Yes, I'm looking for Storm #320 and the MMs. I have a PC Clash and another number Storm I can trade.

[bgc]

Well I syi have GoT and CoK both number 152, if anybody is interested I buying them.

Thx

[bgc]

Sorry, I meant I still have them if anyone is interested in buying them.

Damn IPhone!!!!!

[The_Wolfbrother]

This might not be the place, but does anyone know of a forum or anything simular where you can discuss/find SubPress books? Like this thread, just not reduced to only one book series. If not, there should so be one hereabouts, so many collectors here.

So not to stray to far away, looking for anything in the numbers 259 and 416.