PSA: I lost $80 on a 'mint condition' comic that was a reprint
I bought a copy of Amazing Spider-Man #300 from a seller online last month for $80. The pictures looked great, and the listing said it was a first print. When it arrived, I checked the fine print on the inside cover and saw it was a 1999 reprint, worth maybe $5. I was so focused on the cover I didn't ask for the right photos. The seller refused a refund. Has anyone else been burned by a reprint being sold as the real deal? What's the best way to spot them before buying?
Always check the indicia, that little box of text on the first page. It lists the print date and year. Sellers hiding that in photos is a major red flag. For ASM 300, the original says 1988, reprints will have a later year.
Ugh, that's brutal.
Yeah, that's a classic scam move. Sorry that happened. You gotta get a photo of the indicia, that little text box on the inside first page. No photo of that, no sale. A lot of sellers will only show the cover because they're hoping you don't know to check. It's the only way to be sure of the print year.