Get Marwood & I 12,286 posts Posted May 19, 2017 DC Pence Price Variants Hello Pence Friends! Since documenting the Marvel Pence Variants here: ...I’ve been compiling the same for their DC cousins. Currently, I have documented a whopping 838 DC comics with pence only printed prices. These are cover dated: July 1971 - the cover date of the first known single 5p price printed comics (only 4 titles – see below) and between the cover dates of: February 1978 – the start of the continuing pence copy run and September 1981 – the last cover date month before consistent dual pence/cents pricing commenced (a nice easy tie off, effectively ending the existence of pence only priced variants). They are documented on a spreadsheet that looks like this...... .....and I have scans / images of every comic saved in folders like this: ....with individual comic scans captured like this: As with my Marvel research, I have stuck to standard comic sizes, hence these exclusions: If you are interested in DC pence variants, here are some observations: 1. The first pence only printed DC comics found are Action Comics #402, Adventure Comics #408, Detective comics #413 and Jimmy Olsen #139 all cover dated July 1971. No pence printed issues dated prior to this date have been found to exist, nor after this date (until we hit February 1978). July 1971 is the final US 15c regular cover price date, which may have a bearing on why it was chosen. I have found no explanation for why only 4 of the available 31 titles cover dated July 1971 were chosen, or indeed why those particular 4 titles were chosen. Here they are: 2. We have to jump forward 8 years before pence only printed copies recommence in full from the cover date February 1978. I have found no copies dated prior to this date. Not all titles commence at February 1978 – many commence on March 1978 holding out the possibility that some February 1978 copies may yet still exist / be found. But I’ve been looking a long time…. 3. The last pence only printed DC comics are cover dated September 1981. From October 1981, DC introduced dual cents / pence pricing for all their titles. Marvel did the same 3 months later (December 1981) 4. 85 titles exist with cover dates crossing July 1971 and February 1978 through to September 1981. Of those 85, 31 titles appear to have no pence copies (lists below) 5. For monthly titles only, no pence copies have been found for comics cover dated September 1978 to November 1978 inclusive. All monthly titles which cross these dates have a 3 issue gap. This gap coincides with, and is likely explained by, the increase and subsequent decrease in the US cover prices (35c to 50c September 1978 / 50c to 40c December 1978). For bi-monthly titles, September 1978 dated issues exist, but no pence issues exist for the following two months. 6. Only three prices exist for DC pence comics – 5p (July 1971), 12p (February 1978 to August 1979) and 15p (September 1979 to September 1981). Unlike Marvel, who would raise the cover price where applicable, DC would not produce a pence copy if the issue was double sized / the US price increased. As an example, Detective Comics #500 was a double sized issue. Rather than increase the price from 15p DC simply omitted the issue from pence production. This pattern is absolute – there are no double sized DC pence issues, and any one-off deviation in the US price would mean no pence copy (hard on UK collectors!) 7. No annuals have been found as pence only printed copies, presumably for the same reason that double sized / non-standard priced copies were not 8. Unlike Marvel, DC pence copies are distinguished by the pence price alone. No other changes are made (e.g. removing the cover date, additional indicia distribution data, different cover banners) For my Marvel pence research, I produced a ‘missing list’ of issues which I believe should have pence copies. They are mostly the obscure early titles (Gunsmoke Western etc.) and those following that thread will see that I update the numbers when I find a new example. I do not believe there are any missing DC issues to find, given the significantly smaller date window and the concrete patterns. That said, I am always happy to be proven wrong if it means finding a new pence copy, so here is the full list of numbers which I believe represent the full 838 issue range: Titles With Pence Copies Action Comics: 402, 480-486, 490-499, 501-523 Adventure Comics: 408, 456-458, 473-485 All-Star Comics: 71-73 All-Star Squadron: 1 Aquaman: 60-63 Arak Son of Thunder: 1 Batman: 297-299, 301-302, 306-339 Black Lightning: 7-10 Brave and the Bold: 140-142, 145-178 Challengers of the Unknown: 85-87 Claw the Unconquered: 10-12 DC Comics Presents: 1, 4-37 Detective Comics: 413, 475-478, 496-499, 501-506 Doorway to Nightmare: 2-4 Firestorm the Nuclear Man: 1-4 Flash: 259-264, 268-299, 301 Freedom Fighters: 13-15 Ghosts: 62-67, 71-104 Green Lantern: 101-107, 111-144 House of Mystery: 263-296 House of Secrets: 151-153 Jonah Hex: 10-15 Justice League of America: 161-194 Kamandi, the Last Boy on Earth: 56-58 Karate Kid: 13-15 Krypton Chronicles: 1 Legion of Super-Heroes: 259-279 Men of War: 11-26 Mister Miracle: 23-25 Mystery in Space: 111-117 New Adventures of Superboy: 1-21 New Gods: 17-19 New Teen Titans: 1-11 Secret Society of Super-Villains: 13-15 Secrets of Haunted House: 11-13, 17-40 Secrets of the Legion of Super-Heroes: 1-3 Sgt. Rock: 323-356 Shade the Changing Man: 6-8 Shazam!: 34-35 Showcase: 97, 101-103 Star Hunters: 3-6 Steel the Indestructible Man: 1-4 Super Friends: 10-13, 15-47 Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes: 246-258 Superman: 321-326, 330-363 Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen: 139 Tales of the Green Lantern Corps: 1-3 Unexpected: 183-186, 200-214 Unknown Soldier: 222-255 Untold Legends of the Batman: 1-3 Weird War Tales: 70-103 Weird Western Tales: 45-47, 50-70 Witching Hour: 77-83 Wonder Woman: 240-246, 250-283 If anyone reading has a pence version not on the list above, do let me know - I'll update this thread if and when I find any new ones, or if anyone wants to talk pence related stuff. Here is the list of titles with no pence copies found – again, if you have one, let me know: I'll end with full scans of all four July 1971 issues which I purchased to check the indicias etc: Aren't they pretty The cover prices are the only change - no differences internally or additions to the indicias: Cheers! 2 Dan82 and mec3437 reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Get Marwood & I 12,286 posts Posted May 19, 2017 And here's a DC pence cover which I'm posting just because I like it Can't think why..... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
1950's war comics 14,130 posts Posted May 20, 2017 Cool cover ! back in the day did 15 pence = about 75 Cents? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Get Marwood & I 12,286 posts Posted May 20, 2017 8 hours ago, 1950's war comics said: Cool cover ! back in the day did 15 pence = about 75 Cents? A bit less @1950's war comics In August 1978, the US cover price was 35c, UK 12p. When DC increased the price to 50c for 3 months, the pence copies stopped. When they dropped the price back to 40c, the pence copies started up again at 12p still: On September 1979 the UK price went from 12p to 15p whilst the US stayed at 40c. I wish comics were still 15p..... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shadroch 42,449 posts Posted May 20, 2017 While I have a dozen or so books with British prices stamped on them, I don't recall ever seeing one any of these printed prices. Very interesting thread. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Get Marwood & I 12,286 posts Posted May 20, 2017 36 minutes ago, shadroch said: While I have a dozen or so books with British prices stamped on them, I don't recall ever seeing one any of these printed prices. Very interesting thread. Cheers @shadroch. If you want to see any particular issues, let me know Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Get Marwood & I 12,286 posts Posted June 10, 2017 Wonder Womaaaaaan! Quite a topical way to bump a thread I suppose Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Get Marwood & I 12,286 posts Posted June 10, 2017 2 Kahnadah and ADAMANTIUM reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ADAMANTIUM 10,478 posts Posted June 10, 2017 24 minutes ago, Marwood & I said: wow I had a like left for this, "Hey anybody want some Kool Aid, OH YEAH!" 1 KryptoSpidey reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kahnadah 607 posts Posted June 11, 2017 (edited) Just out of curiosity Marwood and I, where do you stand on Thorpe and Porter pence price stamped copies? Do you see them as pence variants or as defaced regular copies? I personally didn't count them when I did ppv but I like hearing other opinions! James Edited June 11, 2017 by Kahnadah Spelling mistake. >.< Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Get Marwood & I 12,286 posts Posted June 11, 2017 2 minutes ago, Kahnadah said: Just out of curiosity Marwood and I, where do you stand on Thorpe and Porter pence price stamped copies? Do you see them as pence variants or as defaced regular copies? I personally didn't count them when I did ppv but I like hearing other opinions! James Hello @Kahnadah, thanks for dropping by. I see them as cents copies with dirty great stamps on them. I frown when I see them referred to as British variants and I've seen various reference sites get muddled between actual pence printed price variants and T&P stamped cents copies. On a similar theme, the phrase 'non distributed' causes havoc in my opinion, when used in the wrong hands. Don't forget to drop by my Marvel pence thread James - link in my signature line below (if you have them switched on) ? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Get Marwood & I 12,286 posts Posted July 2, 2017 Afternoon Pence Friends! I picked this book up today at the London Comic Fair (see my Marvel Pence Thread for more on that shortly). Nothing special about it really, but I noticed that the guy who set the printing plates for the pence pricing may have had one too many sherbets that day... He shoots - he misses! I luv yu, hic Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
1950's war comics 14,130 posts Posted July 3, 2017 Nice that you found one presumably that you didn't have !!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
1950's war comics 14,130 posts Posted July 3, 2017 Marwood/I Did you pay the 12P with six of these cartwheels? (one of my all time favorite coins) 2 Get Marwood & I and ComicConnoisseur reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Get Marwood & I 12,286 posts Posted July 3, 2017 3 hours ago, 1950's war comics said: Marwood/I Did you pay the 12P with six of these cartwheels? (one of my all time favorite coins) No, I used the local fair currency. A head of sheep and a bag of rice ? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quicksilver 893 posts Posted July 4, 2017 How about this one from August 1971 ? 1 Gnasher reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Get Marwood & I 12,286 posts Posted July 4, 2017 2 hours ago, quicksilver said: How about this one from August 1971 ? Oh my, I've just pooped myself! Thank you @quicksilver, THANK YOU! This is why I post on these boards! I will be back when I have looked into this. Not only does it break the 'July 1971' one off rule, it also bucks the trend that no double sized issues exist. I take it you lifted the picture from the ebay sale - it looks the same? Hopefully someone hasn't been playing silly buggers with photo-shop. I salute you! Now to try and find another, and others that month.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Get Marwood & I 12,286 posts Posted July 4, 2017 Well, it's real! 839! It's a good day in Penceville 1 lizards2 reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bababooey 7,120 posts Posted July 4, 2017 2 hours ago, Marwood & I said: It's a good day in Penceville Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Get Marwood & I 12,286 posts Posted July 4, 2017 7 minutes ago, bababooey said: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
