What are the toughest .10 cent DC's to find in 8.0 and above?

[Forbush-Man]

I'm going to guess that the DC funny animal books like Real Screen would be vey hard to find in high grade

 

Absolutely, quite simply because so few collectors go after them so they've not been cherished and protected like the superhero, mystery and sci-fi titles. Even Fuelman doesn't want them.

 

 

Hey! I didn't say THAT.

[Silver]

The reason I aked was that there is tough, but what is toughest? Likely, the toughest books are ones no one is really looking for much.

 

I agree. Therefore I think the best candidates would be from the Jimmy Olsen, Superboy and World's Finest titles.

 

Add Lois Lane 1 to the list as well.

 

I think #2 issues are typically much tougher than #1 issues.

 

 

Actually, the first 4 Lois's are very tough. This list would be endless actually, there are so many books that fit this with DC.

[DanCooper]

"This list would be endless actually, there are so many books that fit this with DC."

 

How true Silver, how true!

 

It might be a shorter list to identify what 50s DC are more common in 8.0 and above than their counterparts.

 

For some reason, the Showcase Challengers always seem to be in higher grades than the surrounding Showcase numbers (Kirby fans taking more care??)

[Hepcat]

It might be a shorter list to identify what 50s DC are more common in 8.0 and above than their counterparts.

 

I agree!

 

For some reason, the Showcase Challengers always seem to be in higher grades than the surrounding Showcase numbers (Kirby fans taking more care??)

 

I think you may be right.

 

[ChasingKingKirby]

The reason I aked was that there is tough, but what is toughest? Likely, the toughest books are ones no one is really looking for much.

 

I agree. Therefore I think the best candidates would be from the Jimmy Olsen, Superboy and World's Finest titles.

 

Add Lois Lane 1 to the list as well.

 

I think #2 issues are typically much tougher than #1 issues.

 

 

Actually, the first 4 Lois's are very tough. This list would be endless actually, there are so many books that fit this with DC.

 

We could limit it to key books I suppose, that would make the task a bit easier, but I still haven't found a DC silver key with more than a half dozen copies above 8.0 on census. Looks like the most "common" issue would be Flash 105. It has a whopping 10 copies above 8.0. Second would be SC22 with 8.

[Bomber-Bob]

For a minor key, Wonder Woman 105 only has two above 8.0. 4 in 8.0 .

[Bomber-Bob]

The reason I aked was that there is tough, but what is toughest? Likely, the toughest books are ones no one is really looking for much.

 

I agree. Therefore I think the best candidates would be from the Jimmy Olsen, Superboy and World's Finest titles.

 

Add Lois Lane 1 to the list as well.

 

I think #2 issues are typically much tougher than #1 issues.

 

 

Lois Lane #2 has 0 copies in 8.0 and above. The single highest graded is 7.5 .

[Sqeggs]

Yep. LL 2 has my vote. The early LL books have the double whammy of what I assume were small print runs combined with low interest from collectors as fandom began to take off in the 1960s. So there weren't many copies to begin with and people weren't making much effort to preserve them.

[DanCooper]

Yep. LL 2 has my vote. The early LL books have the double whammy of what I assume were small print runs combined with low interest from collectors as fandom began to take off in the 1960s. So there weren't many copies to begin with and people weren't making much effort to preserve them.

 

Excelllent points. Along with Hepcat's previous observation that #2 issues being harder to find than the #1s.

 

Years ago, either the Comic Book Marketplace or the CBG ran an article about the toughest Silver DC.

 

I believe Challengers of the Unknown #2 was listed as one of the most difficult to find DCs.

 

Flash 106 even had (or has) a scarce designation in Overstreet (although I feel 107 is a tougher book, especially in grade)

 

The #2 issue scarcity may be due to DC's confidence in a title continuing.

 

They were already skeptical about putting the number "1" on new titles. The second issues probably had low print runs ordered while DC waited for the mailbag responses to come in from issue #1 sales.

[Bomber-Bob]

Yep. LL 2 has my vote. The early LL books have the double whammy of what I assume were small print runs combined with low interest from collectors as fandom began to take off in the 1960s. So there weren't many copies to begin with and people weren't making much effort to preserve them.

 

Excelllent points. Along with Hepcat's previous observation that #2 issues being harder to find than the #1s.

 

Years ago, either the Comic Book Marketplace or the CBG ran an article about the toughest Silver DC.

 

I believe Challenger of the Unknown #2 was listed as one of the most difficult to find DCs.

 

Flash 106 even had (or has) a scarce designation in Overstreet (although I feel 107 is a tougher book, especially in grade)

 

The #2 issue scarcity may be due to DC's confidence in a title continuing.

 

They were already skeptical about putting the number "1" on new titles. The second issues probably had low print runs ordered while DC waited for the mailbag responses to come in from issue #1 sales.

 

I can't remember specifics but wasn't it a fact that an issue with #1 on it cost more

to publish ? That's why a lot of titles, especially Marvel, simply continued with a title even though a new hero was introduced, ala TOS, JIM, etc.

[DanCooper]

Yep. LL 2 has my vote. The early LL books have the double whammy of what I assume were small print runs combined with low interest from collectors as fandom began to take off in the 1960s. So there weren't many copies to begin with and people weren't making much effort to preserve them.

 

Excelllent points. Along with Hepcat's previous observation that #2 issues being harder to find than the #1s.

 

Years ago, either the Comic Book Marketplace or the CBG ran an article about the toughest Silver DC.

 

I believe Challenger of the Unknown #2 was listed as one of the most difficult to find DCs.

 

Flash 106 even had (or has) a scarce designation in Overstreet (although I feel 107 is a tougher book, especially in grade)

 

The #2 issue scarcity may be due to DC's confidence in a title continuing.

 

They were already skeptical about putting the number "1" on new titles. The second issues probably had low print runs ordered while DC waited for the mailbag responses to come in from issue #1 sales.

 

I can't remember specifics but wasn't it a fact that an issue with #1 on it cost more

to publish ? That's why a lot of titles, especially Marvel, simply continued with a title even though a new hero was introduced, ala TOS, JIM, etc.

 

From a DC angle, the story I used to hear in fandom was Julie Schwartz's confidence in a title being profitable. This came to light with Flash 105 continuing from the Golden Age numbering.

 

I believe DC carried on the non-#1 identifier throughout the early 60s (Green Lantern, Atom, Aquaman 1s).

 

Hawkman in 1964 may have been the first Silver DC to get a #1 on the cover. By that time, the collector/speculating phase was starting to grow.

[Hepcat]

The reason I aked was that there is tough, but what is toughest? Likely, the toughest books are ones no one is really looking for much.

 

I agree. Therefore I think the best candidates would be from the Jimmy Olsen, Superboy and World's Finest titles.

 

Wonder Woman should also be added to this list.

 

[adamstrange]

Yep. LL 2 has my vote. The early LL books have the double whammy of what I assume were small print runs combined with low interest from collectors as fandom began to take off in the 1960s. So there weren't many copies to begin with and people weren't making much effort to preserve them.

 

Excelllent points. Along with Hepcat's previous observation that #2 issues being harder to find than the #1s.

 

Years ago, either the Comic Book Marketplace or the CBG ran an article about the toughest Silver DC.

 

I believe Challenger of the Unknown #2 was listed as one of the most difficult to find DCs.

 

Flash 106 even had (or has) a scarce designation in Overstreet (although I feel 107 is a tougher book, especially in grade)

 

The #2 issue scarcity may be due to DC's confidence in a title continuing.

 

They were already skeptical about putting the number "1" on new titles. The second issues probably had low print runs ordered while DC waited for the mailbag responses to come in from issue #1 sales.

 

I can't remember specifics but wasn't it a fact that an issue with #1 on it cost more

to publish ? That's why a lot of titles, especially Marvel, simply continued with a title even though a new hero was introduced, ala TOS, JIM, etc.

 

DC started skipped the number on first issues starting in the 1950s. They believed that either the retailers or consumers would be reluctant to try a new title. They were not alone in this belief as some small publishers started their first issue with #5 (Standard) or #10 (Ziff-Davis).

 

Many publishers would attempt to continue a title even after a dramatic change in content due to the cost of re-submitting for a special mailing permit to send subscription copies through the mail at cheaper rates. IIRC, the application fee was $25 so publishers may have been cheap or they might not have wanted to refund subscriptions already paid for. Alternately, there might have been an issue with how fast their application was approved.

[Wayne Enterprises]

Batman 121! I've been looking for anything higher than a 7.0 and still haven't found anything for the last year.

 

 

[ChasingKingKirby]

Batman 121! I've been looking for anything higher than a 7.0 and still haven't found anything for the last year.

 

 

And bats 121 is far more available over 7.0 then the other books on the list... It's unreal how hard it is to find some of these books.

[showcase22gr1959]

This one is quite rare. Only three copies above in 8.5+.

 

[ChasingKingKirby]

This one is quite rare. Only three copies above in 8.5+.

 

 

That's pretty common in the world of DC 50's census numbers.

[showcase22gr1959]

This one is quite rare. Only three copies above in 8.5+.

 

 

That's pretty common in the world of DC 50's census numbers.

 

If you say so. This is one difficult book to locate in the VF range. It took me a while to upgrade from a 6.5 to 7.5 and I was fortunate enough to score this copy in 2009. There has only been one copy graded in the 8.0+ range about the last ten years.

[namisgr]

Mystery In Space #60. Two in 8.0 are at the top of the census.

 

[ChasingKingKirby]

This one is quite rare. Only three copies above in 8.5+.

 

 

That's pretty common in the world of DC 50's census numbers.

 

If you say so. This is one difficult book to locate in the VF range. It took me a while to upgrade from a 6.5 to 7.5 and I was fortunate enough to score this copy in 2009. There has only been one copy graded in the 8.0+ range about the last ten years.

 

Meant as tongue I cheek. I've never actually seen a copy above F+ in person. All the silver DC keys are almost impossible above VF unless you're extremely well heeled.