As a kid, MAD was the very first thing I started collecting. I think it's probably because they didn't sell any other comics at our corner grocery store, just magazines. The first one I bought off the rack was #182 and I was SOOOOO proud of it. I wouldn't let anyone touch it. I continued buying new issues for years and learned about back issues from my dad. As a gift, he bought me a VG copy of #34; it was the crown jewel of my collection.
On a family road-trip vacation, (ca 1978) we wandered into an antique store. He noticed a small pile of comics. In it was MAD #6. They wanted $40 for it. There was no way I could come up with that kind of $$ so I asked my dad if I could borrow the money. Instead, he bought it for himself. He didn't mean to be cruel, I'm sure, but it made me absolutely crazy. For years, I asked if I could have it. Once I got a job, I asked if I could buy it. Eventually, he gave in and let me buy it for the original $40 he paid, sometime around 1981, I think. In 1982, there was a massive flood and nearly everything I owned washed away, including, by that time, an awesome collection of 60's marvels and dc's.
About a year ago, I decided I wanted to get those old mads again. I've decided to start with 1-23 but the first thing I wanted to do was find a nice copy of the #6 that meant everything to me as a kid. It's been tricky to find a copy at a price I can manage, so I've started with this:
I'd love to find a higher grade copy but this is actually pretty close to my original one. I'll never let it go.