The first KEY book you acquired

[Boboset]

I picked up Hulk 181 and X-men 94 at my first Chicago Comic Con back in 99' I believe. They were my first keys and my first CGC sub and both books came back with amateur color touch.

 

I'm surprised I wasn't totally turned off to the hobby at that point.

[Kevin.J]

I owned lots of keys for years before they would be classed as keys.

The first book that I actively sought that was gonna cost me was my well read and loved, first Amazing Spiderman #1. low grade pence copy, complete with tape and extra staples, even though I have upgraded, I wont ever get rid of it

 

[carguy8022]

I owned lots of keys for years before they would be classed as keys.

The first book that I actively sought that was gonna cost me was my well read and loved, first Amazing Spiderman #1. low grade pence copy, complete with tape and extra staples, even though I have upgraded, I wont ever get rid of it

 

 

I love this, you never give up your first love

[frozentundraguy]

I don't think I ever had a goal to buy duds. I always wanted the stuff that was significant.

 

I agree. What are "duds"?

 

Comics that don't gain value and have only marginal collector value after 3 decades.

 

DG

 

A sobearing thought.

 

[frozentundraguy]

As I recall my first key book was Superman #147. I bought it back in 1999, for about 1/3 guide. I had only been collecting comics for a year, but knew it was an amazing find.

 

[Tony S]

I started reading comics as a kid around 1965. There were no comic books stores in town until about 1974. My first "key" books purchased were bought off the rack at the local drug store. My brother and I didn't much care for the FF, so my first key books would probably have something in ASM starting around issue 25.

 

Then there were all the 1968 Marvel first issues, many of which I purchased more than one copy of.

 

They weren't "key" books then - just cool. I don't really have any idea what my first "key" issue purchased as a collectible might be.

[Tony S]

I picked up Hulk 181 and X-men 94 at my first Chicago Comic Con back in 99' I believe. They were my first keys and my first CGC sub and both books came back with amateur color touch.

 

I'm surprised I wasn't totally turned off to the hobby at that point.

 

One of the theories I've heard for the run up in prices of key books is that a LOT of collectors discovered - as a result of subbing books to CGC - that many of their keys were restored. Which then had a lot of collectors back out in the market for (unrestored) copies. Which caused a run up of prices.

[Boboset]

I picked up Hulk 181 and X-men 94 at my first Chicago Comic Con back in 99' I believe. They were my first keys and my first CGC sub and both books came back with amateur color touch.

 

I'm surprised I wasn't totally turned off to the hobby at that point.

 

One of the theories I've heard for the run up in prices of key books is that a LOT of collectors discovered - as a result of subbing books to CGC - that many of their keys were restored. Which then had a lot of collectors back out in the market for (unrestored) copies. Which caused a run up of prices.

Makes sense. I can see that as a contributing factor. I thought to crunch some census numbers but the likely number of resubs on popular Marvel keys makes drawing any worthwhile conclusions impossible.

[Rip]

Lets see first key was HOS 92. Loved the Swamp Thing.

First Key Silver Age Key Amazing Spider-Man 3.

First Key DC Gold All American 61

First Key Timely Human Torch 1

 

 

 

[vaillant]

I don't think I ever had a goal to buy duds. I always wanted the stuff that was significant.

 

I agree. What are "duds"?

 

Comics that don't gain value and have only marginal collector value after 3 decades.

 

DG

 

Ah, then I no longer agree with the first part.

I want the stuff that’s significant as well, but they can be "duds" as much as highly sought after books. The monetary value does not always coincide with the inherent value.

[comicartfan]

I was a late bloomer when it came to getting into comics. I was 32 when I finally bought my first comic. I wasn't into it as a kid, but being my brother was, I was always around them.

 

Back in the beginning of CGC, Yahoo used to run auctions. I saw a raw ASM 40 that I thought was really nice. It was a Buy it Now for $150.00 and I thought it was a crazy amount of money to spend ! - As I said, I was very naive.

 

I sent out a check and at the time, being a struggling student and recent divorcee, I was petrified that I was some how going to get scammed. - The book arrived and it was manufactured with top staple missing. It also had whitest pages, flat spine and unbelievable gloss.

 

I sent it into CGC and came back 9.2.....I think I sold it for like $400 at the time.

 

 

[Jking3437]

Don't know if this is a key, maybe a semi but got this off the boards

 

 

This is prob my first bigger key

 

[Buzzetta]

Modern Key - ASM 300 from the newstand (I started collecting with issue 292)

Copper Key - ASM 238

Bronze Key - ASM 129

Silver Key - AF15

Golden Key - I picked up a few early Classic Cover Bats and Supermans here and there, but the first real key is probably the Batman 47 I picked up last year.

[TheAmazing R.J.S.]

Oh I think X-Men #12 1st. Juggernaut is a very big key ! It happens to be my first Silver age key I ever bought

 

 

 

[Illustrious]

The first key book I picked up in my original collecting days (1988-1993) was VG copy of Tales of Suspense #52 at a local antique mall. I paid a whole $4.00 for it.

 

The first key book I picked up when I came back to collecting in 2011 was a CGC 1.0 copy of Showcase #22. I was sure the Ryan Reynolds movie was going to take that issue into the stratosphere.

 

 

[Mmanick]

The first key book I picked up in my original collecting days (1988-1993) was VG copy of Tales of Suspense #52 at a local antique mall. I paid a whole $4.00 for it.

 

The first key book I picked up when I came back to collecting in 2011 was a CGC 1.0 copy of Showcase #22. I was sure the Ryan Reynolds movie was going to take that issue into the stratosphere.

 

 

Ryan Reynolds wasn't to bad the movie just sucked. They needed better villains in it.

[Illustrious]

The first key book I picked up in my original collecting days (1988-1993) was VG copy of Tales of Suspense #52 at a local antique mall. I paid a whole $4.00 for it.

 

The first key book I picked up when I came back to collecting in 2011 was a CGC 1.0 copy of Showcase #22. I was sure the Ryan Reynolds movie was going to take that issue into the stratosphere.

 

 

Ryan Reynolds wasn't to bad the movie just sucked. They needed better villains in it.

 

Yeah, he really wasn't the problem, the plot and writing were the problem. I still wish they would have went ahead with a sequel to fulfill the promise of the after-credits scene.

[Mmanick]

The first key book I picked up in my original collecting days (1988-1993) was VG copy of Tales of Suspense #52 at a local antique mall. I paid a whole $4.00 for it.

 

The first key book I picked up when I came back to collecting in 2011 was a CGC 1.0 copy of Showcase #22. I was sure the Ryan Reynolds movie was going to take that issue into the stratosphere.

 

 

Ryan Reynolds wasn't to bad the movie just sucked. They needed better villains in it.

 

Yeah, he really wasn't the problem, the plot and writing were the problem. I still wish they would have went ahead with a sequel to fulfill the promise of the after-credits scene.

 

I agree with you there I just wish they would have modeled it after the animated movie first flight. If they would've used that story it would have been great.

[paperheart]

DD #1 from Sparkle City Comics at a con in NYC back in the late 70's/early 80's. Paid $100. Had it slabbed about 8 years ago and it got completely Borocked; pre-graders were 7.5, 7.5 and ended up 6.5. If pressed it would've been an 8.0 easily. Sold it here to someone whose "grail book" it was. He immediately turned around and listed it elsewhere.

[Timely]

At 15 years old, I spent all summer working at my dad's gas station in 1987 so I could buy a car the following year. I saved $800 working all summer. That September I went to my LCS & saw an All Star Comics #1 & an Amazing Fantasy #15 on their wall, both graded fair. They were consigned books & the asking price was $650 each. I made an offer of $650 for the pair & my offer was accepted. My parents were less than thrilled when they found out I spent my "car money" on 2 beat up comic books!