Vintage magazines are rapidly growing in popularity. Let’s take a look at some big winter-time sales as we dive into the Magazine Chartbusters.
Huge Pulp Auction
December 6 at Heritage Auctions was one for the ages. Featuring high graded copies of some of the best-selling pulp magazines, our Magazines Chartbusters list is still filled with issues that sold in the auction. In fact, the top 50 are all pulps, all but one of which sold in the December 6 auction.
The Mystery Pulps
Coming in at number one is Spicy Mystery Stories #1 (v1 #2). An amazing looking 9.6 graded copy with white pages sold in the December 6 auction for $156,000. It is the first recorded sale of any graded copy. There are 16 graded copies total, and this is one of two at the top of CGC’s population count. Published by Culture Publications in June 1935, this first issue sports a sexy cover that combines two of the best selling pulp genres – Spicy and Mystery.
A rare ashcan edition of Snappy Mystery Stories (Ashcan) #1 (v1#2) sold in the auction for $66,000. One of only two graded copies (both are graded 9.0), it was the first recorded sale of a graded copy. Also published by Culture Publications in 1935, it has a wicked looking two tone bondage cover.
A nice looking 9.2 graded copy of Spicy Mystery Stories #5 (v1 #6) with off-white to white pages was the highest graded copy to sell to date and went for $38,400. Norman Saunders painted a gorgeous cover for this one and its highly regarded as a classic, complete with hypodermic needle.
A 9.2 graded copy with off-white pages of Spicy Mystery Stories #14 (v3 #3) set a record with a $28,800 sale in the auction. One of two copies at the top of CGC’s population report, the auction saw the first recorded sale of a graded copy. The King Kong-esque cover by H.J. Ward is a favorite of collectors.
An 8.0 graded copy with off-white pages (one of two at the top of CGC’s population count) of Mystery Adventure Magazine #20 (v4#3) sold in the auction for $22,800. It was the first recorded sale of a graded copy. The issue, published by Movie Digest, Inc. in 1936, marks the final appearance of the Domino Lady.
And finally, we have The Spider #6 (v2 #2). A 9.4 Strasser Pedigree copy with off-white to white pages sold in the auction for $19,200. It was the first recorded sale of one of two copies in the top grade. The cover, by John Newton Howitt, is the first to feature the Spider’s hat, mask, and cape.
Weird Tales
Arguably the most popular of all graded pulps set a record when a 9.2 Frank M. Robinson Pedigree copy of Weird Tales #118 (v22 #4) with white pages sold for $105,000. Featuring the classic Margaret Brundage bat woman cover, it’s a favorite of pulp collectors. The issue also includes a Conan story by Robert E. Howard. The previous high sale was shared between a 7.5 and a 7.0, both of which sold for $31,200 in 2025 and 2024 Heritage auctions respectively. The 9.2 is the lone top-of-census copy.
The first issue of the all-time classic horror/fantasy pulp – Weird Tales #1 (v1 #1) – made a splash in the auction when a 6.5 with off-white to white pages (by far the highest existing grade) sold for $90,000. There are currently only seven graded copies of this premiere issue, with the next highest grade being 4.0.
An 8.0 graded copy of Weird Tales #2 (v1 #2) with white pages sold for $66,000. It is one of only two existent graded copies. The other is also an 8.0. This issue is considered the scarcest of all Weird Tales issues.
A stellar looking 9.8 Frank M. Robinson Pedigree copy of Weird Tales #114 (v21 #6) with off-white pages sold for $40,800. This issue features a nude cover by Margaret Brundage and the Robert E. Howard penned Conan tale, “Black Colossus.”
Finally, a 9.6 graded Frank M. Robinson Pedigree copy of Weird Tales #125 (v23 #5) with off-white pages sold for a record setting $33,600. Conan makes his first cover appearance in this issue and it was painted by fan favorite Margaret Brundage.
