Golden Age Archie Question

[Slacker]

Hello All,

 

I have recently discovered the boards and would appreciate a little help from the veterans.

 

My question is simple: Does anyone recall seeing any lower grade copies of the MLJ Archie Comics #1 come up for auction on ebay in the last few years?

 

I understand that even in low grade it is an expensive book, however the book seems to never be in dealers inventory or fore sale on ebay.

 

Thank for any assistance you can render.

[esquirecomics]

Welcome to the boards. I haven't seen any copies on e-bay but Investment Collectibles currently has a #1 CGC 5.0 OW for $17,500.

 

web page

[143ksk]

Archie #1s seem to pop up on ebay about once a year. They always go for above guide. This is the most recent one. which brought an amazing $1800 for a brittle G/G+

 

The last number one on Heritage was a PR/FR which sold for $1200 in October of last year.

 

They're out there--you just have to pounce on them when you see them

[Slacker]

 

 

They're out there--you just have to pounce on them when you see them

 

That one seems more in my range. I appreciate the response and information shared on these boards. It is refreshing to see there are still readers and collectors of comics out there.

[Shield]

All you need is to access my website!

 

Go here for saved EBAY auctions from 2001-present. This needs updated; perhaps I'll do that today.

 

http://pep.goldcomics.com/MLJ/Ebay_Completed/archie.htm

[Slacker]

All you need is to access my website!

 

Go here for saved EBAY auctions from 2001-present. This needs updated; perhaps I'll do that today.

 

http://pep.goldcomics.com/MLJ/Ebay_Completed/archie.htm

 

 

Thank You Shield,

 

Your link has been extremly helpful

[lotemo]

So why are there so few early Archies available? Obviously collectors don't often let go of the really desirable issues like Archie #1-10 or Pep #36, 41-49 but still that doesn't explain it. There are a lot more collectors of golden age DC and Timelys than Archie collectors but you can locate most of the key DCs and Timelys at any time.

 

I've always suspected that a lot of them were destroyed over the years because they were assumed to have no value. I've heard dealers, on more than one occasion, tell people that Archie comics are essentially worthless when someone asks about selling an old collection. They just assume that it's a stack of comics from the 70s or 80s and never inquire about what the person is trying to sell.

 

Just curious about what everyone else thinks.

[143ksk]

I have a few theories (and even fewer facts )

 

I would think that the print runs of at least DC books were significantly higher than for MLJ so that may be some of the difference.

 

Also, I suspect that more superhero books were saved than "kid's books" like Archie, both at the time of publication as well as later as "collectibles." Archie titles weren't worth a whole lot (or very popular) in the '60s and '70s when collectors were obtaining and preserving GA books.

 

Finally, the transition issues of Pep 22-65 appeal to both Archie as well as superhero collectors, so there is some increased demand for those issues and therefore more books sitting locked up in collections. The fact that it's significantly easier to find pre Archie issues of Pep for sale tends to bolster this argument.

 

I've been collecting MLJ and Archie for more than 20 years and the early issues are tough books to find. Fortunately, I like a challenge

[Shield]

In the year 2000 I only had one early Archie - Issue #19. I hadn't collected since 1994, so I was basically starting from scratch on the golden age stuff.

 

By 2004, I had Archie 2-100 and Pep 1-65. In 2001 I had owned a Pep #22 but I sold it. Later in 2004 I picked up (and flipped) an Archie #1. So, I had them all at one point or another. The toughest books for me to find were Pep 23-27, 29,31,40,42,44,46,48. The toughest Archie to find was #2.

 

They're all out there, but it's getting tougher and tougher to put together complete runs. Also, forget about high grade runs. You'll never do it unless you have unlimited amounts of money; I believe Geppi owns the Mile High Pep #22 and Archie #1 and paid $100,000 for them a while back. High grade copies don't come around very often, and honestly from what I've seen 143ksk has some of the nicest copies of books available. Perhaps for my next birthday he'll send me his VF+ copy of Pep #25...

[Stronguy]

#2 is definately hard to find judging from all the email I got when I sold mine back in August. I had half a dozen firm offers -- one offering to top any previous offer.

 

It went for over $700 on eBay and it as a GD with the 4 center wraps detached. The guy who won it said he had been looking 10 years for one.

[The Black Hand ®]

When I was first collecting golden age back in the 60's Archie's were considered a joke. No right thinking golden age collector would have anything to do with them, so they weren't preserevd like Timely or DC. Now back then I was a closet Archie fan, never admitting it but really loving the stuff from the late 50's early 60's but whenever I would come across an early Archie or Archie Pep the art was so different that I couldn't wrap my immature mind around it. As to scarcity,there sure seem to be a whole lot of copies of Archie 6 and up though and I suspect that a lot of people are just holding on to 1-5 and all the early Archie Peps. I love the superhero stuff but I seem to have more of an emotional attachment to Archie since I and just about everyone else grew up with him.

[archiefan]

Blazing Bob told me he just recently sold the highest unrestored CGC graded copy (6.5). Don't know the price tag though.

[archiefan]

of Archie #1 that is

[HouseofComics.Com]

I like your theories--they make a lot of sense. We know that Superman was a big hit from the get-go, so it makes sense that there are more copies of that title and some other DCs than Archie books. I assume Archie's debut wasn't met with the same quick acclaim.

 

Speaking of rarity, do any of you guys have any opinion on high-grade Roly Polys? More or less common than other Archie books from 1945 or 1946?

 

Marc

[Shield]

I like your theories--they make a lot of sense. We know that Superman was a big hit from the get-go, so it makes sense that there are more copies of that title and some other DCs than Archie books. I assume Archie's debut wasn't met with the same quick acclaim.

 

Speaking of rarity, do any of you guys have any opinion on high-grade Roly Polys? More or less common than other Archie books from 1945 or 1946?

 

Marc

 

Roly-Poly comics are very plentiful, even in high grade. These are NOT MLJ/Archie books; they were published by "Green Publications" and are MLJ reprints. I'd say at least 5 times more common than their true MLJ counterparts.

[HouseofComics.Com]

 

Roly-Poly comics are very plentiful, even in high grade. These are NOT MLJ/Archie books; they were published by "Green Publications" and are MLJ reprints. I'd say at least 5 times more common than their true MLJ counterparts.

 

Great info, thank you. So Green was not a sub-imprint of Archie as I assumed from looking at Overstreet?

 

Marc

[143ksk]

As to scarcity,there sure seem to be a whole lot of copies of Archie 6 and up though and I suspect that a lot of people are just holding on to 1-5 and all the early Archie Peps.

 

Actually, I found #6 to be the hardest for me to find (at least it was the last issue I needed). I do think #2 (or perhaps #3) is probably the hardest to find--I've only ever seen 3 copies of #2 for sale. As for Peps, #22 is a very tough book to find considering it's a GA key, but it is available if you're willing to pay the asking price. My impression is that 23, 24, 26, 27 and 34 are the toughest Peps to find.

 

As Shield said, he was able to put together a nearly complete set of MLJs over a several year period. So we know they're out there. That being said, I strongly suspect that he put in a lot of work (not to mention money) to find those books. Those of us who are lazier have a much harder time finishing our collections

[Shield]

As to scarcity,there sure seem to be a whole lot of copies of Archie 6 and up though and I suspect that a lot of people are just holding on to 1-5 and all the early Archie Peps.

 

Actually, I found #6 to be the hardest for me to find (at least it was the last issue I needed). I do think #2 (or perhaps #3) is probably the hardest to find--I've only ever seen 3 copies of #2 for sale. As for Peps, #22 is a very tough book to find considering it's a GA key, but it is available if you're willing to pay the asking price. My impression is that 23, 24, 26, 27 and 34 are the toughest Peps to find.

 

As Shield said, he was able to put together a nearly complete set of MLJs over a several year period. So we know they're out there. That being said, I strongly suspect that he put in a lot of work (not to mention money) to find those books. Those of us who are lazier have a much harder time finishing our collections

 

143ksk, you ain't a kidding. It was quite a bit of money and even more work. You want to seriously know how I did it?

 

I'd win a MLJ off of EBAY, then ask the person during the transaction if they had anything else. One time I had won a Zip 19/Zip 20 package, and did this. The guy had Pep 31, 37,38,39,40 all in around VG+ to VG/Fine unrestored. They were all part of the "Van Buren" Pedigree, which isn't actually acknowledged, but has the characteristic of having "soot" at the top of books. Apparently there was a fire in the house, and some key books (according to rumor) like Action #1 was destroyed. Anyway, this was in late 2002 if memory serves. I paid $150 for the Pep #31, and $115 each for the 37-40. I sent the #31 off to CGC and it came back blue label unrestored VG+ 4.5. All of the books had good gloss and nice paper, and I did pretty well with them once I sold my collection.

 

I bought some great books off of Jim Payette, including a Pep #1 that he graded VG+ (came back from CGC a Fine + blue label). I also bought from just about every dealer including 4 color comics, Superworld, Pacific Comics, and people from my website that had books. I made some mistakes in the beginning with some larger dealers (overpaying for junk) but sometimes it worked out.

 

Here's a quick list of people I bought things from that I wouldn't hesitate for a second to purchase from again:

 

EBAY User MidnightShadow17, ggregoriades (sp?)

Dealer: Superworld, Jim Payette, 4 color comics, Heritage, Tracy Heft (I know he's primarily a conservator, but had great luck with him).

 

I'm sure there's many more. Also, have some disposable income as there's quite a few that won't come cheap.

 

I paid $2500 for a "Good" Archie #1, $1000 for a restored VF Jackpot #4, and over $5000 for a slightly restored VG copy of Pep #22.

 

All are gone now , but I still have a Pep 30, 44, Blue Ribbon 15, 22 and a few Black Hoods. Oh yeah I have two Marvel Mysterys.

[lotemo]

The Pep issues with Archie and the Shield on the cover always go for way over guide, if you see them for sale at all. They're some of the best and most imaginative covers that MLJ did. I'm still missing #47 and could use upgrades on others. There is a ragged copy of #44 currently on ebay that will probably earn a good price.

 

As for MLJ reprints, issues of Super Comics from Canada seem to be rarer than their MLJ counterparts. I lucked into 4 of them about 5 years ago, having no idea at the time how rare they were.

 

A nice overview of those books can be found here:

 

Super Comics

[Shield]

For what it's worth, I've seen more of the "Super Comics" than their MLJ counterparts. And I've been looking.