"PIPEs are one of the only hedge strategies that are working, " says Brian Overstreet, head of Placement Tracker.

FORBES: Piped Aboard

Several of Cage's items sold for 40% to 100% over the Overstreet valuations.

FORBES: Comics Relief

The value, according to Bob Overstreet , publisher of the Overstreet Comic Price Guide, could be as high as half a million dollars.

FORBES: The Amazingly Profitable Spider-Man

Since the best books rarely trade, the industry depends heavily on data from price guides like the highly informative Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide.

FORBES: Comics Relief

The practical impact of this new tax on prosperity is that more than 2, 500 entrepreneurs like Brian Overstreet will be slammed with large tax bills for all of the wrong reasons.

FORBES: For Entrepreneurs, California's Tax Code Becomes The Roach Motel

Vaughn, the associate publisher of The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide, an annual publication considered the authority on comic book pricing, said the Action Comic No. 1 book sold Monday is worth every penny.

CNN: Rare comic of Superman debut fetches $1.5 million

At the conclusion of Friday's hearing that lasted several hours, Overstreet said the auction and the arguments presented by all sides were intricate, but it was not her job to second-guess the decision made by Tully's executives to accept Dempsey's bid.

MSN: Judge: Tully's Coffee to go to Dempsey's group