The very talented Jon Sommariva.
We have a retail store called ‘Penney’s Paper Shop in Gungahlin, ACT, Australia.
Yes. We’re collectors too! We love stuff so we know exactly what you want in terms of service and shipping. Give us a try, we think you’ll be pleased.
Yes. If you’re looking for something specific, get in contact with one of the PHOA! team or send us your want list.
In addition to this website, we have an eBay store, a retail store, and we attend shows/conventions across Australia so it’s possible the item has already sold via one of those other channels.
Maybe. However, keep your expectations low. Many people think they’ve found the holy grail in their grandad’s garage and become disappointed when we point out that it’s a reprint, counterfeit, or perhaps it’s the genuine article but in such bad condition it’s value is significantly less than you’d expect. We will, however, always be fair to both parties.
Yes. Comics, being printed on cheap paper which doesn’t age well if improperly stored, are at the mercy of a strict grading system where every flaw detracts from the value. Keep in mind that we are unlikely to buy something from you at current market value as that’s what we’d sell it for. When we buy comic book collections, you can generally expect a percentage split of the comics to be 5/15/80. Where:
- Five percent are sought after and will sell very quickly.
- Fifteen percent are decent and will generate interest from our customers.
- Eighty percent are the stuff we will have trouble moving unless we discount it and hope it will sell sometime in the next five years…maybe.
Yes. We’ll have a look if the items are appropriate and if so, discuss the terms with you.
Yes. We love to talk about collectibles and always enjoy meeting our customers.
Yes. If it saves you a drive or the cost of postage, we’re happy to help.
Yes. But please keep in mind that you might reach the store during a busy period and we might have to call you back or ask you to send us an email, or message us through our Facebook page.
Not yet. While we do currently submit our own comics, we’re not ready to submit yours just yet. Stay tuned though.
Yes. There’s an entire industry devoted to preserving our collectibles and we sell a wide range of protective products. You can get everything from simple plastic bags for your comics or soft protectors for your Pops, right up to archival mylars for those expensive comics or hard cases for those Vaulted Pops. Get in touch if you’d like more details.
Pops are manufactured by Funko with a certain production quantity in mind. Once a Pop is no longer being produced by Funko, it is considered ‘Vaulted’ with no further production to be undertaken.
Yes. These are the hard plastic cases comics are encapsulated in by third party grading companies.
Yes. The hard cases used in third party grading can become damaged and/or scratched. We will do our utmost to be transparent of any “faults” and describe any imperfections on slabs, including photos wherever we can in the relevant listings.
Yes. Sometimes a strange effect can occur when a slightly curved part of the inner mylar sleeve presses up against the hard plastic outer slab giving an odd, oily appearance. This is called ‘The Newton Effect’ or ‘Newton Rings’. It is harmless and does not affect the comic in any way.
No. Collecting is about fun and with a secondary market constantly undergoing change, we would not be inclined to try and predict future trends.
Maybe. Even if you bribe us with coffee and cake, we’re not inclined to come over to your house and individually value all of the 30,000 comic books you inherited from Uncle Clyde. We’re happy to give you a ballpark value on a handful of items, but beyond that we’ll point you to all the various tools online that we use to stay on top of market values.
Possibly. There’s probably going to be a cost involved, but we like you and want to help so get in touch with one of the PHOA! crew.
No. Price stickers will always be on the outside on a comic bag or mylar protective sleeve. In rare cases where we don’t think an old price sticker is safe to remove from a comic, it will be clearly stated in the description.