CGC-certified Pulps Set New Record Highs

Heritage Auctions’ The Man of Bronze: A Doc Savage Pulp Magazine Showcase Auction delivered record-breaking results for classic pulp heroes. More than 120 books graded by Certified Guaranty Company® (CGC®) were included in the July 31, 2025 sale.

Leading the auction was a Doc Savage #1 graded CGC 4.5 (lot 76002), which realized a record high of $33,600, followed by an All-Story Weekly #395 graded CGC 3.5 (lot 76001), which also set a new sales record realizing $15,600.

These sales beat the previous high price for each of these pulps, set in a June 2025 Heritage Auctions sale. A Doc Savage #1 graded CGC 4.0 previously realized $18,000, and an All-Story Weekly #395 graded CGC 2.0 Restored previously realized $7,200.

Click images to enlarge.

Published by Street & Smith in 1933, Doc Savage #1 features the first appearance of Doc Savage — who paved the way for superheroes long before comic books took flight. Created in 1933 by Lester Dent, Doc was a bronze-skinned adventurer, scientist, physician and master of combat. Known as the Man of Bronze, he roamed the world with his team of specialists, using his mind and muscle to fight evil wherever it lurked.

All-Story Weekly #395 was published by Munsey in 1919 and featured the first appearance of Zorro. Created by Johnston McCulley, the swashbuckling vigilante was a masked swordsman who fought injustice in Spanish California with cunning, skill and a flair for the dramatic. By day he was the wealthy and aloof Don Diego de la Vega, but by night he became the black-clad hero who left his signature “Z” carved into the chests of villains.

Other CGC-certified pulps in this auction included:

• a Shadow #1 graded CGC .5 Restored (lot 76133), which realized $10,200
• a Doc Savage #52 with a Strasser pedigree graded CGC 8.5 (lot 76048), which realized $6,000
• a Doc Savage #6 graded CGC 6.0 (lot 76007), which realized $5,760
• a Doc Savage #3 graded CGC 4.5 (lot 76004), which realized $5,040
• a Doc Savage #10 graded CGC 7.5 (lot 76011), which realized $3,840
• a Doc Savage #2 graded CGC 5.5 (lot 76003), which realized $3,120
• a Doc Savage #9 graded CGC 6.5 (lot 76010), which realized $3,120
• a Shadow Comics #1 graded CGC 4.0 (lot 76134), which realized $2,880
• a Doc Savage #181 graded CGC 7.0 (lot 76126), which realized $2,040
• a Doc Savage #49 graded CGC 9.0 (lot 76045), which realized $1,920

About CGC

Since revolutionizing comic book grading in 2000, CGC has grown to include certification services for a vast variety of pop culture collectibles. These divisions include CGC Cards, CGC Video Games and CGC Home Video. CGC Cards provides expert card grading for sports cards, TCGs and non-sports cards. CGC Video Games is dedicated to video game grading for the most popular consoles, including Nintendo, Sega, Atari, PlayStation and more. CGC Home Video provides expert VHS grading in addition to other types of videocassettes, DVD, Blu-ray and more. CGC also offers seamless solutions for autograph collectors with CGC Signature Series and JSA Authentic Autograph services.