The Infamous Marvel Value Stamp: A History

Many think about Stan “The Man” Lee to be a inventive genius. After all, his was the thoughts (together with Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko) that got here up with Spider-Man, the X-Men, the Avengers, and scores of different authentic characters and groups. Today, Marvel is a multi-billion greenback franchise that cuts throughout comics, video video games, TV, and movie. But in 1974, Stan additionally created “Marvel Value Stamps,” a promotional marketing campaign that grew to become the bane of existence for a lot of comedian e book traders.

Let’s take a more in-depth have a look at these notorious stamps.

In 1974, Marvel Comics writer Stan Lee devised a promotional marketing campaign to extend gross sales; embody “stamps” of outstanding Marvel characters throughout all of their month-to-month comedian e book collection. Readers had been inspired to gather all 100 stamps by reducing them out (thereby maiming their books) and putting them in collector booklets (see beneath) that readers may buy by means of the mail.

Once all the stamps had been collected in these booklets, readers may redeem these booklets in alternate for merchandise. The marketing campaign was so profitable that Lee launched a second set of stamps in its comics all through 1975. Marvel included these Marvel Value Stamps in 129 points that had been revealed in 1974 and 1975.

Thankfully, many of those points had been non-keys. Of course, Marvel did embody Marvel Value Stamp #54 (Shanna the She-Devil) in probably the most vital key problems with all-time: Incredible Hulk #181.

Little did many readers know, in 1974, that Wolverine would turn into arguably the second hottest Marvel character of all time (after Spider-Man). Thousands of collectors had been amassing the improper merchandise — they had been centered on these stamps when they need to have been amassing (and preserving) this situation.

Today, CGC has graded 1,184 copies of Hulk #181 that don’t have this stamp. There are 73 “Qualified” copies of Hulk #181. According to GoCollect, the FMV of a 7.5 inexperienced label is $2,220. The FMV of a 7.5 blue label is $5,250. That’s practically 1 / 4 million {dollars} in misplaced worth proper there for simply this one grade.

Hulk #181 wasn’t the one key situation marred by lacking stamps.

Some different main key points which have a excessive variety of certified grades embody:

Thankfully, Marvel Value Stamps didn’t deface each main Bronze Age key situation that was revealed in 1974 and 1975.

For instance, the primary Marvel Value Stamp within the Amazing Spider-Man occurred in situation #130 — simply narrowly lacking the primary look of the Punisher in #129. However, Marvel did embody the Stamps in Amazing Spider-Man #134 and #135 (2nd and third appearances of the Punisher). The first Stamp that appeared within the X-Men was situation #97, narrowly lacking X-Men #94 and Giant-Size X-Men #1.

At the identical time, in some methods, I’m grateful that Marvel Value Stamps exist. I’m the proud proprietor of a CGC 4.5 certified copy of Hulk #181, a difficulty that I may by no means afford if the stamp weren’t lacking!

*Any perceived funding recommendation is that of the freelance blogger and doesn’t symbolize recommendation on behalf of GoCollect.