We have a new member of the $100,000 Club
$112,500 with another 40 minutes to go:
I’ll update after the auction closes.
[update]
$117,500
Killer result.
It's All Just Comics
Speaking of Hulk #1s… The White Mountain Copy? On eBay?
THE INCREDIBLE HULK # 1 1962 CGC VF WHITE PAGES
I think I know what will win the top eBay item next week. It might even break into the all time eBay list…
While I’ve got you here, anyone know where the White Mountain Daredevil #1 is?
We’re 5k away from a new $100,000 book
The Comiclink listed INCREDIBLE HULK #1 CGC NM 9.2 Northland, is at $95,000 (as of this writing) and I wouldn’t bet against it moving well past the magical 100k mark in short order.
The great crash is here!
Oh, wait a minute. Just the opposite is happening…
High Comics Related Item for the Week Ending May 10,2008
Superman 1 CGC 5.5 (R) 1939 Action Comics - eBay (item 350054083840 end time May-07-08 19:31:07 PDT)
Winning bid: US $18,739.00 Seller: filter81( 219)
For sale in this auction is a Superman 1 in apparent CGC 5.5 Fn- condition. The CGC label reads “Color touch, pieces added, tear seals, cleaned, reinforced” and the book has cream to off-white pages. This comic has a little bit of foxing along the top right edge, but structurally is very solid for a mid grade copy!
Superman 1 was published close to 70 years ago and is the 4th most valuable comic book of all-time according to the Overstreet price guide, with a NM- guide value of $400,000! (It is important to note that a true unrestored NM- would sell for many multiples of that price though) This comic not only contains the origin of Superman, but is also the first time an entire comic book was dedicated to just one super-hero. It’s success literally changed the face of comics from that point on.
Superman 1 has always been one of the biggest “grails” in the comic book hobby. Over the last 6 years or so in particular, Superman 1 has easily been one of the best comic book investments available, with the guide price just about doubling in several grades over that time period. According to the latest Overstreet guide, even G guide value for this comic is now $21,000. (Though guide value is pretty much thrown out the window when talking about a Superman 1 in any grade anyway and even an unrestored 2.0 would likely sell for anywhere from 1.5x to 2x that price these days.) In fact, it is getting increasingly difficult to find any solid complete Superman 1 for much under $30,000 these days.
A restored 5.5 with a bit less restoration than this one sold over a year ago for $27,000. Even lower grade restored copies have been going up in price lately with an Extensively restored CGC 3.0 selling last year for $17,000 and an extensively restored 3.5 selling on eBay for over $18,000! (Neither of which were anywhere near as nice as this copy!)
Best of all, this piece of comic book history is being auctioned off with No starting bid and no reserve!! Someone will win this book!!
“The pictures that horrified America” EC on CNN.com
There’s a slideshow of EC covers on CNN:
Two Top Copies of Fantastic Four #1 Change Hands
Doug traded his FF#1. The value he assigned it was exactly what I’ve had his book pegged at when working on the lists recently and my number for a 9.4 has been in the $225,000 range. As such I’m using the trade values straight up in the $100,000 Club List.
From Scoop:
“The two collectors valued the 9.4 Fantastic Four #1 at $250,000 and the 9.6 at approximately $425,000″
High Comics Related Item for the Week Ending April 27,2008
Best Offer: US $30,000.00 Seller: blowoutsales( 2334)
Description:
Original Art
Complete Basil Wolverton Story
Featuring Supersonic Sammy in
“Mermaid of the Milky Way”Not sure of the publication date of this story — I think it was a backup story to Powerhouse Pepper Comics which appeared in the 40s. Basil Wolvertons distinctive and unique style was a significant influence for many other artists. He shows a great comedic flair and extraordinary talent, evident in this art that has no white out or visible sketch lines anywhere in the entire story.
Please feel free to email me with the comic in which this story appeared.
Wolverton art is relatively rare because despite his considerable talent, he was not terribly prolific, having done some golden age humor, 50s horror and back to humor in the 70s. I have owned this story for about a decade.
Currently there is an auction on ebay with a Powerhouse Pepper story, valuing the individual pages at $ 10,000 each. You can own this story for $ 6,500 a page
Note: Someone questioned me because the art shows a publication date of 1964, so I emailed Monte Wolverton, son of Basil, and an artist in his own right, who maintains a site that also discusses his father at www.wolvertoon.com check it out, and he wrote me back:
On Apr 22, 2008, at 8:35 AM, Brad Mandell wrote:
Dear Monte, sorry to bother you – I am a collector who owns a Basil Wolverton story featuring Supersonic Sammy in “Mermaid of the Milky Way”, it appears from marking on the art that it was published in 1964, but was that the date of its first publication? Was your dad doing Supersonic Sammy stories at that time? I know this story has been reprinted in a collection, but I can’t determine when it was first published. I appreciate any help you can provide me on this.
Thanks very much.
- Brad
Monte Wolverton replied:
Hi. Brad –
No — he wasnt producing Supersonic Sammys in the sixties — he created that feature in the early 50s — but it didnt really go anywhere. In this case, he probably without any reference material in front of me sold the art to Timely — a spinoff of which was Humorama, which did black and white girlie magazines in the late 50s and early 60s. They used a lot of his material in those publications — and it was most likely published in one of those in 1964…
– best, Monte
High Comics Related Item for the Week Ending April 19, 2008
Amazing Fantasy, Spiderman 15, 1st 1962 Unrestored 5.5
Buy It Now price: US $8,995.00 Best Offer US $7,200.00
Seller: collectible_antiquities( 285)
Description:
BOOK DESCRIPTION: You are bidding on the hottest Silver Age comic in the world - Amazing Fantasy #15, the first appearance of Spiderman, 1962. This book has the famous Kirby cover with Ditko art and is original and “UNRESTORED” being graded by CGC at 5.5 with cream to off-white pages in a blue label case.
The color is magnificent and overall appeal is outstanding with only 1 small chip at the bottom edge keeping this book from being ranked a 6 to 6.5.
These unrestored grades are becoming increasingly difficult to find, usually having been restored or are in poor condition if original. A CGC 7.0 sold for $22,000 on 3/16/08 - item # 170199757596.
Bid with confidence knowing my feedback speaks for itself. Good luck and happy bidding.
*An interesting note - I have been tracking this comic as well as Mantle 1952 rookie cards for some time. It seems that both move at a different pace than other like rare book/cards do within the market, this is due to both reflecting an investment premium. Since they are both considered “blue chip” investments, they will move at an accelerated rate, thus the return will always be superior. Remember, you will never lose with blue chip investments and this comic will always hedge a poor economy and beat the return of any indivdual security.
High eBay Item of the Week Ending April 12, 2008
Winning bid: US $8,300.00 Seller: graycatcomics( 317)
Description:
UP FOR AUCTION “AMAZING FANTASY 15″ A REALLY NICE COPY AND ONE OF THE BOOKS THAT IS GETTING HARDER TO FIND WITH EACH PASSING YEAR. THIS BOOK HAS BEEN CGC GRADED AS A FINE (6.0) WITH CREAM TO OFF WHITE PAGES AND EXCEPTIONAL EYE APPEAL. I HAVE INCLUDED A SCAN OF THE FRONT COVER ON THIS ISSUE, SO PLEASE HAVE A LOOK. IF YOU REQUIRE LARGER SCANS OR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS BOOK? PLEASE FEEL FREE TO EMAIL ME. YOUR BUSINESS IS APPRECIATED AND WE WILL WORK HARD TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A GOOD EXPIERENCE