TMNT #1 Club 19 19

[ghn999]

46 minutes ago, Sauce Dog said:

Well, I'm finally out of the epic club as have sold my CGC 5.0 #1 first print (I guess no more weekly random PMs asking if I would sell it). I'm sure I'll regret it one day, but it was a decent chunk of change that went towards both house downpayment savings and buying a bunch of other books I've wanted, including all three CGC first appearances of Hellboy (high grade and even one signed by Mignola), another Tales of Suspense 39 and House of Secrets 92, as well as a few other random comics including a 5th printing of #1 to go with my remaining raw 3rd print (so technically still in the TMNT #1 club, but feels wrong when it isn't my original 1st printing  ). 

Has anybody been able to dig up the press run numbers for the 5th printing? I kept hearing it was less common than the 4th printing, but can't find anything to confirm that.

How much did you sell your TMNT 1st print for?
 

[Sonic77]

I know LDarkseid asked Eastman on one of his channels if he knew but haven't heard anything back from that on the 5th print.  I personally prefer the 5th print over the 4th.  Jealous that you even had a 1st print to move,  still working on getting mine eventually down the road just have 2nd and 3rd prints now to enjoy.

[Sauce Dog]

7 minutes ago, ghn999 said:

How much did you sell your TMNT 1st print for?
 

I can't disclose the exact cost, but I can say it was five figures.

[ghn999]

Im glad you got something out of it. I don't know if I could sell mine at this market right now. It trending up!!

[Sauce Dog]

Sigh...okay I lied, I'm buying more into the club. While I have the raw 3rd print and 5th print I posted earlier, I felt I still wanted to have at least one #1 issue in graded condition (and at this point didn't make much sense to grade my 3rd print).

So I looked and found this copy literally in the same part of the city as me, and signed, so makes sense to save on shipping fees, signing fees, and grading fees by just picking this one up. Real nice and crisp, I didn't realize how worn my raw 5th copy was as the blacks and red on this one have a much better punch to them. Still want to find out the print numbers for this one...it's the only comic mystery that keeps bugging me.

So yeah, this club is never getting rid of me - no matter how many versions of issue #1 I end up selling!


 

[Subby1938]

1 hour ago, Sauce Dog said:

Sigh...okay I lied, I'm buying more into the club. While I have the raw 3rd print and 5th print I posted earlier, I felt I still wanted to have at least one #1 issue in graded condition (and at this point didn't make much sense to grade my 3rd print).

So I looked and found this copy literally in the same part of the city as me, and signed, so makes sense to save on shipping fees, signing fees, and grading fees by just picking this one up. Real nice and crisp, I didn't realize how worn my raw 5th copy was as the blacks and red on this one have a much better punch to them. Still want to find out the print numbers for this one...it's the only comic mystery that keeps bugging me.

So yeah, this club is never getting rid of me - no matter how many versions of issue #1 I end up selling!


 

I know there are only around 14 graded 9.8s so it’s pretty rare in that grade . This one has a lot of room for growth imo . It’s a nice looking cover in the red and wraparound . Nice pick up 

[Sauce Dog]

53 minutes ago, Subby1938 said:

I know there are only around 14 graded 9.8s so it’s pretty rare in that grade . This one has a lot of room for growth imo . It’s a nice looking cover in the red and wraparound . Nice pick up 

Yeah, I've begun to notice that about high grades for this copy with all the raw copies showing up online for sale looking no higher than 9.2 at best (I did see a VF-NM raw on Ebay recently sell for $207us, which looked comparable to my copy so was happy with my 9.6 purchase) but I'm sure more will start being slabbed with the rising interest in the book.

Regardless of rarity or how it grows, I just prefer this cover over the 4th printing (as the black and white style lends itself better to the feeling of the original cover, as does the frame border around the art and utilizing red inks and not full color...all that and it doesn't say REPRINT across the top in large letters like the 4th)

Edited October 10, 2020 by Sauce Dog

[Schmakt]

2 hours ago, Subby1938 said:

I know there are only around 14 graded 9.8s so it’s pretty rare in that grade . This one has a lot of room for growth imo . It’s a nice looking cover in the red and wraparound . Nice pick up 

I picked one of those up 8 or 9 years ago and totally forgot I had it until I was just flipping through a box randomly one day. Nice!

[GM8]

Ok I can finally get this off my chest. I'm in the club. I've been following the Turtles since they originally came out and have loved talking with other Turtle-heads over the years on this forum but have kept my collection private mostly. Some PMs here or there but I've never felt the time was right. Now is the time. Why? Because they're safe and sound in a safe deposit box and I don't have to stress about the risk of having them get stolen/damaged, etc.

My first "1st print" purchase was from a big NYC comic shop back in 1986 or 1987. I got it and was so happy, paying about $125 at the time. A couple looks later and something didn't sit right with me. I looked closer and in better light and saw the abrasion below the word "First" on the inside cover. Then I read a little about it, I don't recall where, but they talked about counterfeit copies. It was a third print with the "third" scratched out and "first" written in. I told the comic shop guy (who probably knew it was fake) and luckily he acquiesced and gave me my money back. His reply to me was "you were right!". Yeah. I was really disappointed of course and gave up the search at the time.

Finally not long after, I got the urge again as I saw prices were increasing. I managed to track down not one but two first prints. Originally I bought them from two different sellers in the Comics Buyers Guide probably around '89 and '91 for the two purchases. I believe I paid about $180 for the signed one and $300 for the unsigned one a couple years later. They graded 9.6 and 9.8 a couple years ago at CGC respectively, both blue label. Seeing those grades at first was just unbelievable in the moment for me. I lost my s*&t when the 9.8 popped up on my screen! 

Just a big weight off my shoulders now that they're safe and secure. Not sharing photos/CGC #'s until I decide to part with them. Either way, I'll hold on to my 3rd print which I bought off the shelf in '85. 

[ADAMANTIUM]

53 minutes ago, GM8 said:

Ok I can finally get this off my chest. I'm in the club. I've been following the Turtles since they originally came out and have loved talking with other Turtle-heads over the years on this forum but have kept my collection private mostly. Some PMs here or there but I've never felt the time was right. Now is the time. Why? Because they're safe and sound in a safe deposit box and I don't have to stress about the risk of having them get stolen/damaged, etc.

My first "1st print" purchase was from a big NYC comic shop back in 1986 or 1987. I got it and was so happy, paying about $125 at the time. A couple looks later and something didn't sit right with me. I looked closer and in better light and saw the abrasion below the word "First" on the inside cover. Then I read a little about it, I don't recall where, but they talked about counterfeit copies. It was a third print with the "third" scratched out and "first" written in. I told the comic shop guy (who probably knew it was fake) and luckily he acquiesced and gave me my money back. His reply to me was "you were right!". Yeah. I was really disappointed of course and gave up the search at the time.

Finally not long after, I got the urge again as I saw prices were increasing. I managed to track down not one but two first prints. Originally I bought them from two different sellers in the Comics Buyers Guide probably around '89 and '91 for the two purchases. I believe I paid about $180 for the signed one and $300 for the unsigned one a couple years later. They graded 9.6 and 9.8 a couple years ago at CGC respectively, both blue label. Seeing those grades at first was just unbelievable in the moment for me. I lost my s*&t when the 9.8 popped up on my screen! 

Just a big weight off my shoulders now that they're safe and secure. Not sharing photos/CGC #'s until I decide to part with them. Either way, I'll hold on to my 3rd print which I bought off the shelf in '85. 

Thanks for the share, gold for sure  

[ghn999]

What u guys think? 3100 for a 9.0 2nd print?

[GregHa]

Good price I was watching it too

[Sauce Dog]

This is a bonkers price for a 2nd print - a low grade raw copy just sold for half that of the Elite comics graded and signed 9.0. This one looked like a 4.0 or maybe 5.0 at best (comparing it to my previous 5.0 graded one that looks worlds better than this). Clearly some mad-turtle brain disease is still out there fuelling the bidding wars.

Edited November 8, 2020 by Sauce Dog

[Icculus308win]

“mad-turtle brain disease” 😂    
Seems so in many turtle collecting arenas 

[Ryan.]

I was at a LCS today discussing with the owner the insane gains on all things TMNT lately. He mentioned that, in 1984, the local Diamond distribution center, then located in Allston, MA, had a full long box of first prints sitting in the warehouse unsold. The rep contacted local shops asking if anyone wanted them, everyone passed, and that box was tossed in a dumpster. That box would have held somewhere around 250 copies. I have no idea how accurate this story is, if his memory is correct, etc. But I found it interesting. 

[Subby1938]

The census is really low compared to what they printed . Some didn’t make it for sure 

[GM8]

34 minutes ago, Ryan. said:

I was at a LCS today discussing with the owner the insane gains on all things TMNT lately. He mentioned that, in 1984, the local Diamond distribution center, then located in Allston, MA, had a full long box of first prints sitting in the warehouse unsold. The rep contacted local shops asking if anyone wanted them, everyone passed, and that box was tossed in a dumpster. That box would have held somewhere around 250 copies. I have no idea how accurate this story is, if his memory is correct, etc. But I found it interesting. 

I think he must be mis-remembering because that book was the talk of everywhere in the northeast at the time. It was a literal frenzy for month after month. Diamond of all people would have been knowledgeable about the demand.

[Ryan.]

1 minute ago, GM8 said:

I think he must be mis-remembering because that book was the talk of everywhere in the northeast at the time. It was a literal frenzy for month after month. Diamond of all people would have been knowledgeable about the demand.

That was my understanding as well. 

[valiantman]

30 minutes ago, GM8 said:

1 hour ago, Ryan. said:

I was at a LCS today discussing with the owner the insane gains on all things TMNT lately. He mentioned that, in 1984, the local Diamond distribution center, then located in Allston, MA, had a full long box of first prints sitting in the warehouse unsold. The rep contacted local shops asking if anyone wanted them, everyone passed, and that box was tossed in a dumpster. That box would have held somewhere around 250 copies. I have no idea how accurate this story is, if his memory is correct, etc. But I found it interesting. 

I think he must be mis-remembering because that book was the talk of everywhere in the northeast at the time. It was a literal frenzy for month after month. Diamond of all people would have been knowledgeable about the demand.

Feels like that could have been true of 2nd or 3rd prints (depending on the exact date), but the fact that they went to 2nd printing at all means there was demand that wouldn't have resulted in dumping 1st prints.

[Sauce Dog]

20 hours ago, valiantman said:

Feels like that could have been true of 2nd or 3rd prints (depending on the exact date), but the fact that they went to 2nd printing at all means there was demand that wouldn't have resulted in dumping 1st prints.

While I do agree it was most certainly one of the later prints, I could see it happening. Mirage would only know all the 1st prints sold to distributors/LCS, not necessarily if those were then sold to customers, and as such you could have some remote locations that ended up selling out (and being vocal about wanting more) while other smaller shops never had any local interest in buying the books so they just sat on the excess or dumped em (or didn't return or tell Mirage how it turned out). 

Edited December 3, 2020 by Sauce Dog