Amazing Fantasy #15 Club

[Peter Loves Gwen]

That's a great way to look at it. Enjoy what you have without stressing too much over other things.

[peewee22]

I'll take those 2 6.0s over a 7.0 any day of the week; very impressive

 

It's like owning two 6.0's instead of one 7.0's. I know the stock market is down...and dragging everything down. (thumbs u

 

You have TWO and I have ONE...now I'm jealous !!

 

Congrats you rascal !

[peewee22]

I'm also wondering (off-topic I know)...how many club members consider AF #15 to be their true #1 grail? Obviously a number of us own copies but I'd be interested to see how many people day-dream about the book in comparison to those who view it as simply a solid addition to their collection?

 

Not off-topic at all--especially if you go back to when we first kicked this thread off! It's great to look at the number behind a book, but it's equally (if not more) important to remember what makes comics like this so great (thumbs u

 

AF 15 is still THE grail book of my collection. Frankly, I have no desire to upgrade it either. A cleaner cover, less wrinkles, whiter paper... none of that would change the fact my nice lower GD range copy is still the same issue of the first appearance of my favorite superhero. The iconic image of Spidey swinging through the cityscape of NYC remains just the same as the one on the 9.6 White Mountain copy. Additionally, no higher grade copy will ever be able to replicate the sheer feeling of shock and awe that I felt when I first held my copy and read through a REAL first print of AF 15 as I did when I received mine from James_Welborn (a fellow boardie). I've been very fortunate as a collector to attain my penultimate grail book and while there are other books that would be "monsters to tame," looking strictly at the content and personal connection, no other books hits like this one does for me.

 

 

Very touching...from the heart! I love the Boards... (thumbs u

[peewee22]

So looks like the Rocky Mountain CGC 7.0 is up for sale again in next month's ComicLink auction.

 

http://www.comiclink.com/auctions/item.asp?id=848093

 

Are there any actual collectors of high grade AF15 out there, or is it all flippers? The majority of sales I see are to people who are looking to re-sell...that can't help but remind me of the housing market in America from 2005-2007. The evidence keeps mounting for me that the exponential growth in price on AF15 and FF1 in 2007/2008 has little or no lasting power and that prices are likely to remain flat for quite a while to come, effectively evening out prices in a few years to the point they would have been given normal 5% - 10% linear growth prior to the explosion. Some people call that a "bursting bubble," but I hate that metaphor being applied to markets you know will continue on past the "burst." When a soap bubble bursts, there's nothing left at all, but comics and most real estate still retain value, unlike the Internet company bubble bursting of 1999-2001 when companies worth millions would just fold up in weeks and become completely worthless. What I see is just deflation, not a burst.

 

I don't flip. I upgrade. So that makes me an upgrade-per

[peewee22]

That's a great way to look at it. Enjoy what you have without stressing too much over other things.

 

Exactly.

 

How many of us pull out our Grail (when no one is home), lay it on a soft silk clean pillow in our lap, recline back, turn on the Lakers, and enjoy it ! (I need an auto conveyer to rotate it periodically to see the back)

 

[showcase22gr1959]

That's a great way to look at it. Enjoy what you have without stressing too much over other things.

 

Exactly.

 

How many of us pull out our Grail (when no one is home), lay it on a soft silk clean pillow in our lap, recline back, turn on the Lakers, and enjoy it ! (I need an auto conveyer to rotate it periodically to see the back)

 

 

+1...I done something like that. It's like me an my grail alone and it's like love...before they go to the vault and not be seen for a while. I think I need to take a vacation after spending so much time with vintage comics

[Peter Loves Gwen]

My collection has been in BCE closed top Mylars since the early 90's, except to flip the boards once. They weren't worth as much then, and now I have to dig them all out and send them away. I see the whole collection as a rare thing, the time spent on them is valuable.

 

[XXXPHOENIX]

Hello to all...from ITALY!

 

I spent few hours to read ALL posts of this thread and I found so much useful information and tips about AF15.

 

Unluckily I have not (yet) a story to tell about an AF15 since I still don't own it (yet) :ò)

 

But my AS1 has one incredible story instead (cutting&pasting from my recently posted journal):

"I can't believe it...my AS 1 was CGC GRADED as a 9.0 with WHITE PAGES!!!

How many books in such a nice shape still exist?

This copy has an almost unbelievable story… My father travelled to NY in 1963(!) for a business trip.

He saw some superheroes comics at the newstands and bought a bunch of them. The cover of Spider-Man 1 looked so intriguing to him that he carefully placed the comic in the middle of his papers and brought it back home to Italy.

Once there he put the book inside a closet under a heavy pile of books...where it remained for 45 years!

When I found it a couple of years ago, I could not believe my eye… such a precious jem remained in a dark and dry enevironment for so long! It looked to me a 9.2 with almost zero defects (no visible spine stress, no chipping, no wear!). Cgc graded it 9.0 with white pages on 24/05/2010(WOW)!I am incredibly happy with this find as sometimes dreams come true!

FEDERICO - ITALY "

 

I also have a special question for all of you....my early Spidey collection is made mostly by 9.0-9.2 (not all are graded though): you can check my registry and have an idea ...but after the AF15 price boost of the last few years I left myself wondering what graded AF15 (CGC 6.5 7.0 7.5 8.0...?) would fit it best...

 

Another question...On ebay there are two graded restored AF15 in 9.0

http://cgi.ebay.com/Amazing-Fantasy-15-CGC-9-0-Origin-1st-Spider-man-R-cm-/350199088180?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item51897e0434

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=350351048710&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

 

They look incredibly price attractive, but after reading this huge thread I realized that most collectors prefer a cgc 5.0 than a restored 9.0....so I withdrew myself from the intention ofof purchasing one of these.

What do you think about it?

 

I also wonder why the PGX copy is 1/2 the price of the CGC...

 

THANKS FOR THE ATTENTION

 

FEDERICO

 

[Spider-Variant]

Hello to all...from ITALY!

 

I spent few hours to read ALL posts of this thread and I found so much useful information and tips about AF15.

 

Unluckily I have not (yet) a story to tell about an AF15 since I still don't own it (yet) :ò)

 

But my AS1 has one incredible story instead (cutting&pasting from my recently posted journal):

"I can't believe it...my AS 1 was CGC GRADED as a 9.0 with WHITE PAGES!!!

How many books in such a nice shape still exist?

This copy has an almost unbelievable story… My father travelled to NY in 1963(!) for a business trip.

He saw some superheroes comics at the newstands and bought a bunch of them. The cover of Spider-Man 1 looked so intriguing to him that he carefully placed the comic in the middle of his papers and brought it back home to Italy.

Once there he put the book inside a closet under a heavy pile of books...where it remained for 45 years!

When I found it a couple of years ago, I could not believe my eye… such a precious jem remained in a dark and dry enevironment for so long! It looked to me a 9.2 with almost zero defects (no visible spine stress, no chipping, no wear!). Cgc graded it 9.0 with white pages on 24/05/2010(WOW)!I am incredibly happy with this find as sometimes dreams come true!

FEDERICO - ITALY "

 

I also have a special question for all of you....my early Spidey collection is made mostly by 9.0-9.2 (not all are graded though): you can check my registry and have an idea ...but after the AF15 price boost of the last few years I left myself wondering what graded AF15 (CGC 6.5 7.0 7.5 8.0...?) would fit it best...

 

Another question...On ebay there are two graded restored AF15 in 9.0

http://cgi.ebay.com/Amazing-Fantasy-15-CGC-9-0-Origin-1st-Spider-man-R-cm-/350199088180?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item51897e0434

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=350351048710&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

 

They look incredibly price attractive, but after reading this huge thread I realized that most collectors prefer a cgc 5.0 than a restored 9.0....so I withdrew myself from the intention ofof purchasing one of these.

What do you think about it?

 

I also wonder why the PGX copy is 1/2 the price of the CGC...

 

THANKS FOR THE ATTENTION

 

FEDERICO

 

 

First, welcome to the boards.

 

Wow, that is an incredible story. Your father was a very smart man for sure.

 

I'm sure the other guys that are more attuned to buying high grade AF #15s can give you some advice on that front.

 

 

[fantastic_four]

my early Spidey collection is made mostly by 9.0-9.2 (not all are graded though): you can check my registry and have an idea ...but after the AF15 price boost of the last few years I left myself wondering what graded AF15 (CGC 6.5 7.0 7.5 8.0...?) would fit it best...

 

Clearly another 9.0 or 9.2 copy would fit that collection best, but if you can't afford it, then the highest you can get. Grats on the found Spidey #1, that's one of the luckier stories in the history of collecting! Great copy too, from the scan in the registry that Spidey 1 looks better than 9.0. (thumbs u

[peewee22]

Hello to all...from ITALY!

 

I spent few hours to read ALL posts of this thread and I found so much useful information and tips about AF15.

 

Unluckily I have not (yet) a story to tell about an AF15 since I still don't own it (yet) :ò)

 

But my AS1 has one incredible story instead (cutting&pasting from my recently posted journal):

"I can't believe it...my AS 1 was CGC GRADED as a 9.0 with WHITE PAGES!!!

How many books in such a nice shape still exist?

This copy has an almost unbelievable story… My father travelled to NY in 1963(!) for a business trip.

He saw some superheroes comics at the newstands and bought a bunch of them. The cover of Spider-Man 1 looked so intriguing to him that he carefully placed the comic in the middle of his papers and brought it back home to Italy.

Once there he put the book inside a closet under a heavy pile of books...where it remained for 45 years!

When I found it a couple of years ago, I could not believe my eye… such a precious jem remained in a dark and dry enevironment for so long! It looked to me a 9.2 with almost zero defects (no visible spine stress, no chipping, no wear!). Cgc graded it 9.0 with white pages on 24/05/2010(WOW)!I am incredibly happy with this find as sometimes dreams come true!

FEDERICO - ITALY "

 

I also have a special question for all of you....my early Spidey collection is made mostly by 9.0-9.2 (not all are graded though): you can check my registry and have an idea ...but after the AF15 price boost of the last few years I left myself wondering what graded AF15 (CGC 6.5 7.0 7.5 8.0...?) would fit it best...

 

Another question...On ebay there are two graded restored AF15 in 9.0

http://cgi.ebay.com/Amazing-Fantasy-15-CGC-9-0-Origin-1st-Spider-man-R-cm-/350199088180?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item51897e0434

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=350351048710&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

 

They look incredibly price attractive, but after reading this huge thread I realized that most collectors prefer a cgc 5.0 than a restored 9.0....so I withdrew myself from the intention ofof purchasing one of these.

What do you think about it?

 

I also wonder why the PGX copy is 1/2 the price of the CGC...

 

THANKS FOR THE ATTENTION

 

FEDERICO

 

 

Great story and welcome to the WPer (White Pager) Club !!

[peewee22]

my early Spidey collection is made mostly by 9.0-9.2 (not all are graded though): you can check my registry and have an idea ...but after the AF15 price boost of the last few years I left myself wondering what graded AF15 (CGC 6.5 7.0 7.5 8.0...?) would fit it best...

 

Clearly another 9.0 or 9.2 copy would fit that collection best, but if you can't afford it, then the highest you can get. Grats on the found Spidey #1, that's one of the luckier stories in the history of collecting! Great copy too, from the scan in the registry that Spidey 1 looks better than 9.0. (thumbs u

 

Is there a linky to F's 9.0 SM1 ? Where are the registry scans?

[fantastic_four]

Is there a linky to F's 9.0 SM1 ? Where are the registry scans?

 

He has a link to his registry sets at the bottom of his first post--here's the scan of the Spidey 1.

 

 

[etanick]

great story and a great find and thanks for sharing! nice to know that there are hidden gems out there yet to be discovered

[showcase22gr1959]

Hello to all...from ITALY!

 

I spent few hours to read ALL posts of this thread and I found so much useful information and tips about AF15.

 

Unluckily I have not (yet) a story to tell about an AF15 since I still don't own it (yet) :ò)

 

But my AS1 has one incredible story instead (cutting&pasting from my recently posted journal):

"I can't believe it...my AS 1 was CGC GRADED as a 9.0 with WHITE PAGES!!!

How many books in such a nice shape still exist?

This copy has an almost unbelievable story… My father travelled to NY in 1963(!) for a business trip.

He saw some superheroes comics at the newstands and bought a bunch of them. The cover of Spider-Man 1 looked so intriguing to him that he carefully placed the comic in the middle of his papers and brought it back home to Italy.

Once there he put the book inside a closet under a heavy pile of books...where it remained for 45 years!

When I found it a couple of years ago, I could not believe my eye… such a precious jem remained in a dark and dry enevironment for so long! It looked to me a 9.2 with almost zero defects (no visible spine stress, no chipping, no wear!). Cgc graded it 9.0 with white pages on 24/05/2010(WOW)!I am incredibly happy with this find as sometimes dreams come true!

FEDERICO - ITALY "

 

I also have a special question for all of you....my early Spidey collection is made mostly by 9.0-9.2 (not all are graded though): you can check my registry and have an idea ...but after the AF15 price boost of the last few years I left myself wondering what graded AF15 (CGC 6.5 7.0 7.5 8.0...?) would fit it best...

 

Another question...On ebay there are two graded restored AF15 in 9.0

http://cgi.ebay.com/Amazing-Fantasy-15-CGC-9-0-Origin-1st-Spider-man-R-cm-/350199088180?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item51897e0434

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=350351048710&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

 

They look incredibly price attractive, but after reading this huge thread I realized that most collectors prefer a cgc 5.0 than a restored 9.0....so I withdrew myself from the intention ofof purchasing one of these.

What do you think about it?

 

I also wonder why the PGX copy is 1/2 the price of the CGC...

 

THANKS FOR THE ATTENTION

 

FEDERICO

 

 

First, welcome to the boards.

 

Wow, that is an incredible story. Your father was a very smart man for sure.

 

I'm sure the other guys that are more attuned to buying high grade AF #15s can give you some advice on that front.

 

 

 

Welcome to the club! Wow, the ASM1 is definitely preservation at it's best. If you are going to be in the market for an AF15, I would stick to 6.0+ (only for elite status). Look for a copy with great eye appeal and page quality and barely any visible chip. These two AF15 6.5 are great examples.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Amazing-Fantasy-15-CGC-6-5-FN-/390199201111?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5ad9af4d57

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Amazing-Fantasy-15-CGC-6-5-FN-/310200704591?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4839671e4f

 

If you can negotiate on those prices, it will be great. But an AF15 9.0 would look great with your ASM1.

[XXXPHOENIX]

HI to everybody again...when I found the book below a pile of heavy books inside a closet I was shocked by the beauty of the book...I can assure you it is UNREAD, with no chipping, super tight edges and white pages.

It remained 40 years in a dark dry environment unbagged.

 

In my opinion as a non professional grader, it deserved a 9.2-9.4 because the only defects are 3-4 almost invisible spine stresses.

Probably it received a 9.0 for the non-super-brightcolors of the cover...otherwise who knows!

I own cgc 9.0 silver age marvels that are much worse than this jem.

 

Probably when CGC grades valuable books like this, they put EXTRA severity in their grading standards.

 

I will definitely call CGC to hear the grading notes from them.

 

As soon as I can I will post extra size scan, at least if somebody cares

 

FEDERICO

 

[fantastic_four]

Probably when CGC grades valuable books like this, they put EXTRA severity in their grading standards.

 

In my experience CGC does not grade valuable key books more harshly than other books. Most likely there is one or more defects not easy to see they downgraded for, and usually, those defects do get put into CGC's written grading notes, so definitely call them about it.

[showcase22gr1959]

HI to everybody again...when I found the book below a pile of heavy books inside a closet I was shocked by the beauty of the book...I can assure you it is UNREAD, with no chipping, super tight edges and white pages.

It remained 40 years in a dark dry environment unbagged.

 

In my opinion as a non professional grader, it deserved a 9.2-9.4 because the only defects are 3-4 almost invisible spine stresses.

Probably it received a 9.0 for the non-super-brightcolors of the cover...otherwise who knows!

I own cgc 9.0 silver age marvels that are much worse than this jem.

 

Probably when CGC grades valuable books like this, they put EXTRA severity in their grading standards.

 

I will definitely call CGC to hear the grading notes from them.

 

As soon as I can I will post extra size scan, at least if somebody cares

 

FEDERICO

 

From the scan, looks like a minor chip on the top right corner? Looks like they may have knocked it down because of this.

[etanick]

[quote=XXXPHOENIX

 

As soon as I can I will post extra size scan, at least if somebody cares

 

FEDERICO

 

absolutely post a bigger scan when you have a chance because from the small scan right now, that book looks a little nicer than a 9.0 in my opinion.

[Peter Loves Gwen]

Welcome Federico, it's good to hear from all parts of the world. How is Venicia and Roma these days? I haven't been there since as a kid in 1974, I miss those vacations and field trips in Europe.

 

I agree if you can do it find a very nice presenting AF15. Keep an eye out for nice paper quality and a good spine. Many of the 6.0-7.0 range look very nice at a glance, and most novices wouldn't know the difference. I'll be looking for the restored grades myself, the blue labeled are over my head now. Regards,