lou_fine Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 With the recent Billy Wright books attracting a lot of attention to the early Centaurs and how some of them never shows up in the marketplace, I was wondering if there is a consensus on the rarest Centaur books out there? I know that Win (CentaurMan) had his Windex scarcity list of Centaur books out there a few years ago. That was an excellent run of posts that we had there for awhile, but my search skills on these boards are almost at zero. It would also be good to see if this scarcity index should be adjusted with some of the books that have made their way into the marketplace in the interim. As a result, a link to this previous thread would be greatly appreciated. (thumbs u I know that Overstreet has designated some of the Centaurs as rare in the price guide, but from his listing, they would appear more a case of rarity relative to demand since virtually all of them are from the later Centaur super-hero time period. These would include the more in-demand books such as A-Man #5 (this book can't truly be rare) and Funny Pages V4 #1 which both should be a lot easier to find than the much earlier Star Comics #3 which OS has also designated as rare. Of interest is the Funny Picture Stories #7 which Overstreet has now designated as rare just a couple of years ago and has now broken it out accordingly in terms of price. Any reason why OS would select this particular issue from out of the blue when the much more widely acknowledged ones such as the A-Man #26, early KDF's, and Star/Star Ranger Comics seems to be talked about much more here on the boards? Would any of the board members here like to share their opinions as to the rarest Centaur books out there? Hopefully, we'll hear from some of the long-term prominent Centaur collectors such as Win, Ryan, Jon Berk, etc. on this topic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ecfanman Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 There is a Centaur titled "Khaki Comics" from 1941. The cover is the same as Stars and Stripes #2, also from 1941. The only time I have personally seen a copy was at a Mound City auction last year. I couldn't look at the interiors as it was CGC slabbed and graded as a 2.0. I couldn't be there on the day of the auction and left a significant bid, but found out it ended up going for somewhere around $1500 (I think). It is not in Overstreet and not in Gerber. It is listed on the GCD site, but it sounds like their only information was from a listing on eBay. I don't know much about it. It is pictured in CGC's gallery and is the only copy listed. Here is a link: Khaki Komics nn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nearmint Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 Interesting. Not even a cover price. A giveaway? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buttock Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 There's a similar book with an AMF cover that was unique. I can't recall details now, I think Mark Wilson turned it up. I had a chance to buy it back in the 90s, but passed. The FPS laundry giveaway is very rare. I'd wager the Khaki Komics is a remaindered/rebound thing, and not published by Centaur, but that's only a guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsp99 Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 There's a similar book with an AMF cover that was unique. I can't recall details now, I think Mark Wilson turned it up. I had a chance to buy it back in the 90s, but passed. The FPS laundry giveaway is very rare. I'd wager the Khaki Komics is a remaindered/rebound thing, and not published by Centaur, but that's only a guess. The Funny Picture Stories Laundry Giveaway is very tough indeed. Didn't even know of it until Heritage turned one up roughly 5 years ago........ http://comics.ha.com/c/item.zx?saleNo=16101&lotNo=16162 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buttock Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 Then Jerry Weist had another copy shortly after. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sacentaur Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 A-Man #5 (this book can't truly be rare) You're correct, it's not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lou_fine Posted February 26, 2012 Author Share Posted February 26, 2012 A-Man #5 (this book can't truly be rare) You're correct, it's not. Totally! I would probably have to say the same thing about the Funny Page V4 #1. Any idea as to the other 2 Centaurs which Overstreet has designated as "rare", namely the Star Comics #3 and the Funny Picture Stories #7? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buttock Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 FPS 7 isn't any rarer than the rest of the run. In fact, I probably see more of it than any other number other than #1. Another victim of hype. A-Man 5 is rare in decent shape and unrestored. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forbush-Man Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 Being a Centuar collector myself I have saved Win's WINdex ratings whenever possible. Here are the KDF & FP WINdex lists. The higher the number, the harder to find that issue. The toughest issues of KDF are, in approximate order: v1#10 (the toughest) v1#9 (brutal as well) -gap- v2#1 v1#11 v1#8 #22 v2#4 v2#7 #21 -gap- v2#8 v2#2 v2#6 #20 #19 #18 #23 There are 6 others that are tricky to varying degrees, depending on your luck at the time -gap- #24 v2#9 (these are the only two that I would consider easy) Here's my Funny Pages "Windex" ranking for scarcity (higher is tougher): v1#6:....24 v1#7:....22 v1#8:....22 v1#9:....22 v1#10:..19 v1#11:..19 v2#1:....15 v2#2:....19 v2#3:....19 v2#4:....15 v2#5:....17 v2#6:....15 v2#7:....18 v2#8:....16 v2#9:....18 v2#10:..25 v2#11:..16 v2#12:..24 v3#1:....20 v3#2:....20 v3#3:....27 v3#4:....27 v3#5:....27 v3#6:....24 v3#7:....23 v3#8:....18 v3#9:....23 v3#10:..26 v4#1:....18 35:........19 36:........21 37:........21 38:........23 39:........24 40:........26 41:........24 42:........25 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
damonwad Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 Being a Centuar collector myself I have saved Win's WINdex ratings whenever possible. Here are the KDF & FP WINdex lists. The higher the number, the harder to find that issue. The toughest issues of KDF are, in approximate order: v1#10 (the toughest) v1#9 (brutal as well) -gap- v2#1 v1#11 v1#8 #22 v2#4 v2#7 #21 -gap- v2#8 v2#2 v2#6 #20 #19 #18 #23 There are 6 others that are tricky to varying degrees, depending on your luck at the time -gap- #24 v2#9 (these are the only two that I would consider easy) Here's my Funny Pages "Windex" ranking for scarcity (higher is tougher): v1#6:....24 v1#7:....22 v1#8:....22 v1#9:....22 v1#10:..19 v1#11:..19 v2#1:....15 v2#2:....19 v2#3:....19 v2#4:....15 v2#5:....17 v2#6:....15 v2#7:....18 v2#8:....16 v2#9:....18 v2#10:..25 v2#11:..16 v2#12:..24 v3#1:....20 v3#2:....20 v3#3:....27 v3#4:....27 v3#5:....27 v3#6:....24 v3#7:....23 v3#8:....18 v3#9:....23 v3#10:..26 v4#1:....18 35:........19 36:........21 37:........21 38:........23 39:........24 40:........26 41:........24 42:........25 Here are the scarcity numbers that go with the KDF's. v1#8......23 v1#9......27 v1#10....27 v1#11....26 v2#1......21 v2#2......19 v2#3......19 v2#4......26 v2#5......18 v2#6......21 v2#7......26 v2#8......23 v2#9......9 v2#10....16 v2#11....15 v2#12....18 v3#1......17 18.........17 19.........22 20.........20 21.........26 22.........26 23.........21 24.........10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lou_fine Posted February 26, 2012 Author Share Posted February 26, 2012 FPS 7 isn't any rarer than the rest of the run. In fact, I probably see more of it than any other number other than #1. Another victim of hype. A-Man 5 is rare in decent shape and unrestored. With respect to the FPS #7, I certainly would not call it a victim of hype, more likely a victim of an error by Overstreet in selecting this particular issue and designating it as a rare book over and above all of the other rare early Centaurs. I have heard lots of talk about rarity with respect to some of the last few issues of A-Man, the first 2 issues of KDF, most of the Star and Star Ranger books, and select issues of Funny Pages near the end of the run. Have never heard anything at all with respect to FPS #7, so I would certainly say that it is not due to any type of hype. Looking at the Heritage archives, there are tons of sales for the supposedly HTF Funny Pages and also on most of the early A-Man books (especially the A-Man #5). Not many sales for Star & FPS in general, and specifically, no recorded sales at all for either Star Comics #3 or for FPS #7. So I assume that most of the copies which you saw available for sale must have either been private sales or at conventions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mmehdy Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 (edited) Billy wright has some issues going to auction tonight.....what in your opinion is the rarest of the lot? Edited February 26, 2012 by Mmehdy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buttock Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 There were a few people hyping FPS 7 a while back due to the cover and making the claim that it was rare. Shortly thereafter OS pegged it as rare. There was hype. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lou_fine Posted February 27, 2012 Author Share Posted February 27, 2012 Billy wright has some issues going to auction tonight.....what in your opinion is the rarest of the lot? Mitch; If your are referring to just the Centaurs, it would most definitely be the Star Ranger book. Did you end up winning one of the Billy Wright Centaurs in the end? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lou_fine Posted February 27, 2012 Author Share Posted February 27, 2012 There were a few people hyping FPS 7 a while back due to the cover and making the claim that it was rare. Shortly thereafter OS pegged it as rare. There was hype. Well, it certainly couldn't have been any of the board members here as OS would have selected A-Man #26 or KDF #10 if that was the case. Actually, I've always heard complaints from his advisors that anything OS was told would more than likely go in one ear and straight out the other as Overstreet always tended to do his own thing when it came to the price guide. As for the cover for FPS #7, it doesn't do anything for me as I don't see anything special or at all classic about it. Just your standard Centaur funny cover. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sacentaur Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 For 'Amazing Mystery Funnies', I'd probably have to go with Vol. 1#4 (Everett gun in the crotch cover). I've seen more Vol 1#2's of late, and while the 2#4 (Sandhog cover - I used to own the Church copy) is really tough, I don't think either beats out the 1#4. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blind Owl Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 What was the grade on the AMF 2/4 Steve??? Here are a few more that are somewhat rare, that were not not mentioned yet. AMF 2/2 DPS 2 & 3 (although I know of 3 copies of #3 which have turned up lately), so maybe nix that one. FPS 2, 3, & 4 Little Giant 4 Star 3,4,5, 6, 13 (we all know about 11). Star Ranger 3, 4, 6 Keen Komics 1 Cowboy 13 These are some that I consider tough books, just off the top of my head. The other Centaurs already mentioned in this thread, are the obvious ones though in my opinion. I'd like to hear if any of these are not rare in other centaur circles....Thanks!!! (thumbs u OK....just got home from work...time to sleep now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sacentaur Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 I had the Church AMF 2#4 before the CGC-era; it was killer. Yes, Keen Komics #1 is brutal (never owned one).... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G.A.tor Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 I have seen several keen 1s. Owned the lloyd j copy. A few stars I have never seen for sale Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
