Trading up...the hard way

In the field of collecting comics, trading up is a term that means to exchange a comic of lesser quality for the same issue but in much better (and more valuable) condition.  Let's face it:  sometimes you want a particular issue but you either can't afford the mint one or find the mint version.  So you settle until the right one comes along.  For me, I trade up by finding free books lying on the stoops of my neighbors and selling them to the Strand.

For some reason, my neighbors love to read.  And after they finish with them, they place stacks of them on for passerbyers to take.  For free!  After a few months, I was able to buy the following comics from my favorite location:

I really got into researching Marvel comics from the 1960s and decided that Spider-Man is the dude to collect.  It's taken some time to save up money from picking up free books, but the upside is that it's all profit.  So the money goes into my comic fund and my daughter's college fund remains untouched.  Yeah, my wife and daughter think it is strange whenever I come back home with an armload of books, but they know it's all for a good cause. 

Amazing Spider-Man #47 has a few of my favorite discovered panels so far:  Peter and Mary Jane are on their first date and they go to a going away party for Flash Thompson that has been set up by Gwen Stacy.  Dig them dancing!  Well, right up 'till Kraven the Hunter crashes the party...

Those crazy 60s.  No wonder all those college students digged Spidey!