Where are all the Action #1's?

[comicmankev]

We all know that not many exist, but where are they? I know Harley Yee has a trimmed one on his site, another restored one on Metropolis, and a few have passed through heritage in the past year. But where are the rest, and will we see any of them for sale at some point soon or are they in with the lost ark?

[osborn_fr]

I don't know where they are, but i heard that originally about one million copies were printed ? Is it true ?

[comicmankev]

The print run of Superman #75 (1992) was four million copies, the second highest number in history.

So I would say that a print run of 1m copies of Action 1 is probably about 900,000 to high. But I don't know?

[rob_react]

Not about #1, but here's some info on Action print runs in the GA. Not sure how accurate it is.

 

"Superman continued to appear in Action Comics, but only appeared on the covers of No. 7-10, 13, 15, and 17 after DC was told people were looking for the comic with Superman in it. Sales approached 500,000, double the average 250,000."

 

taken from http://www.dereksantos.com/comicpage/gold.html

[CosmicBob]

I think there are four or five copies in my grandmothers attic. I'll have to check.

 

There may be butter too.

[chrisco37]

Dibs on the butter!

 

Chris

[aardvark88]

Anyone who has a beat up unrestored Action 1 or Detect 27 will probably never sell until they get married & buy a detached house, divorced & loose the house, or terminal illness. Too costly to upgrade.

[osborn_fr]

Totally agree, I should have never get married !

And unfortunately, i don't own an action comics #1...

[drbanner]

will probably never sell until they get married & buy a detached house, divorced & loose the house, or terminal illness.

 

Or, if they come to these boards and read some of the posts by our very own "Ambassadors of Doom and Gloom" about how comics are really worthless (or will be soon)...

[comicmankev]

WOW CosmicBob, you have those in your grannys attic? I'll have to remember that one, it sounds like a great selling story for Ebay, I may use it, I hope nobody else has done that already . . . . . . .

[Lofwyr]

Has anyone ever seen a genuine Action #1 go up for sale on ebay in any condition?

 

I wonder what a VG would sell for on the open market.

 

[supapimp]

Dibs on the butter!

 

Chris

 

damn! you beat me to it

[chrisco37]

Gotta be quick on these boards!

 

Chris

[aardvark88]

Most times when Heritage Comics.com auctions off a Cgc Action 1, they simultaneously list it on eBay to gather more hits on their own website. U can search archived auctions for Heritage's previous realized prices on hi-end comics like Action 1, Detect 27. Reserve is usually not met on other cgc Action 1's (1938) listed on eBay by other sellers/comic shops.

[lou_fine]

Like any other valuable book, there appears to have been quite a few copies go through the hands of CGC. According to their census, a total of 22 copies have been graded. This is made up of 14 unrestored along with a further 8 copies with some form of restoration. I know that Dave has the Mile High and I believe that Jon B. has the Larson copy. If 22 copies have already gone through the hands of CGC, it is probably not as rare as some of the other GA books. Especially considering that it is an #1 which more people tend to collect. Most likely, there are quite a few more low grade copies sitting in private collections which long-term collectors have not bother to send in to CGC yet.

 

As for the market value of a unrestored VG Action #1, you would probably be looking somewhere in the $125,000 to $150,000 range or even slightly higher.

 

 

[rob_react]

An unrestored VG just sold in April at MastroNet for 65,000. Nic Cage's VG+ sold for 85,000 in October.

[Aman619]

There was an Action#1 on ebay a year and a half ago... A CGC 5.0 sold for about $55000.

There are many moe than 22 copies. Who knows how many. Whty send to CGC if its not for sale. AND--if you have a high grade unrestored copy, do you really NEED a CGC grade to sell it??? I dont think so.

[awe4one]

Excellent point! Action #1 wouldn't benefit at all from slabbing. If any came up for auction,a restoration check would be paramount before offering it to the masses. Detective 27 probably also fits this bill as well.

 

 

Jim.

[aardvark88]

Disagree. All major keys benefit from slabbing. Resto check is done & bidders want to see the blue label. Saw a coverless & spine rolled ASM #1 cgc sell for 50% more than my raw coverless ASM #1 on eBay even though my copy had no spine roll. About 2 months ago, Hulk 181 cgc 1.5 fr/gd realized about $200. Amazing, the power of Borock.

[awe4one]

Sure your examples are Silver Age books. Action #1 or Detective #27 are cornerstone books and would sell for approximately he same slabbed or unslabbed in my opinion. If I was buying from a major auction house (and I don't include Heritage here), a restoration check and grading is part of their service so the need for CGC is mute.

 

 

Jim