Comic Chartbusters Analysis – August

Turtles dominated in August, main the best way in an inventory dominated by gross sales in ComicConnect’s massive public sale. Let’s dive deep to find out what these gross sales inform us about the marketplace for the comics each collector needs they may personal.

August ComicConnect Auction

ComicConnect’s public sale ending August 26 was enormous, with a number of six-figure gross sales and lots of within the excessive to mid-five-figures. Comics from the Golden Age to the Copper Age offered within the public sale. Some have been acquainted to anybody who’s tracked our Chartbusters record whereas others made their mark with gross sales at ranges we haven’t seen shortly.

First on our August record is a 9.8 graded copy of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1. The high grade for this challenge offered for $155,250 within the ComiConnect public sale. That’s roughly flat when in comparison with a November 2022 Heritage Auction sale for $156,000. It’s down significantly, although, from a peak $264,000 sale within the February 2022 Goldin public sale.

If you’re a holder of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1, it’s important to be happy that the bleeding has stopped and the fast decline in worth has lastly leveled out. Even if it settles at this value, it’s nonetheless far above the pre-boom peak of $90,000 set in 2019.

You’re not imagining issues. Yet one other copy of Superman #1 offered in a 2023 public sale. This time, it was a 1.5 graded copy promoting within the Comic Connect public sale for $132,250. That’s down 33% from the earlier sale within the grade: $198,660 in June 2022. Depending on the grade – and all gross sales of Superman #1 in 2023 have been within the mid to low grades – values are down wherever from 6 to 33 %.

Despite what could seem like a usually first rate current marketplace for Golden Age comics, even keys like this aren’t resistant to downward developments, significantly after we see a relative flooding of the market as now we have with low to mid-grade copies of Superman #1.

With solely 74 Universal graded copies, even the 5 gross sales we’ve seen this 12 months – and add within the three restored copy gross sales – can characterize an honest proportion for a buying base that may be very small for the cream of the crop books.

The Curious Case of a Hot Silver Age Key

The primary comedian on our Hottest Silver Age comics record is Fantastic Four #48, so it’s no shock {that a} copy made it to quantity three on our August Chartbusters record, particularly when it’s a 9.8 graded signature sequence copy signed by Stan Lee. This copy offered within the ComicConnect public sale for $105,800. What is shocking, nevertheless, is that this isn’t a document. In reality, this sale didn’t even beat out the Universal unsigned document holder, a 9.8 promoting in a June 2021 Heritage public sale for $108,000.

But that’s not even essentially the most important facet of this sale. You see, this very same copy offered in a September 2021 Heritage public sale for $144,000, so somebody misplaced $38,000 by promoting it on this market. There are a myriad of the explanation why this particular person could have wanted to promote this copy once they did, and if you happen to want a fast $100K you definitely don’t want my recommendation. However, if you happen to’re capable of be affected person, I’d undoubtedly take into account holding on to cornerstone copies like this throughout this down market.

Interesting Variety of Golden Age Sales

The ComicConnect public sale included a good quantity of Golden Age choices throughout plenty of genres. Coming in because the quantity 5 August Chartbuster is Pep Comics #22. Featuring the primary appearances of Archie, Jughead, and Betty, a 3.0 graded copy offered for $69,575.

It’s the primary sale of a 3.0 graded CGC copy and the primary Universal graded CGC copy to promote since 2018. A CBCS-graded 3.0 offered in a June 2021 Heritage public sale for $66,000. Considering the low cost for CBCS-graded comics, it’s important to take into account this most up-to-date sale to be flat and even barely down in worth.

Like Superman #1, Batman #1 has been displaying up in fairly a number of auctions of late. A Restored 2.5 graded copy offered within the ComicConnect public sale for $69,000. Obviously, with the purple label you’re going to see a steep low cost.

Such was the case right here, though it’s noteworthy that it offered for almost $45,000 greater than the earlier sale in December 2017. If it’s a mega-key like Batman #1, even restored copies will present a return on funding over time.

Featuring a unbelievable L.B. Cole cowl, Mask Comics #1 was one of many stars of the August ComicConnect public sale. A 7.5 graded copy offered for $54,625. With solely two Universal copies grading larger, it simply surpassed expectations, going for the third highest value ever paid, bested solely by two earlier gross sales of the lone 8.5 graded Promise Collection copy for first $102,000 in 2021 after which $144,000 in April of this 12 months.

While it’s extra plentiful within the decrease grades, it isn’t onerous to think about these monster gross sales will quickly have an impact in no less than the mid-grades.

Other Golden Age gross sales of be aware within the ComicConnect public sale embrace a 4.5 grade Dynamic Comics #8 promoting for $45,139 – a record-setting value for this difficult to search out Gus Ricca cowl, an 8.0 grade Black Knight #1 promoting for $33,350, and a 7.5 grade Journey Into Mystery #1 with a double cowl promoting for $28,750.

Silver Age First Appearances

Lest you suppose that ComicConnect had the one massive gross sales of the month, a 9.8 graded copy of Batman #181 offered within the August 10 Heritage public sale for $96,000.

While it’s up from the earlier sale for $90,000 within the November 2020 Heritage public sale, it’s down when it comes to current greenback worth, making for a barely disappointing sale of the primary look of Poison Ivy.

Making a monster transfer, nevertheless, was one other Silver Age first look, that being Nick Fury in Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandos #1. A 9.0 graded copy offered within the ComicConnect public sale for $53,155, inserting quantity 10 in our Chartbusters record.

That’s up 240% over the earlier sale in 2019 for $15,600 and is the second-highest value ever paid for a graded copy. The document holder is a 9.2 promoting for $80,500 simply final 12 months.

A Cautionary Tale

The lone Bronze Age comedian to crack the highest 10 of our August Chartbusters record was Hero for Hire #1. A 9.8 graded copy offered within the ComicConnect public sale for $64,401. That locations it as our quantity seven Chartbuster for the month. That marks a 37% drop from the earlier sale for $102,000 in a September 2022 Heritage public sale.

That sale is trying extra like an outlier. A steadier curve would land it proper about on the value it went for within the ComicConnect public sale, offering a cautionary be aware for these studying an excessive amount of into one sale.