Our Top 10 List
#10- Hulk #1 First Hulk
Not a surprise to find Hulk's first appearance on the list, very rare and sought after in any grade. Listed at #10 in the overall sales Top 10 of all comics, this is anyone's Grail, currently listed #2 on The Overstreet Guide for Silver Age Comics. This particular book has seen better days, it is unrestored and complete in raw form, but there is some moisture damage as seen in the photo. Recently a 9.2 was auctioned and price realized was a respectable $336,000.
#9- Amazing Spider-Man #1
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. Our copy is in Very Good 4.0.
#8- Showcase #4 First Barry Allen Flash
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 missing 1/3 of the top cover but otherwise complete. Any Showcase #4 is valuable, even an incomplete 0.5 last sold for over $4,000! A near identical copy missing the same portion of the cover was recently graded as a fair 1.0 and is currently listed for $6000.
#7- Detective Comics #1 (DC's First Book 3/37!)
Regarded as the first book of the Golden Age, a seminal key, the book that started DC in March of 1937! Slam Bradley first appearance, 1 year before Action #1 and over 2 year's before Detective #27. Only 15 blue label books in the CGC Census makes it Ultra Rare complete or not. This copy is unrestored blue label missing the first 2 wraps and centerfold with a reproduction cover, but is so rare to have any version of Detective #1, we're very proud to have this book in our collection.
#6- All Star Comics 8 (First Wonder Woman)
All Star Comics #8 1941, First Appearance of Wonder Woman, yes it's a .3 due to missing the cover, which I might add she wasn't on the cover to begin with, but it is an unrestored blue label and otherwise complete. A 9.4 version recently sold in 2016 for $936,000, making it one of the top 5 books ever sold and makes any copy, even a .3 quite valuable.
#5- Batman #1 (First Batman in His Own Title)
Batman 1 from 1940, the first appearance of Joker & Catwoman, Batman origin retold, coverless / missing centerfold otherwise complete, CGC slabbed blue label unrestored with hard to find near newsstand fresh off-white to white pages. Listed as #5 in Top 10 Sold, as a 9.2 sold for $567,000.
#4- Superman #1 (First Superman in His Own Title)
Superman #1 1939, Origin of Superman told, one of the top 5 most valuable comics, rare in any condition, coverless, missing 1st and 15th wrap and 31st page, (both missing wraps are in our possession outside of book), as well as a quality reproduction cover. First Superhero book in his own title. CGC notes there are only 58 higher blue label unrestored in CGC census. Highest price realized was $507,000 in 2017 for a 5.5, no higher unrestored copes have come to market and are extremely rare in high grade.
#3- Amazing Fantasy #15 (First Spider-Man)
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 1.8 (Good-) and is in rare near newsstand fresh off white to white pages, and if not for the slight tear on the upper left corner this book would undoubtedly present as a fine 6.0 quality book. Listed as #2 in top 10 sold with a $1,100,000 sale price in 2011.
#2- Detective Comics #27 (First Batman)
Our #2 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. 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, as in 2009 an 8.0 sold for $1,075,000 and since then no other higher graded copy has come to market. This book is a CGC blue label unrestored missing the first 3 wraps and the centerfold, with reproduction cover is one of the nicest we've seen, and at the end of the day an unrestored Detective Comics #27 is an unrestored Detective Comics #27! CGC notes there are only 33 higher blue label unrestored in CGC census and another handful known coverless copies out there. 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, even a coverless copy as seen here.
#1- Action Comics #1 (First Superman)
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. A world Record sale for a comic book was set with Action Comics #1 for $3,207,000 back in 2014 and many believe that very book today in 2019 is $5M+ making it the most valuable book in existence. There are believed to be 50-100 copies of Action Comics #1 and only 40 of those in the CGC Census are unrestored Universal. This book is coverless, otherwise complete and unrestored with its CGC Universal Blue Label. The first page recently sold for over $25,000 as a brittle page, to date the first 5 individual pages of the book have sold for over $75,000 over the last year and non Superman pages sell for over $2000 for this book and we're very proud to have a complete copy of Action #1 in our collection.