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Pedigrees

Started by akaSteveRogers,

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akaSteveRogers

akaSteveRogers

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The Winnipeg collection of SA and BA comics was purchased by Dan Greenhalgh/Showcase New England back in 1996 and the SA and early bronze was offered to the public at that time. The later bronze was acquired in toto by Doug Schmell.

 

Nearly all of the comics from mid-1965 and earlier sport the name of one of the two original owners written in pen at the top of the front cover. The collection includes nice examples of the Marvel keys, but the early SA comics typically graded in the 8.0 - 9.2 range upon encapsulation, leaving the collection short of some of the finest pedigree SA collections. The bronze portion is very nice.

 

The other of the original owners (Joe Krolik) posted on the boards for awhile.

 

Here's a link to a thread from many years ago regarding the collection and showing my scans of the Spidey, Avengers, JIM, ST, TOS, FF, and X-Men portions of the collection as first brought to market by SNE: WP original catalog listing

 

Thx! I was trying to see what the history was behind the Winnipeg collection. I was trying to decide whether to upgrade my late bronze/early copper semi-key 9.6 Winnipeg copy to a 9.8. Its a tough book to find in HG (only 7 over 9.4).

 

 

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comicartfan

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I grabbed this information off of Pedigree Comics' site, so it's not top secret.

 

The Green River Collection

 

by Brad Hamann

 

Belying its serene-sounding title, the Green River Collection actually claims an indirect connection to one of the most horrific series of murders on record in American history.

 

William J. Stevens II began assembling this collection of mainly Silver Age Marvels and DCs in the 1960s when he was a boy. Stevens’ father operated a 1,200-square-foot pharmacy on a secondary road by Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, and Stevens and his adopted brother Robert would steal comics and boxes of trading cards from the store. Stevens meticulously cataloged and stored this quickly-growing collection.

 

The collection first began to surface in the early 1990s when Stevens, now in his forties, began selling some of the books to Craig Barnett, a local dealer who ran a store in Spokane called The Comic Book Shop. Stevens would arrive at the store with stacks of comics packed in brown paper grocery sacks whenever he needed money. According to Barnett, Stevens was looking to raise money for a microwave receiving station to track police calls as part of his apparent fixation with law enforcement. Barnett has described Stevens as very personable, and “a really nice guy, but an incredible con man.” These transactions went on for about a year and then stopped. Later, Barnett learned from Robert Stevens that William had died as a result of cancer. What Barnett did not know at the time of his purchases, was that William was not only a con man, but a convicted felon.

 

Convicted of burglarizing a uniform store in 1979, Stevens had served a two-year stint in prison. Then, in January of 1981, he had simply walked out of a King County jail work-release program and dropped completely out of sight. Stevens traveled extensively under several aliases and resided in the Portland, Oregon area until May of 1985, when he returned to Spokane and enrolled at Gonzaga.

 

Police discovered and arrested Stevens at his parents’ home in January of 1989 after several phone tips resulting from the television program “Manhunt Live: A Chance to End a Nightmare!” At the time, Stevens was in his last year at Gonzaga University School of Law and serving as the president of the Student Bar Association. He promptly issued a statement denying any wrongdoing. “I am not the Green River killer. They have made me out to be a very bad person, and I am not,” he declared.

 

After a search of his parents’ home, where Stevens was then living, police found 29 firearms, and a box full of phony driver’s licenses and credit cards acquired under assumed names. Credit-card fraud and robbery were apparently a means by which Stevens had survived through the years. Also discovered were more than one hundred police badges, and a large collection of pornographic videotapes and sexually explicit Polaroids of naked women.

 

Stevens seemed a strong suspect in the series of murders in the Seattle-Tacoma area that began in the early 1980s. In all, the Green River Killer had tallied 48 victims between 1982 and 1984. The killer systematically left his victims, all women, near the banks of the Green River outside of Seattle. Many were prostitutes, but several runaways and hitchhikers became the unfortunate victims of the most prolific killer in American criminal history. After his arrest, Stevens was exhaustively interviewed about the Green River murders, but a series of alibis placed him on trips with his parents out of the Seattle area at the time of some of the murders. Police eventually released Stevens and took him off the list of suspects. Stevens died of cancer on September 20, 1991. In 2003, Gary Ridgway, another longtime suspect, confessed to all of the murders.

 

Craig Barnett has not kept a detailed list of the nearly eight hundred books he purchased from William J. Stevens, but after Stevens’ death in 1991, Barnett announced the as-yet-unnamed collection in one of his market reports in the Overstreet Monthly Price Guide Update.

 

In an April 2004 e-mail to a collector, Craig Barnett recalled some of his 1990-1991 dealings with William Stevens:

 

Bill kept me on the hook as far as what other books he had and mentioned over and over that he had between five and fifteen Amazing Spider-Man #1’s and would bring them in as soon as he found them. Considering some of the quantities of some of the books he did bring in I really had no reason to doubt him. I don’t remember having any quantity of the major keys so it's unlikely that he sold me more than one or two of any keys that he did have, but I really don’t know which ones they might have been and in the grades they were in, they would have sold rather quickly. He did bring in quite a few annuals and specials ─I remember getting several copies each of the FF and Spider-man annuals and specials early on as Bill thought they would be worth more because they were larger but I have no idea as to what quantities of each there were─ most of the books were grouped together in threes and fours with an occasional grouping of five─ I don’t remember getting more than five of anything.

 

What emerged over the course of time was that in addition to the books he sold to Barnett, William J. Stevens had bartered the sale of nearly 1,650 of his books to attorney Craig C. Beles in order to pay off some of the legal bills that had accumulated as a result of his run-ins with law enforcement. After reading through the Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide, Beles sent out a letter to many of the dealers who advertised in the book, notifying them that the collection was for sale.

 

John M. Hauser, a well-known dealer from Madison, Wisconsin was alerted to the solicitation by a fellow Wisconsin dealer, Jef Hinds. Hauser flew to Seattle and initially viewed about one hundred of the comics. “After seeing these, I knew I wanted the rest,” said Hauser. “I put in a competitive bid and won out against the crowd of dealers.”

 

Hauser purchased the collection in partnership with James Haack, another dealer. Each put up half of the $25,000 winning bid. The collection they acquired contained a wide selection of DCs and Marvels. “There were multiples of almost every annual I received. I think [the Stevens brothers] stole more annuals, as the cover price was higher and they thought they would be worth more. Most of the annuals have graded at 9.4 or 9.6. Sadly, all of the Flash’s I bought were water damaged,” said Hauser. The Amazing Spider-Man #1 that Hauser and Haack purchased was later graded a 7.0 by CGC.

 

At the time of the purchase, Hauser was unaware of Barnett’s connection to part of the collection. Later, Hauser read in one of Barnett’s market reports in the Overstreet Monthly Price Guide Update that Barnett had sold multiple copies of Fantastic Four Annual #1 and Spider-Man Annual #1. Hauser then contacted Barnett, but by then most of the DCs and Marvels had been sold. Barnett still retained a number of Gold Keys and books by other publishers.

 

Hauser and Haack first offered their books for sale to the public in 1993 when the two dealers ran an ad in the March 26, 1993, issue of Comics Buyer’s Guide. The books listed for sale included nearly complete runs of Silver Age X-Men, Amazing Spider-Man, Avengers, Daredevil, Journey Into Mystery (from Issue #91 up), Sgt. Fury, and Fantastic Four (from Issue #8 up). The collection also included a large assortment of DCs and some Gold Keys, as well. Once Hauser and Haack had recouped their initial investment, they split up the remainder of the books.

 

According to Barnett, John Hauser coined the name for the Green River Collection. Once the name became better known, Barnett began to put a certificate explaining the collection behind each backing board, along with the shop stamp.

 

The collection was officially recognized as the Green River Collection by Comics Guaranty Corporation in 2001. Mark Haspel, senior grader and pedigree expert at CGC says that the collection was already well-known when John Hauser began submitting books to CGC for grading. The existence of the original sales lists made it that much easier to document and verify the books in the collection.

 

In 2003, Craig Beles attempted to sell a raw copy of Daredevil #11 on eBay. The book did not meet reserve and an interested collector took the initiative and contacted Beles directly to negotiate a price for the book. When Beles told the collector that he had other books as well, a deal was struck for an additional 75 books.

 

The books that make up the Green River Collection number approximately 2,400, and are among the easiest to identify of all the major pedigrees. The vast majority of these books carry a small red arrival date stamped on the front cover. The books are characterized by incredibly white pages, terrific cover gloss, great color strike, tight cover wrap and an overall unread, right-off-the-newsstand freshness. Edges and corners are razor sharp. When examined first hand, it is hard to believe that these books are forty years old.

 

The collection contains single copies of many of the books, but also cases of multiple copies, as mentioned; for example, the original sales manifests compiled by Beles listed six copies of Avengers #22, and nine copies each of Strange Tales #138 and Fantastic Four Annual #3.

 

The majority of the collection has yet to be graded by CGC, but those books that have been graded received outstanding marks, ranging generally from 8.5 to 9.6. Books graded at 9.6 include Amazing Spider-Man #29, Daredevil #11, and Tales of Suspense #83.

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comicartfan

comicartfan

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The Mass. Collection

 

The Massachusetts pedigreed collection of comic books (now affectionately referred to as the Mass. Collection) is a high grade run of Silver Age Marvel and DC titles, with also many books from other publishers including ACG, Gold Key and Charlton.

 

The collection, approximately 4,000 comic books (and full runs of Marvel magazines) was founded in 1993 by Marnin Rosenberg, a longtime collector and dealer out of Great Neck, New York. Mr. Rosenberg responded to an advertisement in the Comic Buyer’s Guide placed by the original owner (Dennis Richard), who began selling piecemeal portions of his runs of comic books to Mr. Rosenberg, starting with the Marvels.

 

The books were originally stored in careful and meticulous fashion, stacked on top of one another in near one foot piles in the original owner’s basement. This helps explain the unbelievable freshness and appeal of the books, most of which have superb ink reflectivity and supple, near white to white pages.

 

Although many of the Marvels first purchased by Mr. Rosenberg were not sold as “Mass.” copies, a very detailed and precise inventory has been preserved as well as accurate sales records, keeping the whereabouts and tracking of individual issues intact.

 

Many of the early Marvels are in beautiful, high grade condition and amongst the highest so far graded by the Comics Guaranty Corporation (CGC). Although most of the early Fantastic Fours are still ungraded, the No. 6 is a gorgeous, near-mint copy, as is the FF No.9, while the No.11 has already been graded 9.4, tying it with 3 other copies as the best in existence. In addition, the FF 25 & 26 have both graded an impressive 9.6, tied for nicest copies in the world. The Journey Into Mystery 83, the classic first appearance and origin of Thor, is an impressive 9.0 with white pages, and some of the higher numbers of the Journey Into Mystery run, especially between Nos. 91 and 125, are among the best and highest graded copies in existence.

 

There are many other high grade Mass. Marvels locked away now in private collections (too many for this article), but the most impressive run of the collection is the Amazing Spider-Mans. Overall, it is the 3rd highest graded original owner Spidey run in the world, traling only the Curators and Pacific Coasts in high grade consistency. In fact, when Mr. Rosenberg made the ASMs available to the public in an auction held by Jay Parrino’s The Mint in June, 2002, (he had held onto most of the issues of the run for his private inventory), almost every individual issue sold at the then (and still) highest recorded price.

 

The notable Mass. Spiderman grades are as follows: No. 2, 9.2 (white pages); 3, 9.4; 4, 9.4; 5 is a 9.6 (tied for highest graded copy); 6, 9.4; 8, 9.4; 13, 9.4; 17 and 18, 9.6 (tied for best copies); 19, 9.6; 21 and 28, 9.4. Most of the higher numbered Amazing Spider-Man comic books from the collection are 9.4s and 9.6s, with a few 9.8s sprinkled in (64, 67, 84 and 96).

 

Collectively, the Mass. Collection is among the nicest Silver Age pedigrees in the world. Out of the known original owner collections with almost complete Marvel runs, it ranks in the top 5 for overall consistency and high grade percentage of books found in the collection.

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comicartfan

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The Pacific Coast Collection

 

Widely regarded as the pre-eminent Silver Age collection of comic books in the world, the Pacific Coast Collection was founded by Robert Roter of Pacific Comic Exchange Inc. in 1999, thus the pedigree’s name. The original owner began selling some of his Marvels piecemeal on Ebay before Mr. Roter bought his entire holding of more than seven thousand comic books.

 

The collection contains almost complete and full runs of many titles from marvel DC, Gold Key, ACG (Warren Magazines) and EC’s Mad Magazines. The collection spans the years 1962 through and including 1967, and has the highest percentage of ultra high grade issues (9.4 or better) than any other pedigree collection not named Mile High. The original owner carefully bought and then kept his priced treasures in meticulous fashion, piled neatly in six foot stacks, similar to how Edgar Church stored his famous books. The comic books all share that same look of freshness and uniformity, which comes from being picked off the same news stand each month.

 

Pacific Coast all have that same unread look, as over ninety-eight percent of the collection show no stress lines or any ware on the spine to indicate the books had ever been read, let alone opened. In addition, most Pacific Coast books have that light back cover transfer stain. (More in the form of the back page interior ad showing through the back cover), again a function of the books being pressed together in the stacks.

 

The average grade of a Pacific Coast comic book, graded by the Comics Guaranty Corporation, is a 9.5 (near mint/ near mint plus). Many of the early Marvel issues are the highest in existence, with many early runs averaging grades of 9.6. The page quality of the Pacific Coast average off white to white, with many of the 1970’s books, being on the top of the stacks, averaging off white.

 

Overall the Pacific Coast collection is the single greatest Silver Age collection to be uncovered yet. It is highly doubtful, but hopeful, that another comic book collection of this size and magnitude will ever be discovered again.

 

Examples of the early Marvel CGC grades include the Tales Of Suspense 39 in 9.6 (without a doubt the entire Pacific Coast Tales Of Suspense run is the best in the world); Avengers 1-5, 9.6; 6, 9.8; 7, 9.4; 8 and 9, 9.6; 10 9.8, 11, 9.6; 12, 9.4; Avengers 13-19, 9.6 and 20, 9.8. Most of the issues between 1 and 100 are at least 9.4 or 9.6, with many 9.8’s.

 

The X-Mens are actually even nicer: No.1, 9.6 (two copies); 2, 9.8; 3, 9.8; 4, 9.4; 5 and 6 are both 9.8; 8, 9.6; 9, 9.8; 10 and 11, 9.6; the X-Men 12 has graded 9.8, as has the 15, 17 and 21!! Most of the higher numbers are 9.6’s and 9.8’s. In fact, the Pacific coast runs of Avengers, Daredevil, X-Men, Strange Tales and Fantastic Four (like the Tales Of suspense run) are the highest graded in the world, while the Amazing Spider-Man issues are second to only those from the Curator collection: the ASM 1 is an 8.5 because of the Marvel Chipping, the 2 is a 9.2 with white pages, 3, 9.4; 4, 9.4; 5, 9.6; while the 6 and 8 are both 9.8s. The 9 and 10 are both 9.4 and 11-14 are each tied with the Curators as best copies in existence at 9.6.

 

The Fantastic Four grades are as follows: the 8 is a 9.0; 9, 9.4; 10, 9.6; 14 and 15, 9.6; 16, 9.4; 18, 9.6 (only copy); 19, 9.6; 21, 9.6; 22 and 23, 9.4; 24-28, 9.6; 30, 32 and 35, 9.8!!. Many of the higher numbers are equally stunning.

 

There are many high Grade Gold Keys from the collection, highlighted by an unbelievable Star Trek run (No.1, 9.6; 2 and 3, 9.8; 4, 9.4; 5, 9.6; 6, 9.4 and 7, 9.6!!!), a run of Doctor Solars averaging 9.4 (no.1 is a 9.6); a run of Man From UNCLE averaging 9.6 and many other high grade photo covers (Girl From UNCLE, Dark Shadows, I Spy, etc), too many to name herein.

 

By far and away, this is the nicest collection of Silver Age Marvels (and many other publishers) to be graded by the CGC to date.

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comicartfan

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The White Mountain Collection

 

For years, the White Mountain collection of comic books, originating out of the White Mountains of New Hampshire, was widely considered the greatest of all the Silver Age pedigrees. It was the earliest of the Silver Age collections to appear (in 1984) and included many diverse publishers and titles, many from the Atom Age (1950’s). The original owner of the books loved science fiction titles, so most publishers’ sci-fi comic books graced this collection of approximately 5,000 books, which spanned the years 1948 into the early 1970’s. Incredibly, the White Mountains consisted of almost complete runs of the EC titles (the first books offered to Jerry Weist of the Million Year Picnic in Cambridge, Mass. in 1984), Atlas, Avon, Ziff-Davis and Marvel; approximately one-half of the Fawcett and Harvey titles and most of the DC science fiction books. It was only with the more recent emergence of the Pacific Coast and Curator collections in the late 1990’s that the White Mountains have taken a back seat.

 

Nevertheless, the unbelievable quality of the early White Mountain Marvel comic books, characterized by amazing paper quality and cover gloss (the result of the books having been stored in metal storage boxes and never read by the original owner), coupled with the consistent high grades given these books (especially key and first appearance issues) by the Comics Guaranty Corporation, is a fact that can not go unnoticed and is worthy of further inspection.

 

The early Fantastic Fours (issues 1-12) are simply incredible and collectively form the nicest run in the world. The No.1 is a beautiful 9.2 and would grade higher if not for the common Marvel Chipping found in these early 1960’s issues. The No. 2 is a 9.4 (off white to white pages), tied for the best copy CGC has graded so far; the 5 is a 9.4 and, with white pages, the nicest copy in the world; the 7 is a 9.4 (tied with the Slobodian copy as the only 2 graded this high); the 11 is a 9.4, also tied for best existing copy, as is the immensely popular No.12, the first Hulk crossover. Some of the higher number are equally impressive (24, 9.6; 29, 9.4; 34, 9.4 and 35, 9.6), but overall do not compare with the earlier ones.

 

The early Spider-Mans are almost as nice. The Amazing Fantasy 15 is a 9.4, while the Amazing Spider-Man No.1 is an incredible 9.6 (both with off white to white pages); And, although the ASM 8 “only” graded a 9.2, the 9 and 10 are both 9.6’s; the 12 and 13, 9.4 and the 20-23 all gorgeous 9.6’s. The ASM 24 is a 9.4, while 31 and 32 are tied for the highest rank at 9.6.

 

The Journey Into Mystery No. 83 graded a ridiculous 9.6 (highest graded copy); the No.84 is an impressive 9.2; the 86 is a 9.4 while the 87 is a whopping 9.6, tied with one other as the best copy.

 

The Tales Of Suspense No. 39 (Origin and first appearance of Iron Man) is also an amazing 9.6, tied with the Pacific Coast copy as the only 9.6 in the world. And, although the Incredible Hulk No.1 graded 8.0 (with white pages), the No.2 is an immaculate 9.4 with white pages; the 3 9.0 and the Incredible Hulk 6 (final issue) is a 9.2, also with white pages.

 

There are many other examples of this wonderful collection of comic books that have received phenomenal grades by the CGC, too many, in fact, to fit in this article. Suffice it to say, the first Silver Age pedigree collection to be discovered is easily among the best.

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TheDanimal

TheDanimal

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Wait a minute...don't pedigrees have to be verified by CGC in the first place?

 

While it helps, many of the recognized pedigrees are still raw and usually come with some sort of provenance to back it up.

 

 

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