Are there more Whitman Gold Key Variants for Star Trek?

[ninanina]

I was reading my Gold Key Star Trek run and discovered my issue 34 is a Whitman Variant. Star Trek Whitman variants are not listed in the 2011-2012 Overstreet. Anyone out there have any knowledge as to how rare these are and/or their relative value (if any) to non variants in the run?

 

 

[Number 6]

There was an article in the back of the 40th Overstreet Price Guide titled "A History of Publisher Experimentation and Variant Comic Books" by Jon Martin McClure.

 

It lists the issues with Gold Key/Whitman variants as well a percentage ratio. If I remember, generally Whitmans are less common in the beginning and gradually the ratio shifts so that Gold Keys become less common towards the end before everything switches to Whitman. But it may depend on title. And it's been awhile since I attempted to read through it so don't quote me.

 

As far as value, years ago the prevailing thought was that Whitmans were rarer and therefore more valuable. I personally have never seen a huge price difference between the two, but I'm not immersed in variant collecting either. Incidentally, CGC doesn't make a notation about Whitmans being a variant, they simply list Whitman as the publisher instead of Gold Key.

 

I'll warn you about the article: there's some good info but it's not very well written, it's practically raw data. It takes real determination to get through it.

 

 

[rjrjr]

I was reading my Gold Key Star Trek run and discovered my issue 34 is a Whitman Variant. Star Trek Whitman variants are not listed in the 2011-2012 Overstreet. Anyone out there have any knowledge as to how rare these are and/or their relative value (if any) to non variants in the run?

 

 

Generally, the Whitman's are priced the same as the Gold Key's. They are definitely harder to find than the equivalent Gold Key's, until you start getting into the 1980s. I suspect why you don't see a big price difference unlike the superhero variants is because there are not a ton of Gold Key collectors, even for the more mainstream titles like Star Trek.

[ninanina]

That makes a lot of sense. Only recently have they started noticing 15 cent variants in early Turok comics...another Dell/Gold Key which has up until now gone pretty much unnoticed. Due quite possibly to not too many people collecting them.

[ninanina]

There was an article in the back of the 40th Overstreet Price Guide titled "A History of Publisher Experimentation and Variant Comic Books" by Jon Martin McClure.

 

It lists the issues with Gold Key/Whitman variants as well a percentage ratio. If I remember, generally Whitmans are less common in the beginning and gradually the ratio shifts so that Gold Keys become less common towards the end before everything switches to Whitman. But it may depend on title. And it's been awhile since I attempted to read through it so don't quote me.

 

As far as value, years ago the prevailing thought was that Whitmans were rarer and therefore more valuable. I personally have never seen a huge price difference between the two, but I'm not immersed in variant collecting either. Incidentally, CGC doesn't make a notation about Whitmans being a variant, they simply list Whitman as the publisher instead of Gold Key.

 

I'll warn you about the article: there's some good info but it's not very well written, it's practically raw data. It takes real determination to get through it.

 

 

I've got that overstreet and thanks for pointing out the article. I'll take the time to read it.

[Jeffro.]

As far as value, years ago the prevailing thought was that Whitmans were rarer and therefore more valuable. I personally have never seen a huge price difference between the two, but I'm not immersed in variant collecting either. Incidentally, CGC doesn't make a notation about Whitmans being a variant, they simply list Whitman as the publisher instead of Gold Key.

 

There was a time when Whitman logo GK books were viewed as reprints and essentially valueless by collectors. Times have certainly changed

[Number 6]

You're right, I misspoke.

 

Years ago they were considered reprints.

 

I think it may have been one of Doug Sulipa's Overstreet market reports that posited the idea that Whitman variations were worth more.

[Jeffro.]

I remember being bummed that the high grade Whitman logo Star Trek comics I bought were junky reprints.

[Triskelion]

You're right, I misspoke.

 

Years ago they were considered reprints.

 

I think it may have been one of Doug Sulipa's Overstreet market reports that posited the idea that Whitman variations were worth more.

 

Yeah can speak from experience trying to complete a Whitman run for Turok Son of Stone myself. Raw issues (issue #86 to #130 of the series had Whitman variants) definitely harder to find than their Gold Key labelled counterparts, some in ANY grade.

[ninanina]

How were the asking prices for the Turok Whitman's you were purchasing relative to guide?

[Triskelion]

How were the asking prices for the Turok Whitman's you were purchasing relative to guide?

 

Mixed bag. The higher end Whitmans/ late Turok issues tended to be higher than guide (around 20-30 %-ish from memory). Mid/low grades I got off Ebay were usually at or lower than guide, I think value is limited since so few collect the series or follow the character anyway. I suspect trend for Star Trek Whitmans could be different.

[Number 6]

Two years ago I purchased some late-run Star Trek books on eBay.

 

57 CGC 9.4 Whitman - won at auction for $44, 98% of Guide.

 

58 CGC 9.4 Whitman - won at auction for $36, 80% of Guide.

 

59 PGX 9.2 Gold Key - won at auction for approx. $24, about 60% of Guide.

 

60 raw 9.2/9.4 Gold Key - Buy It Now approx. $60, about 108% of Guide.

 

Keep in the prices include my cost for shipping (57 and 58 were combined the cost is split between the two).

 

The seller of the 57 and 58 had multiple copies, I think mine were won during the 2nd or 3rd week of him listing. Multiple listings may have played a part in my price paid.

 

The negative perception of PGX may have influenced the price of the 59. I'm not a fan either but high-grade copies of Gold Key/Whitman Trek books that present well are hard to come by.

 

The handful of earlier Treks I have are all Gold Key.

 

Bear in mind: I don't know if 9.2/9.4 are high-grade enough for the variant premium to kick in.

 

Hope these numbers can help a bit.

 

[ninanina]

You did very well on all those. Thanks for the info.

[shadroch]

I hate to admit it but about 15 years ago, I bought a large run of Star Treks advertised, in the CBG as being newsstand mint. When they arrived, nearly two thirds of them were Whitmans. Of course, I contacted the seller, who had no idea they were "reprints" and got my money back.

[rjrjr]

I hate to admit it but about 15 years ago, I bought a large run of Star Treks advertised, in the CBG as being newsstand mint. When they arrived, nearly two thirds of them were Whitmans. Of course, I contacted the seller, who had no idea they were "reprints" and got my money back.

 

That is too bad. While there is not typically a difference in value between Gold Keys and Whitmans, there are some of us who would be willing to pay a nominal differential to get the harder to find Whitmans. Were the books in the condition described? (My experience with mail order companies prior to eBay and CGC was pretty dismal, but I imagine there had to be some good dealers around back then.)

[ninanina]

I would have refused them back then as well. I just started figuring out Whitmans had some desirability about 7 years ago. That's when I started getting a bit excited whenever I saw one. Who knew?

[shadroch]

I hate to admit it but about 15 years ago, I bought a large run of Star Treks advertised, in the CBG as being newsstand mint. When they arrived, nearly two thirds of them were Whitmans. Of course, I contacted the seller, who had no idea they were "reprints" and got my money back.

 

That is too bad. While there is not typically a difference in value between Gold Keys and Whitmans, there are some of us who would be willing to pay a nominal differential to get the harder to find Whitmans. Were the books in the condition described? (My experience with mail order companies prior to eBay and CGC was pretty dismal, but I imagine there had to be some good dealers around back then.)

 

I hate to say it, and I'm not 100% sure, but think the seller was John Hauser, a very good seller. He discovered the Curator collection. I'd hate to think these might have been in there. Grading was different then, but I was happy with the grade, had they not been reprints.

[shadroch]

Thinking about it, I'm going to guess it was closer to twenty five years ago. I bought few runs from him and got a couple of 35 cent variants . It was during the Valiant era.

[catrick339]

Picked up a massive amount of lowgrade 60's 70's stuff a couple weeks ago, ran across a Star Trek 29 and 40 with Whitman covers so far.

 

 

[rjrjr]

Picked up a massive amount of lowgrade 60's 70's stuff a couple weeks ago, ran across a Star Trek 29 and 40 with Whitman covers so far.

 

 

Not Whitman, but I was really surprised to see I got these Star Trek books at this price:

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Gold-Key-COMIC-BOOK-STAR-TREK-37-May-1976-near-mint-5-copies-/111363613091?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEWNX%3AIT&_trksid=p2047675.l2557&nma=true&si=Tg6Mys9%252BS2tzgsOo43OYlOUJ%252FB0%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

 

Even if they are in eBay NM condition, I feel like I got these for very cheap. Now I just hope they are packed for safe delivery ...

 

I concur with an earlier seller who said the last couple of issues of Star Trek with the line art are probably the hardest to find including the Whitman variants. I will have to look at my collection which is a mixture of Gold Keys and Whitmans. I'm not 100% sure the early issues (first 20 or so?) have Whitman variants. I know I have Whitman variants for issues in the twenties on up, just not the first 20 issues or so.