I began collecting Beano & Dandy comics and annuals in 1990 and, like most collectors, spent years trawling local bookshops, comic book marts, antique & collectors fairs and car boot sales. Not forgetting local free ads papers, I vividly recall the “box of old Beano comics” advert in the Bargain Pages which led to a terraced house in inner city Birmingham and a near full run from 1967 through 1977. A spineless 1958 Beano Book was like the jewel in the crown, being the first pre-1970 book I had seen and bought. A day trip to Hay-on-Wye, the town of books on the Welsh border, became an enjoyable event each school summer holiday. The first in 1993 was a great success, picking up nine 1960s books for £63. A bargain by today’s market, as a mere paperboy that meant five weeks in the red, but it was worth it!

Being on the books of comic book dealers up and down the country proved invaluable, keeping the postman busy to this day. To the relief of all concerned, no wire-haired Abyssinian tripe hound of the ‘Gnasher’ variety resided at our address! Specialist live and postal comic book auctions have been a real eye opener and proved tense but exciting avenues for collecting. Live auctions provided a convenient platform for meeting fellow collectors and, despite much rivalry, some good friendships have developed.

The 21st century saw the rise of the internet and eBay, adding an interesting new dimension to the world of collecting. Two auctions remain in my mind as key items sold through eBay. The first contained The Beano comic #1-4, from 1938, being sold by a chap in Mexico of all places! The second, from Leeds, contained a Very Fine consecutive run of Beano comics from 1949 to 1957, all from the same, original source. Just two of many scarce items we have seen being auctioned online.

Physically handling an item in person, at auction or at a fair, is second to none - even the smell can influence a purchase - but you have to be in the right place at the right time. Online auctions allow you to buy from the comfort of your own home as well as securing items you might otherwise miss.

Capitalising on ten years collecting experience, phil-comics was set up and began trading in 2001. Eight years on, with over 1,000 satisfied customers worldwide, many of whom return regularly, phil-comics auctions are leading online British comic book auctioneers.

Selling on behalf of vendors on a commission basis, we achieve consistently high prices. Notable results of late include a bound volume of 1957 Topper comics, which soared to £565, several pieces of original Dudley Watkins Oor Wullie artwork, selling for over £400 each, a complete year of 1964 Beano comics at £300 and a 1939 Fireworks Beano number whizzing to £232.

In 2006, we proudly founded The Beano & Dandy Collectors' Club. We ran the club for three years and in that time produced eight full colour newsletters packed with interesting articles about Britain's two most successful comics. Although the club has now closed, we have provided PDF links to the eight newsletters on the Collectors' Club page of this website.

As ever in this business, we never know what comics will be offered to us from one week to the next, which certainly adds to our interest as collectors, but also when buying and selling. Long may it continue!

Best wishes,

Phil Shrimpton