Rule #1... Lower grades do not mean lower profits!
Paul Bettany reportedly does not have a contract to appear in future MCU films. That should not prevent you from believing the Vision is not going to appear in the MCU in one form or another.
That is what drove speculators to West Coast Avengers #45 and the first appearance of White Vision even after his death in Avengers: Infinity War. This was the "must-have" hyped book when Wandavision dropped. This book is now dropping in value based upon a review of the GoCollect sales data.
The real hot must-have book was right there for all to see. That key was still the first appearance of the Vision. Instead of going for the home run, speculators should have bet on a solid book by setting their sites a little lower.
Lower-grade copies of Avengers #57 are still seeing positive returns. A 4.5 copy sold on January 11, 2021, at a Heritage Auction for $288. One year later, on January 11, 2022, another 4.5 issue sold at Heritage for $432. Those are solid returns that most investors would love to see.
LESSON
Lower-grade key books see an increase in price as the higher-grade books rise in value. Collectors priced out of a 9.8 will settle for a lesser-grade book. Buying lower-grade key first appearances rather than risky second-tier keys is the smart move. These books have a greater potential for a long-term investment, whereas the hot and trendy books will have a very short window to exploit.
Rule #2...Plan ahead farther than the next release
Hawkeye was the most recent MCU series streaming on Disney. Fans loved the interactions between the new Hawkeye and Black Widow. Speculators have now flocked to Young Avengers #1 because that HAS to be the next big Avengers movie. I see these books come to auctions and sell for premiums. The reason for these high sale prices is that investors are following the straight line everyone else is following. Hawkeye is now fresh in everyone's mind. Also fresh are She-Hulk, Ms. Marvel, and other titles that recently appeared in Disney promos. Do not follow the crowd if you want to invest in the MCU on a budget.
Instead of targeting Young Avengers or She-Hulk keys, why not go with two more established teams. X-Men and Fantastic Four have long-established legacies. The Avengers mythos allowed writers to pluck storylines from decades of issues. The X-Men and Fantastic Four histories will allow this trend to continue. There are many issues you can choose from but you want undervalued keys.
The book I think fits undervalued with potential is the direct edition of Fantastic Four #244. This book is the first issue that Frankie Raye becomes Nova. Nova served as a herald for Galactus.
Silver Surfer books are beyond the reach of many, but Nova is a nice secondary character to look to buy. Key Fantastic Four issues should be the target of every investor because once the FF hits the MCU you will be hard-pressed to find any keys on a budget.
LESSON
Study the numbers to get ahead of the curve. You know comic book history. Use that knowledge to find books that might appear in the MCU, but make your selection far enough in advance to purchase books BEFORE they might appear on the radar of others. Once a book is on the radar of others the book will lose some of its investment potential.
Rule #3... Study the numbers to buy other's mistakes
I study the GoCollect numbers. I am looking for books that have potential that I can buy at a low price. Sometimes, that means taking advantage of people who did not pay attention to Rule #1 in this article.
Speculators flocked to Avengers #19 when the Hawkeye series was announced. Casting news increased the flow of traffic to that book because this book contained the first appearance of the Swordsman. Swordsman had ties to Hawkeye and Mantis and speculators felt this book had potential to explode in value. Many assumed he would be the big bad in the series until allusions to a fat man appeared in the series. The Swordsman never played a major impact in the series and speculators started to dump this book.
An 8.0 copy of this book has an FMV of only $300 at the time I am writing this article. Furthermore, the 90-day average was $662 while the 30-day average has dropped to $500. These are not good signs; this book can be purchased for pennies on the dollar from speculators who made the wrong bet. The question you have to ask yourself next is why I would recommend this book, looking at negative investment numbers.
Tony Dalton portrayed Jack Duquesne in Hawkeye. His portrayal has received some rave reviews in the media. This could lead to future appearances in the MCU like a possible Hawkeye sequel or other series. This book also is an early Avengers book that should only appreciate in value because of its age and the fact it is a key issue in the comic book series. That alone gives this book legs and when buying on a budget that is what you are looking for in a purchase
LESSON
Following the rules sometimes means taking advantage of others who did not. Many investment success stories deal with people who saw potential in other people's failures.
Rule #4... Buy what you can afford 
Everyone knows the old saying that you should "buy what you like". I hate this saying because people follow it and spend beyond what they can afford. Look for different targets if you see a book you want but cannot afford. I want to be very specific on this subject. IF YOU CANNOT AFFORD TO BUY A BOOK ON THESE BLOGS THEN FIND OTHERS YOU CAN! There are many targets out there, so find them.
Use the tools on this site to see patterns. Study the sales data, graded book census, and FMV for each book that interests you. The numbers will usually show you the way. There may be exceptions, but if you choose not to follow the numbers you should accept that you may lose big on that book.
LESSON
Set a budget and stay with it even if you think you can hit it big. Vegas has made fortunes on the backs of people who believed the same thing. If you have to pay for a book with a credit card, rethink that purchase if you have to pay interest. Buying on a budget means setting that budget and staying within it!
Conclusion
Comic book sites have a tendency to make recommendations based upon a limitless budget. Many people reading this article have expenses that limit what they can spend on books. I have gone to many auctions where I see books that I know have great investment potential, yet I am forced to sit on my paddle because I have my budget. The key is to follow the rules to take advantage of what you have to spend.
Research is the key to overcoming a limited budget. I want to make sure our readers know that I am not an employee of GoCollect. I write what I believe and an editor reviews my work. My reputation matters because it took a lifetime to build. I want you then to understand what I am saying next is my own opinion.
GoCollect provides me tools that allow me to overcome my limited budget to make great book purchases. GoCollect may spoon-feed you some of the data, but the real gold is obtained through hard work and an investment of time. If you cannot match them with funds then overwhelm your competitors with your knowledge. Use the tools on this site to give you the advantage you need when buying books on a budget.
My game is better because of the nuggets of gold I find in the data here on this site.
