Action Comics #1 CGC 8.5 for Sale On ComicConnect 3 3

[rob_react]

ComicConnect :: Buy, Sell & Appraise Action Comics 1938 # 1 Comic Books

 

I know this has been discussed in other places, but it remains one of the most valuable books in the hobby, it's already at $1,500,000+ and the previous discussion was derailed.

This book deserves its own thread.  

I was somewhat bearish on the prospects for this book. I have since changed my tune! 

 

Edited May 15, 2018 by rob_react

[rob_react]

Here it is in the new holder

[szav]

I’ll stick with my original wild guess of $2,240,000...and Ill also conjecture that knowledge of this copy coming up for auction impacted the results on the recent 4.0 and 5.0 copies negatively.  Those both went a bit lower than I’d thought they would.

[goldust40]

It'll exceed expectations...what a time for the hobby.

[Sqeggs]

2 hours ago, rob_react said:

Here it is in the new holder

When I checked before, there were no grader's notes available on this book, which is interesting given the "rusted staples" notation it had on the old label.  I suppose for a book at this level, we can count on bidders having researched the history of the book. Still ...

And is the difference in the book's brightness an artifact of different scanners or was the book likely to have been dry cleaned (or maybe both)?

I'll say it hammers at $2.5 million.  Would go much higher if it had been in David Rockefeller's collection. 

[adamstrange]

13 minutes ago, Sqeggs said:

And is the difference in the book's brightness an artifact of different scanners or was the book likely to have been dry cleaned (or maybe both)?

You can see that the blue in the label is different between the two images which means different methods were used to produce them and you are comparing apples to oranges.

Hopefully for a purchase like this the bidder has seen the book or has the input of someone that has seen it.

[rob_react]

The scans are from two different sources (CGC itself and ComicConnect) and are separated by something like 10 or 15 years, so I wouldn't read much into the difference between them. 

[Sqeggs]

11 minutes ago, adamstrange said:

Hopefully for a purchase like this the bidder has seen the book or has the input of someone that has seen it.

Goes without saying, although you said it. 

[adamstrange]

5 minutes ago, Sqeggs said:

Goes without saying, although you said it.

I debated whether to say that which goes without saying but ultimately lost.

[rob_react]

You expect people to look at a book like this, in person? Like the 1000 word description isn't enough? 

[adamstrange]

33 minutes ago, rob_react said:

You expect people to look at a book like this, in person? Like the 1000 word description isn't enough? 

Sadly, we've reached the stage where buyers for some of the big books probably don't.

[Northwest]

17 minutes ago, adamstrange said:

Sadly, we've reached the stage where buyers for some of the big books probably don't.

7 figure bidding from the comfort of home. ? It happens in the fine art market too. 

[50YrsCollctngCmcs]

Is there an explanation for the increase in page quality? Are there techniques that would bring a book up to white pages from off-white/white?

[Mmehdy]

it is my understanding you can clean the staples without losing the color of the holder ? buy they have to be the original staples, 15  years  allowed the change?

Edited May 15, 2018 by Mmehdy

[originalisbest]

16 minutes ago, 40YrsCollctngCmcs said:

Is there an explanation for the increase in page quality? Are there techniques that would bring a book up to white pages from off-white/white?

I think the only technique is a difference in interpretation. The paper is likely just as it was when holdered in the first gen container.

[originalisbest]

13 minutes ago, Mmehdy said:

it is my understanding you can clean the staples without losing the color of the holder ? buy they have to be the original staples, 15  years  allowed the change?

You can't clean staples, but they can be replaced. That said, the staples remain as they were on this book, just the notation was removed from the label. Rusted staples wouldn't bother me with everything else this book has -- provided they wouldn't worsen (and given optimal storage, they won't) -- though of course it'd be even better if they weren't rusted in the first place. This particular copy also has a great story behind how it was originally found, I do believe.

[G.A.tor]

2 hours ago, szavisca said:

I’ll stick with my original wild guess of $2,240,000...and Ill also conjecture that knowledge of this copy coming up for auction impacted the results on the recent 4.0 and 5.0 copies negatively.  Those both went a bit lower than I’d thought they would.

Um, no? Can’t imagine this copy had any impact whatsoever on a 4.0 and 5.0. Two entirely different animals in different cages in different zoos in different cities....well, you get my drift :)

Edited May 15, 2018 by G.A.tor

[G.A.tor]

2 hours ago, rob_react said:

The scans are from two different sources (CGC itself and ComicConnect) and are separated by something like 10 or 15 years, so I wouldn't read much into the difference between them. 

Here’s a pretty accurate image

[G.A.tor]

39 minutes ago, Mmehdy said:

it is my understanding you can clean the staples without losing the color of the holder ? buy they have to be the original staples, 15  years  allowed the change?

Cleaned staples result in a blue/purple label generally and replaced staples in green label

Edited May 15, 2018 by G.A.tor

[szav]

3 minutes ago, G.A.tor said:

Um, no? Can’t imagine this copy had any impact whatsoever on a 4.0 and 5.0. Two entirely different animals in different cages in different zoos in different cities....well, you get my drift :)

Shrug no inside info here so maybe you know some of the actual bidders, but as infrequently as these come around in blue labels I could see a megaimillionaire wanting an unrestored copy bad might have been more willing to bid up on the 4.0 on HA if he thought no other blue label copy was going to come available for a few years, but decided to pass and go all out for the 8.5.  I could very easily see the bidders for both of these copies being some of the same people....but just a wild conjecture I admit!