Anyone know the Gerber rating for Famous Funnies #1? 2 2

[Ryan Vandal]

Anyone know a recent Gerber scarcity rating for Famous Funnies 1? I recently acquired a complete copy of it and was curious since it's the first monthly newsstand comic book just how rare/scarce it is. Heritage auctions states in a scarcity of 9... Any help would be appreciated!

[thunsicker]

[Ryan Vandal]

1 hour ago, thunsicker said:

What year (edition) is this?

Edited February 17, 2020 by Ryan Vandal
Edition add

[Primetime]

22 hours ago, Ryan Vandal said:

What year (edition) is this?

copyright 1989 Gerber. Of course, access to photograph rare gold gave Gerber his fair share of challenges. With today's internet and CGC census data, some Gerber scarcity ratings are still well supported (while others obviously don't appear very accurate). 

Edited February 18, 2020 by Primetime

[Aman619]

which number one did you get?   Famous Funnies Series 1 with panels separated by angled straight borders?         or Famous Funnies #1 with the golfing cover?

[Ryan Vandal]

The golfing one

[G.A.tor]

16 hours ago, Ryan Vandal said:

Anyone know a recent Gerber scarcity rating for Famous Funnies 1? I recently acquired a complete copy of it and was curious since it's the first monthly newsstand comic book just how rare/scarce it is. Heritage auctions states in a scarcity of 9... Any help would be appreciated!

Very cool to own one

There are 38 certified copies by Cgc alone, so it is not “rare” by comic book standards. 
if we were to apply the Gerber scarcity index just to “known “ copies it would likely be a 7. Add in extrapolated “unknown” copies and more like a 6 (uncommon) 

congrats on acquiring 

[lou_fine]

4 hours ago, G.A.tor said:

21 hours ago, Ryan Vandal said:

Anyone know a recent Gerber scarcity rating for Famous Funnies 1? I recently acquired a complete copy of it and was curious since it's the first monthly newsstand comic book just how rare/scarce it is. Heritage auctions states in a scarcity of 9... Any help would be appreciated!

Very cool to own one

There are 38 certified copies by Cgc alone, so it is not “rare” by comic book standards. 
if we were to apply the Gerber scarcity index just to “known “ copies it would likely be a 7. Add in extrapolated “unknown” copies and more like a 6 (uncommon) 

Yes, it would look like the CGC census population report in and of itself would indicate that all 3 of the listed Famous Funnies books are not quite as scarce as Gerber had initally given them credit for.  When it comes to scarcity in terms of either the Gerber Index or the CGC census, I have always placed much more value in relative comparisons, as opposed to the absolute numbers themselves.    

For example, as the above scan indicated, Gerber had the FF A Carnival of Comics with a SI of 8 (i.e. Rare - 11 to 20 copies), the FF Series 1 with a SI of 10 (i.e. Unique - < 5 known copies), and Famous Funnies #1 with a SI of 9 (i.e. Very Rare - 6 to 10 copies).  Yet, the current CGC census population report would indicate a total of 67 slabbed copies (50 unrestored) for FF A Carnival of Comics, 14 slabbed copies (7 unrestored) for FF Series 1, and as Gator had already mentioned 38 slabbed copies (22 unrestored) for Famous Funnies #1.  Of course, there are possible resubs in there inflating the count a bit, but then this would also be offset by the fact that there are still raw copies sitting out there in private collections.

So, although Gerber's Scarcity Index ratings are definitely low from an absolute point of view, they would appear to be "accurate" and still of some value to collectors from a relative comparison point of view.  

By the way, the Gerber Scarcity Index is an one-time rating from way back in the day and is not updated on an ongoing basis as your initial question would seem to indicate.  

[waaaghboss]

Did you win that one off ebay a few days ago?  I wish I went harder at it

[mwotka]

14 minutes ago, waaaghboss said:

Did you win that one off ebay a few days ago?  I wish I went harder at it

That was a crazy auction on Sunday.  I think they had the whole FF run minus like 3 books.  I lucked out and snagged the #2.  I just had to have a book from 1934.

[Vince G]

19 minutes ago, mwotka said:

That was a crazy auction on Sunday.  I think they had the whole FF run minus like 3 books.  I lucked out and snagged the #2.  I just had to have a book from 1934.

Yeah, that auction was nuts.  Some of those early FF books jacked up quick at the very last second (like the 5).

[waaaghboss]

19 minutes ago, Vince G said:

Yeah, that auction was nuts.  Some of those early FF books jacked up quick at the very last second (like the 5).

Yah, it was a feeding frenzy.  I bud on almost every book last week and only won 7 of the later issues.  At least I got one beaten up buck Rogers cover.

 

Grats to the guy who got #2, that books hella sexy.

[Ryan Vandal]

I indeed DID get that ff 1 that ended on Sunday

[Vince G]

2 hours ago, waaaghboss said:

Yah, it was a feeding frenzy.  I bud on almost every book last week and only won 7 of the later issues.  At least I got one beaten up buck Rogers cover.

 

Grats to the guy who got #2, that books hella sexy.

Yeah, I bailed out on the first 10 but did snag a couple of the later gerber 8s

[waaaghboss]

3 hours ago, Ryan Vandal said:

I indeed DID get that ff 1 that ended on Sunday

Very cool!  Just a little jealous, that's a piece of solid history.

[Ryan Vandal]

1 hour ago, waaaghboss said:

Very cool!  Just a little jealous, that's a piece of solid history.

Thanks! I really wanted it and have wanted it for awhile but the book barely ever comes up for sale, never the less raw. So I decided last week I was gonna drop 1500 usd for it and thankfully got it for half of that.

[lou_fine]

3 hours ago, waaaghboss said:

6 hours ago, Ryan Vandal said:

I indeed DID get that ff 1 that ended on Sunday

Very cool!  Just a little jealous, that's a piece of solid history.

Yes indeed, a book of true historical importance and very much underappreciated in this market that seems to be so focused on characters who wear their undies on the outside.  

Congrats to Ryan who was astute and lucky enough to snap up this all-important key of a book for what is really a bargain basement price.  

[Ryan Vandal]

17 minutes ago, lou_fine said:

Yes indeed, a book of true historical importance and very much underappreciated in this market that seems to be so focused on characters who wear their undies on the outside.  

Congrats to Ryan who was astute and lucky enough to snap up this all-important key of a book for what is really a bargain basement price.  

Thanks guys! I am glad its appreciated here! I of course was a bit hesitant about purchasing a golden-ager that doesnt have captain america, superman or batman on it lol. I am really excited to get it, as well as the envelope it originally came in!

Since its heavily restored, I may look into restoring the back if it'll raise the grade as well.