Comic Chartbusters Analysis - Top Sales of Past 30 Days

There was an enormous Heritage public sale in November, and gross sales from that public sale now dominate the Chartbusters listing from the previous 30 days. Let’s dive deep into the Chartbusters to find out what these gross sales inform us about the marketplace for the comics each collector needs they may personal.

Big Heritage Auction

Heritage had one of their huge auctions on November 22, an occasion that – as at all times – took over the Chartbusters listing from the previous 30 days. In reality, it’s important to scroll right down to quantity 66 on the listing earlier than you’ll see a comic book that wasn’t offered in that November 22 public sale. So a lot do Heritage gross sales dominate the chart, 96 of the highest 100 are from that public sale.

Golden Age and Silver Age books had been the first sellers, however an early Copper Age comedian offered in that public sale and cracked the highest 10. While many of the gross sales are vital, we’ll undergo essentially the most noteworthy to see if we will decide any tendencies within the excessive-greenback market.

Spider-Man Reigns Supreme… Or Does He?

The two huge sellers within the November Heritage public sale had been each Spider-Man key points, together with Amazing Fantasy #15, the wallcrawler’s first look, and Amazing Spider-Man #1. They’re numbers 1 and a pair of on our Chartbusters listing.

An 8.5 graded copy of Amazing Fantasy #15 offered for $552,000, a document in that grade, surpassing the earlier excessive of $155,350 from a Heritage public sale in 2017. Most of the grades greater than this have solely seen one or only some gross sales, some a couple of years in the past, so it’s onerous to ascertain any trendlines. However, in grades 8.0 and beneath, we’ve seen a correction in pricing for many grades, with 6.5 and 6.0 grades being the one exception. In reality, the final sale for one another grade is down on common 46% from its peak worth.

We’re seeing the identical tendencies for Amazing Spider-Man #1. While a 9.6 offered in November’s Heritage public sale for $336,000, besting the earlier excessive in that grade set in 2016 by 28%, most grades 9.2 and decrease are seeing a correction just like that which we see for Amazing Fantasy #15. Could this be a case of an excessive amount of stock for each points? It virtually appears as if each huge public sale has a duplicate of Amazing Fantasy #15 on the market, and Heritage will generally have a number of copies.

CGC census counts are excessive for each Amazing Fantasy #15 and Amazing Spider-Man #1 – 3,697 and 4,575 respectively – when in comparison with 1961 and 1962 Marvel first appearances and first points. Even Fantastic Four #1 barely comes inside a thousand of both concern’s census depend with 2,778.

With fewer collectors holding their points and so many ensuing gross sales, provide simply could also be surpassing demand.

Marvel Silver Age Trend Continues

The tendencies we see for the 2 Spider-Man keys are additionally evident in gross sales of Marvel Silver Age first appearances within the November Heritage public sale.

A 9.0 graded copy of Fantastic Four #1 offered for $234,000, down 44% from the height set in June, and down in most grades 9.0 and beneath. Fantastic Four #49, the primary look of Galactus and first Silver Surfer cowl: 9.8 offered for $192,000 and set a document, however a duplicate on this grade hadn’t offered in six years.

All grades 9.0 and beneath have seen a steep correction. Tales of Suspense #39, the primary look of Iron Man: 9.2 offered for $168,000 – up in grade 17% however declines in most grades 9.0 and beneath. X-Men #1, their first look: 9.0 offered for $114,000, down 38% from its peak and we’re seeing downward tendencies in most grades 9.2 and decrease.

It might be very fascinating to see if these tendencies proceed when the very best-graded books come up on the market. If it does, we’ll know that we’ve got a full-scale correction on our arms. If it doesn’t, it might problem a standard rule of thumb for Marvel Silver Age collectors, that being that you just wish to be within the prime 10% of grades if you wish to retain worth.

If the development isn’t exhibiting up within the highest grades, it might be solely the highest one to 2 p.c of grades that may be counted on to constantly retain worth over time. Hopefully, development strains begin going upward once more quickly. A market the place solely the very best-finish collectors can financial institution on key books retaining worth isn’t a wholesome one.

Rare Batman Sale

For one thing really distinctive, try #3 in our Chartbusters listing. A 9.4 graded copy of Detective Comics #168 offered in November’s Heritage public sale for $324,000. The concern options the origin of the Joker and the primary look of the Red Hood (SPOILER: he’s really the Joker).

This marks the one sale of this singular highest-graded copy of Detective Comics #168 and solely the second time in over a decade {that a} CGC-graded copy above 7.5 has offered. It’s gross sales of uncommon books like this that make the massive auctions so thrilling.

Golden Age Timely Sales

Two of the most important keys from Marvel’s Timely period offered within the November Heritage public sale – Marvel Comics #1 and Captain America Comics #1. Both made the highest ten of our Chartbusters listing, coming in at #7 and #5 respectively.

A 3.0 graded copy of Marvel Comics #1 offered for $223,200, up from the earlier excessive on this grade of $77,675 in 2016. Sales in all grades are up for the 12 months or had been the one sale to ever happen.

A Conserved 9.2 graded copy of Captain America #1 offered for $276,000. That’s down a bit from earlier gross sales for $306,050 in 2013 and $343,057 in 2011. Of course, the Conserved label has one thing to do with that.

TMNT Down

Settling in at quantity 10 on our Chartbusters listing is none aside from early Copper Age basic Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1. A 9.8 graded copy offered for $156,000, down from its earlier sale within the September Heritage public sale by $30K, and down 41% from its peak of $264,00 set in a Goldin public sale in February.

In a reversal of the tendencies we see in Marvel Silver Age comics, this ebook is down in grades above 6.0 whereas up in most grades (5.5 being the lone exception) 6.0 and beneath. Buyers within the extra accessible mid-grades and decrease seem like greater than prepared to maintain shopping for at greater costs. That’s certain to finally creep again as much as the upper grades.

Pre-Code Horror Sales

As the accumulating market matures, we’re seeing rising gross sales in pre-code horror. The November Heritage public sale was rife with pre-code horror comics that made our Chartbusters listing: Punch Comics #12 (#15 in Chartbusters), Chamber of Chills Magazine #19 (#19 in Chartbusters), and Crime SuspenStories #22 (#27 in Chartbusters).

While not strictly a horror comedian, the quilt of Punch Comics #12 is beloved by pre-code horror followers, as proven by the document sale within the 5.5 grade of $90,000. That’s up almost $20K in simply six months. It’s additionally solely the second time up to now 5 years {that a} 5.5 or greater graded copy has offered. The 9.2 document-setting sale of Chamber of Chills Magazine #19 for $72,000 marks the very best-graded copy to promote this 12 months. Another document setter, this time within the 8.5 grade, was Crime SuspenStories #22, which offered for $52,800, up almost $20K in 10 months.

It’s good to see the eye that pre-code horror has been getting from newer (says the outdated man) collectors.