HULK # 1 CLUB 21 21

[Randall Ries]

On 3/28/2021 at 9:50 PM, Atomic Rooster said:

Just upgraded to a 6.5 here.  The plan was to sell my 5.5 once it arrived, but don’t think I can bring myself to part with it now.  

Decoded: "My wife didn't yell at me when the 6.5 came in and my plan was to tell her I will sell my 5.5 so the 6.5 wouldn't look so expensive." LOL!

[KCOComics]

On 7/24/2021 at 9:58 PM, wiparker824 said:

This listing surprised me it went so high ($15,101), even though it was a 4.5 Twin Cities pedigree… this bizarre description plus a seller with 0 feedback is a bad combination in my book. Good luck to whoever won this one on getting your book:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Incredible-hulk-comic-book-1-5-62-4-5-rare-/154534855865

Plus the back cover image was lifted off heritage. 

I messaged the seller about the book and he was very responsive, but even some of his responses were a cause for concern.  Just too many red flags. 

That book was at $3k with only a few minutes to go, so it really shot up. 

[Pantodude]

The circumstances were so weird for this IH1 4.5 on eBay and so likely to result in under-bidding that GPA should decline to include this sale as a data point.  Under normal circumstances, a 4.5 with pedigree to boot would have sold for much more than that.  A “mere” 3.5 recently sold TWICE for $21K (on 6/13 and 7/13)!  Come to think of it, it would make me angry if GPA included the “sale” we’re discussing, even if it goes through.  You wouldn’t like me when I’m angry!  GRRR!  🧟‍♂️

Edited July 25, 2021 by Pantodude

[wiparker824]

On 7/25/2021 at 3:18 AM, KCOComics said:

Plus the back cover image was lifted off heritage. 

I messaged the seller about the book and he was very responsive, but even some of his responses were a cause for concern.  Just too many red flags. 

That book was at $3k with only a few minutes to go, so it really shot up. 

That’s interesting… I was watching it the whole time when it was at 3k and thought I should message him in case this is real but it just sounded way too crazy, and thought it wouldn’t be worth my time to do so. The insistence to want to meet in person and then ending the description with “this is not a scam but I will not lose it” was really the kicker for me. I do wish whoever won it was a boardie so I could hear if they wind up getting it.

[Pantodude]

No one posted the "item specifics" of the listing, but it, too, raised red flags all over the place for this supposedly slabbed 4.5 book from 1962:

Condition:    

Like New: A book that looks new but has been read. Cover has no visible wear, and the dust jacket (if applicable) is included for hard covers. No missing or damaged pages, no creases or tears, and no underlining/highlighting of text or writing in the margins. May be very minimal identifying marks on the inside cover. Very minimal wear and tear. See the seller’s listing for full details and description of any imperfections. See all condition definitions    Series:    Hulk

Character:    The Hulk    Type:    Comic Book

Tradition:    US Comics    Issue Number:    1

Era:    Bronze Age (1970-83)

The highlighted parts, including the identified era, suggests the book being sold might not be the pictured book!   All of that, together with the seller's weird updates, zero feedback, unusual restrictions on delivery, and the remark that the book is "worth more than $100.00" should have dissuaded all significant bidding, and yet it sold for what it did.  

[wiparker824]

On 7/25/2021 at 7:18 AM, Pantodude said:

No one posted the "item specifics" of the listing, but it, too, raised red flags all over the place for this supposedly slabbed 4.5 book from 1962:

Condition:    

Like New: A book that looks new but has been read. Cover has no visible wear, and the dust jacket (if applicable) is included for hard covers. No missing or damaged pages, no creases or tears, and no underlining/highlighting of text or writing in the margins. May be very minimal identifying marks on the inside cover. Very minimal wear and tear. See the seller’s listing for full details and description of any imperfections. See all condition definitions    Series:    Hulk

Character:    The Hulk    Type:    Comic Book

Tradition:    US Comics    Issue Number:    1

Era:    Bronze Age (1970-83)

The highlighted parts, including the identified era, suggests the book being sold might not be the pictured book!   All of that, together with the seller's weird updates, zero feedback, unusual restrictions on delivery, and the remark that the book is "worth more than $100.00" should have dissuaded all significant bidding, and yet it sold for what it did.  

Yeah, it’s very suspicious. And like it was pointed out earlier images lifted from Heritage site is a very strange thing to do. Also of note GPA shows the last purchase of this book as being in 2011 thru Heritage, not that GPA captures everything but it’s hard to believe someone who knows enough to be buying a pedigree book off Heritage in 2011 would not know how to properly sell the same book in 2021. This book could have very well went for 10k more at least if listed properly on Heritage or even just by a reputable seller with a normal listing on eBay. 

[Pantodude]

A really nice 6.5 IH#1 on CL!  Hopefully someone springs for the grader's notes and let's us know why it's only a 6.5.   

 

[gadzukes]

On 7/23/2021 at 2:58 PM, 500hpAudiS4 said:

Back in the club finally

Nice...... no comic code so you got the "R" rated version of Hulk 1

[Dark Knight]

On 8/15/2021 at 6:08 AM, gadzukes said:

Nice...... no comic code so you got the "R" rated version of Hulk 1

Maybe you can just write a "R" on the book yourself with a marker 

[Timeless icons]

On 8/14/2021 at 8:13 PM, Pantodude said:

A really nice 6.5 IH#1 on CL!  Hopefully someone springs for the grader's notes and let's us know why it's only a 6.5.   

 

Nicely centered and also a very nice cut too. 

[Pantodude]

Surprised no one reported this, but a blue 3.0 sold for $27,500 on Aug. 18 per GPA, which is a new all-time high that annihilated the prior high of $18,600 in May by about 50%.  Wow.   

[Dark Knight]

On 8/20/2021 at 7:49 PM, Pantodude said:

Surprised no one reported this, but a blue 3.0 sold for $27,500 on Aug. 18 per GPA, which is a new all-time high that annihilated the prior high of $18,600 in May by about 50%.  Wow.   

Just saw that it sold on ebay from comicmylars.  Books looks great for a 3.0 and it has white pages.  This could be an outlier or maybe a pump/fake sale.. We'll see sooner or later.

[alexgross.com]

On 8/20/2021 at 9:42 PM, Dark Knight said:

Just saw that it sold on ebay from comicmylars.  Books looks great for a 3.0 and it has white pages.  This could be an outlier or maybe a pump/fake sale.. We'll see sooner or later.

could it be that white pages actually add value to a key book?!?!? 

in all seriousness, i've been astonished at comicmylars sky high prices on feebay for many years now. amazing to me that he ever sells anything. but i suppose now and then, he does indeed, as he has some great looking books. as frustrating as his prices are, i've never heard anything about him doing fake sales. but that doesn't mean this buyer has come through and paid yet. time will indeed tell. 

[Pantodude]

On 8/21/2021 at 10:03 AM, alexgross.com said:

could it be that white pages actually add value to a key book?!?!? 

in all seriousness, i've been astonished at comicmylars sky high prices on feebay for many years now. amazing to me that he ever sells anything. but i suppose now and then, he does indeed, as he has some great looking books. as frustrating as his prices are, i've never heard anything about him doing fake sales. but that doesn't mean this buyer has come through and paid yet. time will indeed tell. 

If it's the white pages (plus nice-looking, so maybe, but what a bump though!), then we might be in for another headliner.  Comicmylars has another white pager, this time a 6.0, and he was asking $55K or $65K (not more than that) just last night.   But the BIN on that 6.0 is now $74,995.  Does anyone know about another recent sale of IH#1 that might have prompted the bump?   I don't know if the bump in the 6.0's BIN makes the  3.0 any more likely (or not under these curious circumstances) to be legit, but I am intrigued for sure.  

Edited August 21, 2021 by Pantodude

[Pantodude]

On 8/21/2021 at 1:58 PM, Batmanis#1 said:

What would a nice looking 4.5 be worth?

Well, a 3.5 sold in July for $21K and now we have the $27.5K for the 3.0, which conservately would suggest $30-35K, if not more if just the 3.5 data is indicative.  Thrown in the 3.0 sale, and beyond $40K is suggested.  we'll see if reliable.  IH1 is unique, having seen gains w/o any catalyst like other keys, and no pullbacks seen yet, so recent highs could suggest near-term strength.  That said, there are few sales of these babies to really, really say where a 4.5 should be at.  

Edited August 21, 2021 by Pantodude

[Pantodude]

On 8/21/2021 at 1:58 PM, Batmanis#1 said:

What would a nice looking 4.5 be worth?

I just thought we should also consider the apparently stale data for the 7.0 ($69K June), 6.5 ($51.6K June), and 5.5 ($30K April).  Using that relatively stale data would suggest bumping up the 5.5 to at least $35K (but the recent data suggests $40-45K), in which case it would suggest a 4.5 is in the $25K-30K range.   But all that could be stale in light of the recent sales, as speculated above.  Still looks good for the book regardless.  

Edited August 22, 2021 by Pantodude

[Pantodude]

BTW, a 5.5 OW/W graded by the OTHER ONE sold for $40K on eBay on 5/26/21, which was interesting.  https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw="Incredible+hulk+%231"++5.5&_sacat=0&rt=nc&LH_Sold=1&LH_Complete=1

Edited August 21, 2021 by Pantodude

[KCOComics]

On 8/21/2021 at 1:34 PM, Pantodude said:

If it's the white pages (plus nice-looking, so maybe, but what a bump though!), then we might be in for another headliner.  Comicmylars has another white pager, this time a 6.0, and he was asking $55K or $65K (not more than that) just last night.   But the BIN on that 6.0 is now $74,995.  Does anyone know about another recent sale of IH#1 that might have prompted the bump?   I don't know if the bump in the 6.0's BIN makes the  3.0 any more likely (or not under these curious circumstances) to be legit, but I am intrigued for sure.  

Bob storm has a nice looking 3.0 listed for $25k. Slight miswrap, off white. I know it sold in short order, not sure if it realized the full $25k 

[Pantodude]

The 5.0 sig series OW/W sold for $30K tonight on CL.  Impressive bump up compared to the most recent GPA sale in February at $21.5K, but not so much compared to the recent non-SS 3.0 sale mentioned above for $27.5K, which could have been an outlier.  

[Dark Knight]

Or it could also mean silver age keys with SS labels sell for less than universal graded copies. I for one am not a fan of signatures on covers of silver age keys.  I've never bought into ever since, never will...