Our Top 10 List
#10- Marvel Comics 1 (1st Marvel Book) Ultra Rare October Copy Less Than 10 Known to Exist!
The Very first Marvel book! Featured the 1st Appearance of The Human Torch on the cover as well as the origin retold of the Sub-Mariner. In 2022 a 9.2 November copy sold for $2.4m+ and there is a 9.4 copy (also November copy) which makes you think how much that one may be worth today! This is an extremely rare October Copy, with less than 10 copies known to exist, making it not only rare but extremely valuable. 1 of 1 in the census restored or unrestored through CBCS.
#9- Amazing Spider-Man #1 (Signature Series Signed Stan Lee 6.5)
This was my personal Grail as a child, hands down. I was fortunate enough to have acquired ASM #2 as a kid, which I still own today, but I really lusted after ASM #1 of course! This is Spider-Man's 2nd appearance and first in his own title. We've owned many copies of this book from low grade to most recently 6.0 unrestored. This copy is a signature series signed by Stan Lee in 6.5 F+, only 23 higher in the census as of April 2024.
#8- Showcase #4 (1st Barry Allen Flash) Rare In Very Fine 7.5
What many would say started the Silver Age of comics and rumor has it, this book saved DC in 1956. This is the first Barry Allen Flash, and the Flash as we know today. This book is considered high grade 7.5 F/VF, with only 21 examples higher as of April 2024!
#7- Captain America Comics #1 (1st Cap) In Rare High Grade 7.0 Fine/Very Fine
Regarded as one of the top Golden Age keys, Captain America Comics #1 is not only Cap's 1st Appearance, but Marvel's true first hero book. This book in a 9.4 recently fetched over $3.12m+ in 2022. This book in 7.0 F/VF grade is extremely hard to come by and presents very well for its grade.
#6- All Star Comics 8 (1st Wonder Woman) 8.0 Only 6 Higher Unrestored!
All Star Comics #8 1941, First Appearance of Wonder Woman, 1 of what DC considers the Big 3... Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman! This 8.0 as mentioned above is in 8.0, and only 6 copies are graded higher in the world! A 9.4 version recently sold for $1.5m making it one of the top books ever sold and makes this rare high grade 8.0 extremely valuable!
#5- Batman #1 (First Batman in His Own Title) Highest Graded In The World!
Batman 1 from 1940, the first appearance of Joker & Catwoman, Batman origin retold, one of the top Golden Age books in the medium! This is 1 of 3 9.6 restored copies to exist (highest graded) and is the only one with newsstand fresh white pages with less restoration than the other 2! Listed as #5 in Top 10 Sold, as a 9.4 unrestored sold in 2021 for over $2.2m+!
#4- Superman #1 (First Superman in His Own Title) Presents Better Than Grade!
Superman #1 1939, Origin of Superman told, one of the top 5 most valuable comics, rare in any condition, this being a 1.5 unrestored but presents very well for the grade! First Superhero book in his own title. Just how rare is this book? CGC notes there are only 42 higher blue label unrestored in CGC census. Highest price realized was $5.3m, in 2022 (A record sale for a comic until recently) for an 8.0, now an 8.5, no higher unrestored copes have come to market and are extremely rare in high grade.
#3- Amazing Fantasy #15 (1st Spider-Man) Rare 8.0 Very Fine Grade!
Considered to be the "Holy Grail" of the Silver Age of Comics, it's what Action #1 did for Superman & Detective #27 did for Batman, Amazing Fantasy #15 is the first appearance of Spider-Man, Marvel's pride and joy. This AF15 is in rare high grade 8.0 Very Fine grade with near newsstand fresh off-white to white pages. Listed as #3 in top 10 sold with a $3,600,000 sale price for a 9.6 in 2021. Though this book in it's height in 2022 fetched over $550k, the last 8.0 AF15 recorded sale was $312,000 in 2023 for a lesser page quality example with off-white pages.
#2- Action Comics 1 (1st Superman) World Record Sale For Restored 4/2024!
There is no comic book more highly regarded than this one: It is the undisputed king of the grails. It features the first appearance of Superman, including his origin story of being sent to Earth from a dying planet. Many consider this book the start of the Golden Age, or at least the first hero comic book. A world Record sale for a comic book was set with Action Comics #1 in 8.5 for $6m in April 2024, not even the highest graded! There are believed to be less than 100 copies of Action Comics #1 and only 77 of those are in the CGC Census as restored or unrestored. This beautiful 8.0 modestly restored book represents the top tier of the grade, with only 11 higher in both restored and unrestored in the word today. We've seen pages from this book reach $60k alone, and an incomplete 0.5 copy with no back cover and a chunk out of the front cover sell for over $400k+ recently, making this by far the most expensive comic book in existence! This very copy we acquired broke the world record for a restored comic book sale in April 2024, the same auction the Action #1 8.5 unrestored was sold!
#1- Detective Comics #27 (1st Batman) World Record Sale For Batman 1st Appearance 3/2024!
Our #1 book needs no introduction, Detective #27 along with Action #1 transcended the comic book hobby as we know it today. The first appearance of Batman, this comic has been considered among the top books in the hobby ever since comic collecting began. It enjoyed a brief tenure at #1 on Overstreet's Top Golden Age Books list, and while it's been ranked #2 behind Action Comics #1 (Superman's first appearance) for some years now, it is the one serious contender to dethrone Action #1 in years to come. Which character is more popular now, and which will be more popular in years to come, Batman or Superman? We think most people would say the former being Batman. The character's recognition factor thanks to his success in other media makes this copy an item with exceptionally broad appeal. Detective Comics #27 was the first comic to crack $1M mark, which was all the way back in 2009!
CGC notes there are only 8 higher blue label unrestored in the census, this being a very well presented 6.5, presents more like a Fine/Very Fine example. And since a Detective #27 in any grade is the crown jewel of any comic collection, nobody ever seems to want to part with one, as we see more Action #1's coming to market than a Detective #27! Not to mention, there are less unrestored examples than an Action #1, with only 37 Detective #27's to 44 Action #1's! This beautiful Fine + copy seen here, was a record sale price realized in March 2024 for Batman's 1st appearanc ever!