Sweet Lou 14

There's a registry set called "Marvel Silver Age 1st Issues (1956-1969)" that actually doesn't have any of the early Silver Age Marvel #1s (ASM #1, DD #1, FF #1, Hulk #1, X-Men #1, etc.). At a quick glance, it seems to me that there's a typo in the set name and that it should really be 1966-1969. Here's the list of what's in the set:

I hope you don't mind me asking, but how are you doing Jimbo?

VARYING GRADES?!?!?!?!

Your idea to collect these classic pages is so brilliant, I'm kinda jealous.

FWIW, I don't mind a small amount of the back cover (usually white) showing along the spine if it's even. It's when the cover is crooked (triangular-shaped area of the back cover visible and/or horizontal design elements clearly tilted) that bothers me.

It only takes two bidders ... I thought this had a realistic shot at being the first $10M book.

That's why I had to have it.

I don't usually cross-post, but today I felt I just had to. Major addition to the collection, maybe the best book I'll find all year.

I don't usually cross-post, but today I felt I just had to. Major addition to the collection, maybe the best book I'll find all year.

Let me go a step further @KirbyJack ... This has been a really rough year so far for CGC and for comic book collecting in general. The mood on these boards has been pretty dark and ugly, and I'm not even saying that isn't justified based on some of the scandalous stuff going on. It's been a bit harder to find the joy in the hobby, and I have been visiting less often because it seems the only updates I get are in these doom and gloom threads. (On a slightly related note, my WTB threads get no action at all and I can't remember the last time I saw a book for sale on the boards that I need.) However, there are a handful of threads -- this being one -- where I can always go to find people who remind me what it's all about. And it's no coincidence that some of the same characters tend to frequent those various threads. As long as there's still life in those threads, it's worth coming back here. Thanks for being one of the people who makes it all fun.

+1,000,000

That's a very tall order. I decided to draw the line at 8.0 for FF #1 and Hulk #1.

Here's mine ...

Amazing that there are black picture frame covers in this kind of condition still raw. It must be a special kind of thrill to hunt them down. May I ask, where do you find them -- and why do you think the seller(s) are willing to sell them raw instead of submitting them? Or to put it another way ... if the book in question is, say, 9.6, what percentage of FMV for a graded copy do you think is a fair price to pay for a raw copy (factoring in that you have no guarantee it would grade out the way you hope)? FWIW, I have not bought raw BA / SA / CA books in forever, but I've tried buying raw pre-hero books and haven't had great luck getting the grades I was expecting back from CGC.

Hahaha no.

Awesome accomplishment! Hope you don't mind the dumb question ... but Stan's been gone a while so how did you witness any of these after that point?

Wow, thanks. Maybe that's why they're hiding it?

Finally ... a complete 7.0 run!

Did anyone get the final price on the 9.0 copy of ASM #1 in tonight's ComicConnect auction? Inexplicably, the site won't show it when I visit the URL for the listing. https://www.comicconnect.com/item/1026180

You are correct. Here's a sampling of 8.0 sales that I jotted down in my notes, sorted by date. 8.0 OW/W sold for $560,000 8/30/21 https://www.comicconnect.com/item/925735 8.0 OW/W sold for $520,000 3/15/22 https://www.comicconnect.com/item/946481 8.0 OW/W sold for $448,500 6/7/22 https://www.comicconnect.com/item/948562 8.0 WP very nice copy sold for $290,000 3/1/23 https://www.comiclink.com/auctions/item.asp?id=1650867 8.0 OW sold for $312,000 6/22/23 Heritage 8.0 OW/W sold for $258,100 9/19/23 https://www.comiclink.com/auctions/item.asp?id=1715743 8.0 OW/W slight chipping sold for $271,000 2/27/24 https://www.comiclink.com/auctions/item.asp?id=1748194

Wow, so sad to hear this news. My heart goes out to all those he left behind. RIP Ed.

Standard commission is 10%. Most auction houses will negotiate something less for a huge book like this. But I don't see how they would accept less than 5%.

The only answer I can give you is that (as far as I can tell) the scam mostly involves books that are very plentiful in grade. The most expensive books on the list also happen to be very rare in grade -- it's not so easy to find an extra high-grade copy of a Silver Age key lying around to do his little tricks with. Nor is it as easy to get away with it, since even high-grade copies of older books tend to have clear distinguishing marks.