The most recent Heritage Comics Auction just finished and high grade Bronze keys still bring big money, but significantly off the highs of two years ago.

Twin Cities Pedigree copies of Batman 227 CGC 9.8 and Batman 232 CGC 9.8 fetched $6,273.75 and $2,031.50 respectively. While these are respectable numbers, just two year ago in 2009 a Batman 227 CGC 9.8 sold for $13,000 and Batman 232 CGC 9.8 sold for around $4,000.

The Twin Cities copy of Green Lantern #76 CGC 9.6 brought $9,560. Compare this to 2009 sales that ranged from $25,000 on the high end to $14,340 as a low.

Amazing Spider-man #129 CGC 9.8 sod for $3,883.75 and X-men #94 CGC 9.6 sold for $2,509.50. Both are off highs of a couple of years ago.

When you look at the overall decrease in actual sales prices for these books over the last two years it is quite a blow.

What can we make of this? Is the uncertain economic future taking a toll on the high end comic book market? Today’s drop of about 420 on the Dow didn’t help. If you look at the trend lines they have been moving down over the last couple of years with a few random issues breaking the trend.

Could this be a bottom and a good time to buy? Only time will tell. My thought is to be very careful out there if you are hoping to retain value in high end comics. If you are looking to buy lower grade non-CGC keys, this may be the time to strike while the upper end books are falling in value.