Does the Church Action #1 belong in the Smithsonian?

[stagedoorjohnny]

 

A part of what I considered in my initial post is how long a strong interest in Golden Age material will last. I believe upcoming demographic shifts have a strong chance to decrease the interest in Golden Age and subsequently Silver Age material. Similar shifts have been witnessed in the markets for 78 rpm records, Model T Fords, and stamps in the recent past.

 

I don't think today's generation of children who will be very interested in the computer games and internet of their youth will have the same connection with comics that those over 30 do today. As such the interest in old comics will shift in some undetermined way and that shift is already occurring as anyone attending San Diego over the last twenty years can tell you.

 

 

I will say the one thing comic books may have over the other collectibles you mentioned, going forward, is content popularity.

 

If Superman and Batman are still popular with the next generation, albeit through different media, it could keep comic books that house their beginnings of interest. And I think you can go beyond that and say the entire superhero genre as a whole. As long as superheroes are popular with the new generation and younger crowd, I think that can be an "X" factor in keeping our little subset of the hobby chugging along. It could seperate it from all the other hobbies that have fizzled. The Golden Age is the birthplace of the superhero. And the superhero is such a big part of American pop culture. So I am hopeful.

[delekkerste]

It would be easier to buy from The Smithsonian.

 

The Smithsonian does not sell exhibit pieces.

 

This is the problem with "putting things in museums." They become forever beyond the reach of people who might like to own them, even if for a little while.

 

It's absurd the amount of pieces that are locked away forever in museum collections, just so visitors who have no concept of the items' value and importance can oggle at them.

 

I don't care that they may be hidden away for decades in someone's collection...that someone is likely going to appreciate the item far more than a bunch of schoolkids oggling it behind glass. Besides, that's what pictures are for. If I cannot touch it, hold it, there's no difference between a photo and a large piece of glass. And, unless I become a world renowned curator, or very, VERY important person, I will NEVER, EVER have the opportunity to hold the pieces in the Smithsonian.

 

[twmjr]

I know it's not the Smithsonian, but didn't the Library of Congress used to have one copy of every comic book published? I think it was a copyright thing. Many were stolen over the years by less than honest collectors and dealers.

 

 

Does the Library really have a horde of GA comics?

[twmjr]

I know it's not the Smithsonian, but didn't the Library of Congress used to have one copy of every comic book published? I think it was a copyright thing. Many were stolen over the years by less than honest collectors and dealers.

 

 

Does the Library really have a horde of GA comics?

 

I just answered my own question with a simple google of "library of congress" "comic books". They have 100,000 books, including "fairly complete" runs of Action and Detective!

[action1kid]

Any Man that has the willpower to hold a book for 30 years has truly earned[where it belongs status].It belongs where it is down in Virginia.

[50YrsCollctngCmcs]

Any Man that has the willpower to hold a book for 30 years has truly earned[where it belongs status].It belongs where it is down in Virginia.

 

I have some books that I have owned for forty years that I wish hadn't earned the right to belong with me here in old California!

[action1kid]

Hey, youve earned it !

[Allen Ross-migration]

Want to see Action Comics #1 in a museum? Come to Baltimore, and the Geppi's Entertainment Museum! It needs your support!

 

I took this picture there. These are the comics used in one of the lawsuits.

 

[comicartcom]

 

I have some books that I have owned for forty years that I wish hadn't earned the right to belong with me here in old California!

 

oh yes I resemble that remark.

 

[qualitycomix]

I wonder how much the Church Action 1 would bring at auction? I'm guessing the CGC 8.5 would bring 1mil to 1.5mil and the Church Action 1 maybe double that?

[G.A.tor]

I wonder how much the Church Action 1 would bring at auction? I'm guessing the CGC 8.5 would bring 1mil to 1.5mil and the Church Action 1 maybe double that?

certainly been a topic of discussion and speculation...

I am going to be more conservative and say the 8.5 would bring $750K and that the Church copy would break 1million...

 

I think, like TTH2 described in another thread, that lower grade copies do not nec provide an exponential trend to what higher copies sell for ... just my gut feeling, I could be way wrong

[tth2]

I wonder how much the Church Action 1 would bring at auction? I'm guessing the CGC 8.5 would bring 1mil to 1.5mil and the Church Action 1 maybe double that?

certainly been a topic of discussion and speculation...

I am going to be more conservative and say the 8.5 would bring $750K and that the Church copy would break 1million...

 

I think, like TTH2 described in another thread, that lower grade copies do not nec provide an exponential trend to what higher copies sell for ... just my gut feeling, I could be way wrong

I think you`re being extremely conservative, Rick. I think the 8.5 would break $1 million, because it`s very likely the nicest copy that anyone will ever get a chance to buy.

[VintageComics]

I wonder how much the Church Action 1 would bring at auction? I'm guessing the CGC 8.5 would bring 1mil to 1.5mil and the Church Action 1 maybe double that?

certainly been a topic of discussion and speculation...

I am going to be more conservative and say the 8.5 would bring $750K and that the Church copy would break 1million...

 

I think, like TTH2 described in another thread, that lower grade copies do not nec provide an exponential trend to what higher copies sell for ... just my gut feeling, I could be way wrong

I think you`re being extremely conservative, Rick. I think the 8.5 would break $1 million, because it`s very likely the nicest copy that anyone will ever get a chance to buy.

 

I agree. Don't you guys think Geppi's offer years ago to pay $1MIL for a NM copy of Action #1 already put this book past the big landmark price? I mean AF #15's were a $50-100K book in NM back then. We've come a long way and I think the 8.5 would make headlines around the world.

 

R.

 

 

[mackenzie999]

I don't think today's generation of children who will be very interested in the computer games and internet of their youth will have the same connection with comics that those over 30 do today. As such the interest in old comics will shift in some undetermined way and that shift is already occurring as anyone attending San Diego over the last twenty years can tell you.

 

I'm sure this has been covered in other threads, but for the people who worry about the future of the hobby, simply this: collect what you love and you won't be stuck.

 

If the demand for comics dwindles, that AF15 upgrade you've been considering will become more affordable. And unlike many other collectibles, comics are not technology-dependent. Turntables to play 78rpm records on may be less common than they were before, but you will always be able to see and touch your books.

[qualitycomix]

I wonder how much the Church Action 1 would bring at auction? I'm guessing the CGC 8.5 would bring 1mil to 1.5mil and the Church Action 1 maybe double that?

certainly been a topic of discussion and speculation...

I am going to be more conservative and say the 8.5 would bring $750K and that the Church copy would break 1million...

 

I think, like TTH2 described in another thread, that lower grade copies do not nec provide an exponential trend to what higher copies sell for ... just my gut feeling, I could be way wrong

 

I'm guessing that the highest graded copies of the #1 comic ever would bring a lot of buyers out of the woodwork. With a 6.0 bringing $320K and probably worth $400K, the 8.5 should probably sell at the 1mil level. $750K at auction would be a BIG disappointment if I was the owner of the 8.5. If I was selling it privately, I would be asking 1.5Mil and take offers. Does anyone know who owns it?

 

I would sell everything I own and go partners with a few investors to buy the Action1 Church Copy if it was offered to me at 1mil.

[qualitycomix]

I wonder how much the Church Action 1 would bring at auction? I'm guessing the CGC 8.5 would bring 1mil to 1.5mil and the Church Action 1 maybe double that?

certainly been a topic of discussion and speculation...

I am going to be more conservative and say the 8.5 would bring $750K and that the Church copy would break 1million...

 

I think, like TTH2 described in another thread, that lower grade copies do not nec provide an exponential trend to what higher copies sell for ... just my gut feeling, I could be way wrong

I think you`re being extremely conservative, Rick. I think the 8.5 would break $1 million, because it`s very likely the nicest copy that anyone will ever get a chance to buy.

 

I agree. Don't you guys think Geppi's offer years ago to pay $1MIL for a NM copy of Action #1 already put this book past the big landmark price? I mean AF #15's were a $50-100K book in NM back then. We've come a long way and I think the 8.5 would make headlines around the world.

 

R.

 

 

I agree Roy. I think the 8.5 now is what the NM offer from Geppi was 10 - 15 years ago.

[VintageComics]

 

I would sell everything I own and go partners with a few investors to buy the Action1 Church Copy if it was offered to me at 1mil.

 

I'd be all over that like a Commie on propaganda.

 

[Transplant]

 

I would sell everything I own and go partners with a few investors to buy the Action1 Church Copy if it was offered to me at 1mil.

 

I'd be all over that like a Commie on propaganda.

 

I'd be on that like you on yogurt.

[G.A.tor]

I wonder how much the Church Action 1 would bring at auction? I'm guessing the CGC 8.5 would bring 1mil to 1.5mil and the Church Action 1 maybe double that?

certainly been a topic of discussion and speculation...

I am going to be more conservative and say the 8.5 would bring $750K and that the Church copy would break 1million...

 

I think, like TTH2 described in another thread, that lower grade copies do not nec provide an exponential trend to what higher copies sell for ... just my gut feeling, I could be way wrong

I think you`re being extremely conservative, Rick. I think the 8.5 would break $1 million, because it`s very likely the nicest copy that anyone will ever get a chance to buy.

right now today, I am fairly confident that is where the books would end up...and, I did say the church would break a mill..could be 1.5, etc....

 

however, 1 year from now, or a year ago, i would have agreed that the 8.5 would break a mill...just not "today"

[G.A.tor]

I wonder how much the Church Action 1 would bring at auction? I'm guessing the CGC 8.5 would bring 1mil to 1.5mil and the Church Action 1 maybe double that?

certainly been a topic of discussion and speculation...

I am going to be more conservative and say the 8.5 would bring $750K and that the Church copy would break 1million...

 

I think, like TTH2 described in another thread, that lower grade copies do not nec provide an exponential trend to what higher copies sell for ... just my gut feeling, I could be way wrong

I think you`re being extremely conservative, Rick. I think the 8.5 would break $1 million, because it`s very likely the nicest copy that anyone will ever get a chance to buy.

 

I agree. Don't you guys think Geppi's offer years ago to pay $1MIL for a NM copy of Action #1 already put this book past the big landmark price? I mean AF #15's were a $50-100K book in NM back then. We've come a long way and I think the 8.5 would make headlines around the world.

 

R.

 

 

I agree Roy. I think the 8.5 now is what the NM offer from Geppi was 10 - 15 years ago.

15 or so years ago the 8.5 copy sold for $137k... the 1million offer was for a 9.4...not a 8.5 (thumbs u