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Action Comics #96 9.8 or Action #4 8.0, which is a better investment?

Started by Mr_Glass,

100 posts in this topic

Timely

Timely

Posted
Posted

Every Mile High expert knows the Superman #1 has been restored. It had some centerfold work done to it in the 80's. It is only a FINE with repair and is NOT the best known copy to exist.

 

Timely

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rob_react

rob_react

Posted
Posted

That's news to me, but then again, I'm not a Mile High expert by any stretch of the imagination.

 

But, so I know we're on the same page: is this the same book that Bechara Maalouf owns? The one he bought for circa $200,000 a few years ago? If it is, then I've spoken to him about it and I'm merely repeating what he told me.

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Aman619

Aman619

Posted
Posted

Beschara definitely bought the Supe#1. And for $240 K in time payments. (I believe it was a record price at the time, and raised eyebrows because it was widely known to have been one of the MHs that had suffered inexcusable restorationAND had structural problems. But Beschara really wanted it and stepped up to the plate. He was kinda defensive about it, so Id take anything he says about its true condition with a grain of salt.....

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Rip

Rip

Posted
Posted

Can I ask where you heard it was a fine?? If I'm not mistaken it was labled a higher grade than VF before CGC graded it a 8.0 restored. Where did you hear it was only a fine? Also, yes VF is not the highest grade copy. At least from what I hear. Ill bet I have something in print that tells more about it.

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Aman619

Aman619

Posted
Posted
I spoke to Bechara at length regarding his Sup #1 at the last con...It was graded unrestored 8.0...However, he told me himself that the book has a small amount of color touch on it...So who owns the rest of the MH Supermans?????

 

Has Beschara sold it? if so when and to whom?

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clarkkentdds

clarkkentdds

Posted
Posted

When I spoke to Bechara during Wonder Con, he hinted at wanting to sell the book...I am not sure what kind of price he wanted (we didn't get that far...). I wonder if it is worth more that $240K now...While it is the highest blue label Sup 1 at 8.0, it still does have the minor color touch; which might hurt the value if it states that on the label. I really wouldn't expect it to go for more than 200K now. If a 9.0 showed up, the 8.0 would drop in value significantly...That book is way more rare in high grade compared to other number 1s of this time. Take a look at the census- Way more Batman 1s...It still is the best Sup 1 though, and I would love to have it!!!

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tb

tb

Posted
Posted

With the recent infusion of brainpower here, maybe someone can help

answer a couple of our old open questions:

 

1) How do you distinguish the 3 different printings of Superman #1 and #2?

2) Does the Church Action #1 have color touch?

 

 

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clarkkentdds

clarkkentdds

Posted
Posted

I am not aware of the 3 different printings of Sup #1 and 2...explain.

 

I only know that Superman Mile High #1 does have color touch, but was graded with universal 8.0...Redbeard sold it to Becahara several years ago for 240K...

 

The Action MH 1...I am not sure if it is restored...

 

Gee..I guess I wasn't much help in answering your two specific questions! Sorry!

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tb

tb

Posted
Posted

> I am not aware of the 3 different printings of Sup #1 and 2...explain.

 

I came across circulation data for many GA titles recently and was surprised

to learn that Superman #1 had 3 printings. The first printing had 500,000 copies,

the other two around 400,000 total (thus the combined print run was 900,000, or

about 7x that of Action #1). Superman #2 supposedly had 3 printings as well.

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Rip

Rip

Posted
Posted

I am preaty sure that there is nothing different between the printings. However some golden age books used different paper stocks on the different printings. A good example is the Fox Phantom Lady books. There are some, with a glossy slick feel to the cover and some with more of a rough paper feel to them. I was not aware of this being done on the early Supermans.

 

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Aman619

Aman619

Posted
Posted
> I am not aware of the 3 different printings of Sup #1 and 2...explain.

 

I came across circulation data for many GA titles recently and was surprised

to learn that Superman #1 had 3 printings. The first printing had 500,000 copies,

the other two around 400,000 total (thus the combined print run was 900,000, or

about 7x that of Action #1). Superman #2 supposedly had 3 printings as well.

 

I remember reading that when you posted it. But unless there are distinguishing marks or differences between any of the reprintings, I think its moot at this point.

 

 

As for the MH Action#1, we discussed that here a while back, and it definitely does NOT have any work at all done to it. It was a rumor that spread in certain circles that is not true. Dave Anderson confirmed it personally.

 

 

As for Bechara's Supe#1.....It was a silly price back then but a gamble that in a short time, the guide and the market would make it seem like a steal (or at least a smart move.) But right now, I agree he's probably still underwater on his investment. Unless JP or some other big dikk takes it off his hands. Also, CGCs arrival has tarnished it a lot, hasnt it? An 8.0 MH key isnt sounding as impressive anymore as a raw book : "The MH Superman#1" which implied near perfection.

 

But Im surprised at the census....I had always heard that Supe# 1 was fairly common. If so, why have so few copies been sent in?

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tb

tb

Posted
Posted

Thanks for clarifying the Action #1 question; I must have missed the conclusion.

 

You are probably right about the printings not being that important. The two printings of Marvel #1 are trivial to distinguish and - although the October version is much more rare - the prices have historically been the same. Still, I think it would be interesting if the printings are shown in the indicia - at least I'd like to be able to tell them apart if I were to pay 20-30K for a collectible copy. For many years Overstreet did not distinguish between the 4 printings of the Bibo and Lang book, for example. Once they found out how to identify them, the first printing became a lot more attractive IMO.

 

I too am puzzled about the low number of certified Supe #1s compared to Action #1. Maybe it's because A#1 is ~2.5 times as valuable in the lower grades where the census peaks?...

 

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metropoliscomics

metropoliscomics

Posted
Posted

The Mile High Superman had a piece added to the centerfold which replaced a missing piece. I believe that "replaced" piece has been removed leaving the original piece out. The book has some color touch and an erasure on the cover. The Mile High Superman #1 is a second hand Mile High. It does not have the codes.

 

Superman #1 was made up of several printing but there are no printing differences. Batman #1 had 2 printings. The difference is the # on the cover. One printing says No. 1 and the other printing says No 1.

 

The Action #1 Mile High does not have color touch. The Batman #1 Mile High has minor color touch.

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