Amazing Fantasy 15 Advice Needed 0

[tomdruz]

Looking for some advice on a potential large (for me) purchase. If all were about the same cost, which would be the most preferable?

1. Blue Label 1.5, too corner of cover missing (maybe 1-2” piece)

2. Conserved in a 2.5 (cover and first wrap married)

3. Raw 3.0ish with amateur color touch (looks more like a kid put marker on it at some point in its life.)

 

Any advice would be appreciated. I have a pretty extensive collection but generally stick to very high grade modern and mid to high grade silver. This one is a little out of my comfort zone but it’s a book I have always wanted. 
 

Thanks in advance!

Edited January 31, 2021 by tomdruz

[MatterEaterLad]

Probably the Blue 1.5 

Though the raw 3.0 with CT is interesting because it's ungraded, could be pressed and cleaned, if the CT isn't on the spine there's the possibility of having it removed, etc. (Do you have a photo of it that you could post?)

[tomdruz]

Cleaned without being considered restored?

 

This is raw book:

Edited January 31, 2021 by tomdruz

[MatterEaterLad]

3 hours ago, tomdruz said:

Cleaned without being considered restored?

 

This is raw book:

Hmmm....doesn't look like a 3.0 to me. Looks like severe water damage or some sort of surface abrasion. I'm guessing that would grade more as a 1.5-2.0.

 

With that in mind, I'd go with the blue 1.5. But again, eye appeal matters. Do you want to post the covers of the other books? 

[joeypost]

4 hours ago, 15Years said:

Dry cleaning. Very common nowadays.

This has had more than dry cleaning done to it. Loos like it has been stripped of its gloss, which lends me to believe chemicals were involved. 

[Roger66]

On an AF15 FC presentation is everything.  I personally would always look for a blue label that shows off the FC 

2 hours ago, MatterEaterLad said:

Hmmm....doesn't look like a 3.0 to me. Looks like severe water damage or some sort of surface abrasion. I'm guessing that would grade more as a 1.5-2.0.

 

With that in mind, I'd go with the blue 1.5. But again, eye appeal matters. Do you want to post the covers of the other books? 

100% agree... "eye-appeal" is key in this mega-key department.  If you can spend / afford the extra bucks go for the nicest presenting front cover blue-label AF15 you can find.  The major reason there is often so many legit. price swings from one low-grade AF15 sale to the next is because of how the front cover presents.  If its' a book you plan on holding and burying deep into your private collection than go for the gusto and get a blue that makes you smile every time you hold this iconic piece of history in your paws.  Faded blemished covers, large chunks out of the front cover, conservation and most restored keys are IMO pacifiers or place-holders until a collector can get a copy into his collection that meets his real requirements.  Granted now-a-days with soaring prices, many collectors are just happy with a taste so they have to settle on something but I say save for the full meal and skip the antipasti.  My 2 cents. 

Edited January 31, 2021 by Roger66

[tomdruz]

2 hours ago, MatterEaterLad said:

 

 

With that in mind, I'd go with the blue 1.5. But again, eye appeal matters. Do you want to post the covers of the other books? 

Here are the other two:

You can see what I mean about the blue label. That corner just kills me.

 

[Ryan.]

For the money these go for I'd pass on all three. Two are ugly as hell and the conserved has married pages, which would bug me. Of the three, the conserved looks the nicest, however when I'm spending five figures on a low grader I'm holding out for a copy where the defects are less obvious or relegated to the back cover. 

[MatterEaterLad]

28 minutes ago, tomdruz said:

Here are the other two:

You can see what I mean about the blue label. That corner just kills me.

 

I feel ya. I have one just like it, but the piece missing is in the lower right. I still love it. I recently sold a purple 5.0 that was gorgeous with minimal restoration. One thing to consider with purple books is that while they won't increase in value the same way as a blue book, they're not likely to go down in value. That 1.5 could be a nice candidate for professional restoration, especially with how nice that right edge is. The bottom is sharp as well. 

[Sauce Dog]

I like the color strike on the 1.5, and honestly I could live with that corner chunk missing (especially how cute it looks to have a tiny Spider-Man peeking over). 100% pass on the raw copy.

However I prefer the 2.5. Married pages mean nothing to me, at the end of the day they are literally the same pages from the same comic. Everything is still original. Also, I always consider with big stuff how good a restoration candidate they might be (how high a grade can it get with as little money invested into it) and the 2.5 is perfect if that is ever a route you want to go down (as it won't need leaf casting, which is expensive)

Edited January 31, 2021 by Sauce Dog

[Math Teacher]

1 hour ago, Ryan. said:

For the money these go for I'd pass on all three. Two are ugly as hell and the conserved has married pages, which would bug me. Of the three, the conserved looks the nicest, however when I'm spending five figures on a low grader I'm holding out for a copy where the defects are less obvious or relegated to the back cover. 

I agree. I just recently purchased an AF #15 CGC 2.5. Prior to this purchase, I looked at an AF #15 CGC 5.0 (Purple) - same price, an AF #15 CGC 2.5 (writing on cover) - same price. I am glad I waited, because I now have what I consider to be a nice in CGC 2.5 grade. I'm glad I didn't purchase those other two books.

However, if price is a concern, I wouldn't wait TOO long. I bought my in mid- to late-December for $15,700. On 01/10/2021, a 2.5 sold for $19,000. I sold my AF #15 CGC 0.5 (bottom third of cover torn off), along with some other decent books, to help pay for mine.

I guess my recommendation is to get the best book you can afford, and let the chips fall where they may.

[Roger66]

Here is very solid and attractive looking AF15 CGC 1.8 ending this Sunday evening on H.A.   Since the monsoon season of keys began rising and rising, H.A. has IMO been consistently raising the bar on these special comics.  I wouldn't be surprised if this particular book's final hammer price raises eyes.  My 2-cents. 

https://comics.ha.com/itm/silver-age-1956-1969-/superhero/amazing-fantasy-15-marvel-1962-cgc-gd-18-cream-to-off-white-pages/a/122105-11043.s?ic2=mytracked-lotspage-lotlinks-12202013&tab=MyTrackedLots-101116

 

[Roger66]

13 minutes ago, 15Years said:

How do you know it's from the same comic? I've always assumed Married meant a combination of pieces from two different books. If they were from the original book wouldn't that just be "reattached"?

He did not mean literally but figuratively.  

[James J Johnson]

3 hours ago, Ryan. said:

For the money these go for I'd pass on all three. Two are ugly as hell and the conserved has married pages, which would bug me. Of the three, the conserved looks the nicest, however when I'm spending five figures on a low grader I'm holding out for a copy where the defects are less obvious or relegated to the back cover. 

+1 And IMO, the clear choice when taking into consideration the appearance of these three options; none of the above. 

[1950's war comics]

all three are dogs

[10centcomics]

I was in your shoes recently and in fact I think I looked at these same books when I was considering my options! I'd encourage you to be patient as this is not a rare book and more options will continue to pop up. As others have said, I would prioritize things like color strike, unrestored, and general eye appeal. I ended up buying a 3.0 with Marvel chipping, a long color-breaking crease in the top right, detached CF, and a small amount of tape on the interior cover but I thought it it had great eye appeal and the main image of Spidey on the cover was bright and had no flaws. I would pass on these three you posted. Good luck with the hunt!

[William-James88]

Blue label.all the way.