SMORGASBORD OF ULTRA-HIGH GRADE JLAs

[tth2]

The following Justice League of Americas are now up in Heritage`s February Signature Auction:

 

JLA #17 CGC 9.4

JLA #21 CGC 9.4

JLA #23 CGC 9.6 Pacific Coast

JLA #24 CGC 9.8 Pacific Coast

JLA #25 CGC 9.4

JLA #27 CGC 9.6 Diamond Run

JLA #28 CGC 9.6

JLA #30 CGC 9.6

JLA #32 CGC 9.6

JLA #33 CGC 9.6

JLA #35 CGC 9.6 Pacific Coast

JLA #36 CGC 9.6 Pacific Coast

JLA #37 CGC 9.8

JLA #43 CGC 9.8 Pacific Coast

JLA #44 CGC 9.6 Pacific Coast

JLA #47 CGC 9.8 Pacific Coast

JLA #53 CGC 9.8

 

More details, including any chain of ownership information that I can provide, will be provided in subsequent posts in this thread. On most of the Pacific Coasts, I can provide chain of ownership back to the OO, and in most cases there`ve been less than 5 owners (including the OO). I can also confirm which books have definitely never been pressed (unless the PC OO did it ).

[tth2]

First up is Justice League of America #17.

 

CGC 9.4 Off-white pages.

 

1 of 5 9.4 copies in the Census, with only one higher copy (9.6) having been certified by CGC thus far. Last two 9.4 copies on Heritage sold for $1792.50 each.

 

There`s not much I can disclose about the history of this book. It was sold by prominent JLA collector/board member Ace_Silver on Heritage`s May 2005 Signature Auction, which is where I won it. The book was originally a 9.4 old label and was cracked and resubbed by him through Heritage when he consigned the book, but he has confirmed to me that no pressing was done in conjunction with the resub. No idea who he got it from.

 

[tth2]

Next up is JLA #21.

 

CGC 9.4 Off-white to white pages.

 

One of the most highly coveted JLAs of all, as it features the return of the Justice Society of America and kicks off the annual cross-overs which would prove to be among DC`s most popular storylines.

 

Amazingly, CGC 9.4 continues to be the highest grade certified thus far. Copies of this issue are often miswrapped, so this particular copy is notable because of its excellent centering.

 

I purchased this book from Bob Storms back in 2002. Don`t know anything else about the history of this book.

 

 

 

[tth2]

And now we come to the first of the Pacific Coasts, JLA #23

 

CGC 9.6 Off-white to white pages, Pacific Coast Pedigree.

 

The sole 9.6 and the best copy certified by CGC as of the most recent Census.

 

This book is insanely nice. The colors just pop at you, and like 99% of the PCs, it has great QP. The PC Original Owner clearly picked copies as much for their excellent centering as for their structural grade.

 

Of the PC books that I`m selling in this auction, this is the copy that I know least about. I acquired it in a trade with Josh Nathanson in 2002. I believe this was one of the PC books that Tom Hanlin (linmoth) purchased directly from the PC OO, and then slabbed. How it then got to Josh, and whether anyone owned it in between, I don`t know. The other PC copy of this issue, which Robert Roter acquired from the OO and then subsequently slabbed, is "only" a 9.4.

 

 

[tth2]

Here`s the post for today, JLA #24.

 

CGC 9.8 Off-white pages, Pacific Coast Pedigree.

 

What can be said about this book? In my opinion, it`s the crown jewel of the run that I`m putting up on Heritage. The book has always been considered to be impossible to find in ultra-high grade, and this long-held perception has been borne out by the CGC Census. It is the only certified copy above 9.2. But for this total freak copy, I believe that it`s very possible that another copy better than 9.2 might not exist. Even the other PC copy is "only" a 9.2.

 

This book also has the distinction of having the shortest chain of ownership among all the books I`m selling, because the winner will be only the 4th person who`s ever owned it. I won it on eBay as a raw book from PCE/Robert Roter in 2000 (I actually read the book, which puts to bed the myth that a book that has been read can`t get a 9.8). He purchased it directly from the PC OO. I slabbed it directly, and Roter did not press the PC books, so except for the highly unlikely possibility that the PC OO pressed his collection , this book is 100% guaranteed to be unpressed.

 

[tth2]

I`m seeing a lot of views of this thread, but nary a comment from anyone so far. I`d love to hear feedback from everyone. Do you like the descriptions and disclosure, or is the history of the book boring and irrelevant to everyone? Are there additional facts you`d like me to present, or change the focus?

 

Anyhoo, up next is one of the really underrated issues, JLA #25.

 

CGC 9.4 Off-white to white pages.

 

I call this book extremely underrated because it seems to be one of the issues in the 20s that no one ever talks about, and yet 9.4 is the highest grade awarded by CGC so far and so far there are only 3 copies that have achieved that grade. In fact, when it came up on Heritage in May 2007, it was the first really nice copy that I`d ever seen of this book. I was ecstatic when I won it for only $836, and I definitely would`ve gone a lot higher.

 

I have no clue about the history of this one. I bought it on Heritage in May 2007, and have no idea who owned it before or where it came from. All I can say is that it`s a very nice book and will make a very nice addition to anyone`s collection.

 

 

[rube11]

Hey Tim,

 

I am guessing that everyone who is reading these are just as impressed as I am with the books. That 9.8 copy is just incredible!

 

Steve

[Transplant]

Tim:

 

The books are amazing. If I were collecting them, this history and a nice big preview would make me much more comfortable pursuing them. I've been checking back just to see them and I'm collecting JLA.

 

 

[burntboy]

Tim - there are no words.....

 

The extra detail is very cool...

[tth2]

Thanks guys, really appreciate the kind words. So I will continue the thread tonight!

[tth2]

Resuming the pimping of my books, here`s JLA #27. Now we really start getting high grade, because every book here on out is in 9.6 or higher grade.

 

CGC 9.6 Off-white to white pages, Diamond Run Pedigree

 

A very pretty copy that was obviously slabbed before Diamond Runs became persona non grata with CGC. Whether or not it was purchased from the newsstand by the DR OO, it`s still a gorgeous book.

 

The book was purchased from Steve Lauterbach in 2006. Make of that what you will. This is another of the books where I really know nothing about its history.

 

[jimjum12]

Next up is JLA #21.

 

CGC 9.4 Off-white to white pages.

 

One of the most highly coveted JLAs of all, as it features the return of the Justice Society of America and kicks off the annual cross-overs which would prove to be among DC`s most popular storylines.

 

Amazingly, CGC 9.4 continues to be the highest grade certified thus far. Copies of this issue are often miswrapped, so this particular copy is notable because of its excellent centering.

 

I purchased this book from Bob Storms back in 2002. Don`t know anything else about the history of this book.

 

 

 

WOW....I can't imagine parting with that. Good luck with the sale,Tim.GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus) (thumbs u

[Bomber-Bob]

This is an amazing run of JLA's. I would love to chase the #23, one of my personal favorites (check out the backside on Wonder Woman !), but I just can't get myself to bid in a Heritage Auction. Thank you though for showing them here.

[tth2]

I would love to chase the #23, one of my personal favorites (check out the backside on Wonder Woman !)

Baby`s got back!

[cujobyte]

Amazing books!!! Best of luck with the sales!! Wow!!!

[tth2]

Thanks!

[thehumantorch]

Amazing books. You could go through dozens of copies on the stands when they were released and not find such beautiful copies.

[tth2]

From some book that are relatively hard to find in ultra-HG, we come to JLA #28, which is one of the easier to find issues.

 

CGC 9.6 White pages.

 

Although there are 3 other 9.6 copies tied with it for highest CGC grade, this issue features white pages and exceptionally good centering, so among the 9.6 copies, this is going to be as good as it gets. A 9.6 copy with only Off-white pages and a slight white stripe down the spine sold on Heritage in December 2008 for $1912, which was a pretty staggering price.

 

I won this book on Heritage in May 2005. It was consigned by major JLA collector and board member Ace_Silver. I believe when he owned it, it had an old label and was reslabbed with a new label when Heritage cracked and resubbed most of his books for that auction. According to him, no pressing or other work was done to the book as part of this crack and resub process. It was just Heritage advising him to play crack-and-resub roulette with CGC.

 

[tth2]

After a few days' hiatus, we're back!

 

For your viewing pleasure I now present JLA #30.

 

CGC 9.6 Off-white pages. The only 9.6 copy and all by itself at the top of the CGC Census.

 

This is my personal favorite of all the books I'm listing. I loved the introduction of Earth 3 with super-powered counterparts who were bad guys and must have read the story as reprinted in DC's 100 pager hundreds of times.

 

I bought the book in 2004 from Bob Storms/Highgrade Comics, which is appropriate because the colors on the cover are blazing. But shows you how bad my memory has become, because I was sure that I had purchased it from Mark Wilson until I went through my files to check the date of purchase. No clue on the history of the book prior to that.

 

[tth2]

Thanks for the kind words!