How do I identify which print my Marvel Masterworks 1 & 12 are if they are sealed? 1 1

[Kramerica]

Happy Holidays and Happy Festivus! 

I hope everyone here is doing well in these crazy and uncertain times. My question today is how do I identify which printing of Marvel Masterworks Vol 1 & 12 I have? I thought Google would be my friend but I'm more confused. Then I slapped myself for not coming here first. Anyway, both HC's are still sealed and I cannot identify which prints they are. Do I have to unwrap them to find out which printing they are? Do I want to unwrap them to find out?

Thanks in advance for your assistance!

 

[greggy]

Mark, per wiki, these should be the first printing, as they have the marble cover look with the gold leafing. 

[Kramerica]

24 minutes ago, greggy said:

Mark, per wiki, these should be the first printing, as they have the marble cover look with the gold leafing. 

Thanks Greggy! Much appreciated 

[Lightning55]

The Spider-Man is a First Edition, First Printing.  You can tell by the back where it says "In celebration of our 25th Anniversary".  That was in 1988, and only the first 3 volumes had that inscription.  It won't be there on later reprints.

The X-Men is a First Edition, First Printing also.  There are several ways to tell, but the easiest is the 'Nuff Said" on the back.  Only the first 27 First Editions (any printing) have that.

Oddly, the First Editions are not very valuable, overprinted.  The money in Masterworks is in the later editions that had limited printings.  It will say on the back what the print run was.

There is a difference between First Edition and First Printing.  There were 27 First Editions printed, similar style.  Some had multiple printings (Volumes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7).  Then Marvel had some financial difficulties and stopped printing Masterworks. 

When it resumed printing them about 10 years later, the style changed (cover boards are all black, font changes on the jacket, re-ordering and recoloring some of the content, correcting errors, etc.).  They reprinted the 27 First Editions, with some changes, so they called them Second Edition.  These are worth more than First Editions of the same 27 because they are limited in number, quantity stated on the back of the jacket.  From then on, they don't refer to the Edition as there is only the single Edition, but multiple printings of just a few specific volumes.

[Kramerica]

6 minutes ago, Lightning55 said:

The Spider-Man is a First Edition, First Printing.  You can tell by the back where it says "In celebration of our 25th Anniversary".  That was in 1988, and only the first 3 volumes had that inscription.  It won't be there on later reprints.

The X-Men is a First Edition, First Printing also.  There are several ways to tell, but the easiest is the 'Nuff Said" on the back.  Only the first 27 First Editions (any printing) have that.

Oddly, the First Editions are not very valuable, overprinted.  The money in Masterworks is in the later editions that had limited printings.  It will say on the back what the print run was.

There is a difference between First Edition and First Printing.  There were 27 First Editions printed, similar style.  Some had multiple printings (Volumes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7).  Then Marvel had some financial difficulties and stopped printing Masterworks. 

When it resumed printing them about 10 years later, the style changed (cover boards are all black, font changes on the jacket, re-ordering and recoloring some of the content, correcting errors, etc.).  They reprinted the 27 First Editions, with some changes, so they called them Second Edition.  These are worth more than First Editions of the same 27 because they are limited in number, quantity stated on the back of the jacket.  From then on, they don't refer to the Edition as there is only the single Edition, but multiple printings of just a few specific volumes.

That is awesome info. Thank you 

[Jeffro.]

I think you should call them

https://www.cgccomics.com/contact/

[EDIT] - oh wait. This isn't a clueless question about CGC. Pavlovian response these days.   My bad. 

[Kramerica]

1 minute ago, Jeffro. said:

I think you should call them

https://www.cgccomics.com/contact/

[EDIT] - oh wait. This isn't a clueless question about CGC. Pavlovian response these days.   My bad. 

Happy Festivus! Prepare for the Feats of Strength!

[Jeffro.]

48 minutes ago, Kramerica said:

50 minutes ago, Jeffro. said:

I think you should call them

https://www.cgccomics.com/contact/

[EDIT] - oh wait. This isn't a clueless question about CGC. Pavlovian response these days.   My bad. 

Happy Festivus! Prepare for the Feats of Strength!

[SteveDuin]

6 hours ago, Lightning55 said:

The Spider-Man is a First Edition, First Printing.  You can tell by the back where it says "In celebration of our 25th Anniversary".  That was in 1988, and only the first 3 volumes had that inscription.  It won't be there on later reprints.

The X-Men is a First Edition, First Printing also.  There are several ways to tell, but the easiest is the 'Nuff Said" on the back.  Only the first 27 First Editions (any printing) have that.

Oddly, the First Editions are not very valuable, overprinted.  The money in Masterworks is in the later editions that had limited printings.  It will say on the back what the print run was.

There is a difference between First Edition and First Printing.  There were 27 First Editions printed, similar style.  Some had multiple printings (Volumes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7).  Then Marvel had some financial difficulties and stopped printing Masterworks. 

When it resumed printing them about 10 years later, the style changed (cover boards are all black, font changes on the jacket, re-ordering and recoloring some of the content, correcting errors, etc.).  They reprinted the 27 First Editions, with some changes, so they called them Second Edition.  These are worth more than First Editions of the same 27 because they are limited in number, quantity stated on the back of the jacket.  From then on, they don't refer to the Edition as there is only the single Edition, but multiple printings of just a few specific volumes.

For the rest of my life, any question I have about anything is going to you.

[Kramerica]

6 hours ago, Jeffro. said:

[Kramerica]

1 hour ago, SteveDuin said:

For the rest of my life, any question I have about anything is going to you.

Exactly! For that kind of legwork I should give him the copy