Guess the price - Batman #1

[nearmint]

So we've been guessing what the book will eventually sell for, but this book is being listed in the "for sale" section, not the auction section. I'm curious what the initial asking price will be...

 

500K?

[comgeek]

HALF OF THAT!! WE WANT IT SELL...remember? Get those 2nd mortgages ready

[rob_react]

HALF OF THAT!! WE WANT IT SELL...remember? Get those 2nd mortgages ready

 

$250,000? Is that official?

[nearmint]

HALF OF THAT!! WE WANT IT SELL...remember? Get those 2nd mortgages ready

 

Well, I wasn't predicting it would SELL for 500K. As we all know, if the book was listed for 500K on the Link, a bid could be make at 250K. Just thought you might pad the top end a bit.

[Aman619]

250 isnt padded enough?

its only a Bat 1, not an Action 1, Detective 27 or even a Marvel 1

 

Its a sweet book, and Highest Census as of today, but have the big Pedigrees been graded yet?

what else it out there raw? What if its in reality the 3rd or 4th best copy?

[dam60]

250 isnt padded enough?

its only a Bat 1, not an Action 1, Detective 27 or even a Marvel 1

 

Its a sweet book, and Highest Census as of today, but have the big Pedigrees been graded yet?

what else it out there raw? What if its in reality the 3rd or 4th best copy?

 

If I were independently wealthy I would be all over that!

 

That being said, don't a lot of the big Pedigrees have work on them? That's the legend at least. . . .

 

DAM

 

PS - Steve, if you want to just give me the book I would give you my undying appreciation, hey that's got to be worth at least $5mm easy!

[rob_react]

 

That being said, don't a lot of the big Pedigrees have work on them? That's the legend at least. . . .

 

 

so speaketh zilla...

 

The Denver copy would get a purple label, and I believe the Mile High would also,

so that knocks two possible better ones out of the way.

This is a very tough book in high grade - much tougher than Cap #1 (even though it's a very common book, kind of like the situation with Superman #1).

[Aman619]

sorry... I didnt see that post.

How about the awesome Allentowns? Was there a number 1?

[jimm94]

250 isnt padded enough?

its only a Bat 1, not an Action 1, Detective 27 or even a Marvel 1

 

Its a sweet book, and Highest Census as of today, but have the big Pedigrees been graded yet?

what else it out there raw? What if its in reality the 3rd or 4th best copy?

 

Even if the major pedigree copies of this book are of equal or higher technical grade, you have to account for the likelihood of them becoming available in the marketplace. You also have to consider the odds of a high grade, unrestored, non-pedigree copy surfacing. I don't think high grade Batman #1's will be crawling out of the woodwork, although according to the census there is a second 9.0 copy and a single 8.5. Depending on the nature of the flaws on the 8.5, it could be potentially resubbed as a 9.0 candidate.

 

I don't think there's anything unusual about paying unprecedented $$$ for the 3rd or 4th best copy of a book if the other top copies are simply unavailable. In that sense, they might as well not even exist. $250,000 is aggressive, but I don't think our esteemed colleague Comgeek will have a difficult time finding a buyer at that price.

[Aman619]

Im not trying to disparage the book. Its a killer copy.

But out of the handful of potential buyers for a 250K book, how many already have a nice Bat 1?

 

250K is still pretty rarefied territory for a comic. Cant each and every sale above 200K still be counted on one hand?

[comgeek]

The Denver was graded 9.2 Restored...Cleaned which it did not need...The Batman #1 MILE HIGH has CT...The Kansas City copy is about VF-....No Allentown, No Frisco and the Larson was stolen(had work anyhow ..I THINK?) THE VF+ that sold for $150,000 almost 4 years ago was an upgrade from 8.0.it was the Overstreet Copy..so its not going anywhere.... as into a 9.0 holder....This is one of the 3 best UNRESTORED copies in existence if not better..and its a SOLID 9.0....not a squeaker-by...Batman # 1 is a Very Important book....Talk to someone outside the hobby with money to invest... and ask him what books he would be interested in among the TOP 25 most valuable Comics.....I bet Batman # 1 is in top 4.

[Mephisto]

Got to have it just for the Joker 1st appearance.

[Crowzilla]

The Denver was graded 9.2 Restored...Cleaned which it did not need......No Allentown, No Frisco and the Larson was stolen:

 

Thank you M.W. for cleaning the Denver.

 

You might want to double check with Payette about the Allentown though, I was pretty sure Batman #1-5 were in there.

But I agree with everything else you said - definitely one of the top 3 copies and one of the best investment books you could get - especially when looked at from an outsider's point of view.

[comgeek]

Shawn,

 

I am not 100% sure about there existing the Allentown Bat 1...Steve F. would know, as he had the #2 up. All the rest Im pretty sure on as Ive seen most of them.

[Aman619]

....Talk to someone outside the hobby with money to invest... and ask him what books he would be interested in among the TOP 25 most valuable Comics.....I bet Batman # 1 is in top 4.

 

I get your point.... but anybody outside the hobby wouldnt know what a Batman#1 was, dontcha think? Thanks for filling me in on th eother Pedigree copies. Shocking really that so mant nice books were allowed to have work done to them.

[Aman619]

Comgeek - - dont worry, Im not trying to rain on your parade. Im sure it will sell for what you are asking. May I suggest $285K? That way you can always take a $250K offer.

[comgeek]

No Problema...Im still dry....I'll take it under advisement....Thanks

[Filter81]

I mean no disrespect to the people who are predicting a $250,000 price and I mean no disrespect to the book's current owner (It really is an awesome book) but I think expecting $250,000 for this book is crazy. Thats roughly 3x guide, non-pedigree GA books don't do that. I'm not some well-known seller or anything, but I've owned a number of Batman 1s over the last few years (at one point I had 4 copies of this issue at once, including the one that is currently at the top of the census as a 9.2 with slight restoration) Obviously I've never had one this nice though.

 

Anyway, if you look at past sales, an unrestored Marvel Comics 1 CGC 8.5 sold last year for $126,500. (That is roughly 2/3rds of guide price on that book by the way) And personally I'd rather own an 8.5 Marvel 1 than a 9.0 Batman 1. If someone were willing to pay $160,000 on this book (roughly 2x guide) I'd say that would be a very healthy price and I'd be surprised to see someone go higher. If this book were put up for auction with a major auction house I'd be surprised to see bidding pass $130,000. Even the 9.0 Pay copy of Marvel Comics 1 only went for 1.5x guide when it sold, and that was record-breaking.....

 

Anyway my guess on this book is $125,000-$150,000 tops. But if I'm wrong and the seller does better, more power to him!

[Aman619]

its not an auction, I dont think. So if the magic number isnt reached, it wont sell rather than sell for "so little"

[Moondog]

I checked my notes regarding the Windy City Batman 1 and here's my description:

 

...structurally perfect. Unread.

 

The 9.0 for sale looks like the spine is "pinched" to me (this may just be the result of the scan). The WC copy had a beautiful "rounded" spine and no hint of a potential spine split.

 

...staples were perfect

 

...no creases or stress marks

 

...page quality was white with "brownish" edges

 

This was pre-OWL and pre-CGC, so this comment tells me today that the pages would be "Cream to off-white". Most of the WC books did not have great page quality due to their being stored in a shed/attic that got VERY hot in the summer, cold in winter.

 

...slight foxing on BC

 

This comment has me confused now since I'm not sure anymore what "foxing" is. It used to mean that the covers would get these yellow/brownish flecks or slight streaks. I believe foxing is the result of high humidity levels. Maybe someone could post an example of foxing so I can determine if it was foxing or something else.

 

I graded this book VF/NM in 1986 (or so). It sold at the San Diego show that year for what was then a record price (at least that's what I was told) of $9,600. The buyer was a British fellow who was somewhat of a high profile collector back then. I believe his first name was Duncan. He bought it because it was the nicest copy he had ever seen.

 

If I were to compare this copy with the WC, I would say that this book "looks" cleaner/nicer. I think the defects I mentioned regarding the WC would not allow it to be graded higher than this book, but if there is a way of removing the foxing that's undetectable, then the WC could be a 9.0 to 9.4 with no problem.