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The Rarest Bronze Age Comic?

Started by MonumentalCo,

54 posts in this topic

lighthouse

lighthouse

Posted
Posted

Yeah... there's a half dozen 30-centers with less than five known copies, and several 35-centers with only one known copy (including my Kid Colt 220). Many of the 35-centers have still not been found...

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FlyingDonut

FlyingDonut

Posted
Posted

We had this thread a while back!

 

Rarest Bronze Age Comics

 

Here are my calls:

 

Weird Wonder Tales 15 30 cent variant (how many are there? I've got one. Silverandbronze has one. Jeff Amanson has one. That's it, that we know of).

 

Any Sgt. Fury 35 cent variant (they might not exist)

 

Christmas & Archie treasury (listed as "Rare" by Overstreet)

 

Cancelled Comic Cavalcade 1 and 2 (only 35 made)

 

Captain Canuck 4 2nd Printing (only 15 printed)

 

Marvel Comics Super Special 11-13 Proof Copies (only 25 of each printed)

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lighthouse

lighthouse

Posted
Posted

Agreed... this is one thread that just seems to come back over and over and over...

 

I'm just happy to have discovered one of the three known WWT 15's and to have the only known 35c Kid Colt... tongue.gif

 

I know there are still a bunch of 35-centers that have never been found...

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read_em-migration

read_em-migration

Posted
Posted

I don't think variants should be considered in discussions like this. I mean, we're looking for the rarest comic, not rarest cover, so I see that as encompassing the entire comic or entire comic print run, not just a cover "variant".

Is the Kid Colt # 220 with a cover price that says 35 cents instead of 30 cents "rare"? Could be. Is Kid Colt # 220 rare? No. Are the interiors of these two books the same? Yes. So as I see it, Kid Colt # 220 is not rare, as I can "easily" find a copy of the book in one form or another. Some of the other books mentioned you can't find at all in any form. That's rarity.

So IMHO, price variants are irrelevant when discussing truly rare books.

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FlyingDonut

FlyingDonut

Posted
Posted

Well, I will pay you $500 each for any NM copy of Weird Wonder Tales 15 with a 30 cent cover price that you can find.

 

If it is so irrelevant, why have I been able to locate only 3 in 5 years of looking?

 

And, I'll bet you that Kid Colt 220 in high grade is pretty damned hard to find.

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read_em-migration

read_em-migration

Posted
Posted

"Well, I will pay you $500 each for any NM copy of Weird Wonder Tales 15 with a 30 cent cover price that you can find.

If it is so irrelevant, why have I been able to locate only 3 in 5 years of looking?"

 

But can you find a copy of Weird Wonder Tales # 15, with or without a 30 cent cover? I expect the answer is yes. So to me, that book is not rare - IMHO. The book itself is not rare, although a cover variation may be.

 

"And, I'll bet you that Kid Colt 220 in high grade is pretty damned hard to find."

 

I never said anything about what grade it would be in.

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aardvark88

aardvark88

Posted
Posted

I saw an oversized Capt Canuck #4 once about 8 yrs ago. I know 1 dealer who has the orig. set up color key to Capt Canuck #1 signed by Richard Comely & the artist, I think.

Never seen the #4 b/w ashcan. Probably never made it out of the frozen wasteland of Winnipeg, MB, Canada.

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underthebigw

underthebigw

Posted
Posted

OK, I'm back in the game after two months of sleep deprivation thanks to my new daughter. And I just can not let this argument pass by without response.

 

First--it not absurd to collect ANYTHING. If you're collecting something for the right reasons, whether because it has meaning to you or you're a completist and it is part of a larger group that you care about, it is worth collecting. In my case it happens to be both.

 

Second--and I strongly feel this way--the variants are a part of comics history. They served a very real purpose for Marvel and are genuinely hard to find in many instances. And there is no way you can tell me the regular issue and the variant version are the same book. That's like saying your average low grade issue of Marvel Tales is the same book as the corresponding issue of Spidey. Same cover, often the same interior (yes, I realize many issues have a page or two missing) and generally the same story. Same book--no way. The same holds true for price variants. There are very real differences between them and the regular issues ( cover price, distribution, print run), many of which result in true scarcity. You can scoff at WWT 15 (and I do own one of the 3 known copies -- took two years to find and, quite honestly, I got lucky) because it is not a premiere title, but when something is that rare, it is worth collecting, at least to me. You want to claim that you have every issue of the Hulk, Invaders, FF or anything else, you'd be hard pressed to make that contention if you don't have the variants.

 

And, of course, it is worth pointing out that this feeling is not unique to our hobby, but most others, as well. Take coin collecting--same coin, same face value, same function, but different mint mark, and it makes a world of difference. Take stamp collecting--same image, same function, different number of perforations--different stamp (I think there are instances of that-don't quote me). Trading cards (sports or otherwise)-same image, same info on flip side, same original purpose, but different color on the flip side, and it commands a premium price. It's just human nature and a part of collecting. You're not into it--fine, but don't try to argue about the rarity. It's undeniable.

 

 

 

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FlyingDonut

FlyingDonut

Posted
Posted

Get him Paul, get him.

 

And an aside - Congratulations from all of us here (and I'm sure we all send our best wishes) on the birth of the little one. Keep her away from your comics. First thing my son learned. Don't touch Daddy's comics!

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underthebigw

underthebigw

Posted
Posted

Yeah, right. I remember my first trip to your old house to pick up some books from you back in the early days of ebay. As we made a deal, your son picked up a nice 60's Bat-book and firmly and soundly bent it over his head. You handled it much better than I would've.

 

 

Thanks for the well-wishes and I'll be in touch.

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lighthouse

lighthouse

Posted
Posted

Congrats Paul... couldn't have happened to a nicer guy... laugh.gif

 

Now that the pleasantries are out of the way... Get off yer lazy butt and update your website! You're the best/only resource for variant collectors and we expect better service! tongue.gif

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blowout

blowout

Posted
Posted

Lighthouse just mentioned your website, so i'll chime in and say that I've found it a great resource for identifying and verifying variant books. I don't collect them per say, but when the chance arrises I like to pick them up if they fall into a run that I do collect.

silverandbronze your site has been a great help to me, keep up the good work. grin.gif

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murph0

murph0

Posted
Posted

Yes, I've known about your website for a while..I also don't collect variants but if I ever decide to sell my IF 14 35-cent variant, I will be pointing to your website for any potential buyers questions tongue.gif

 

Brian

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