After a slight downward trend in April and May, the Pre-Code Horror CPI has rebounded. Let’s take a look to see which issues are big gainers, and which ones are falling despite the trends.
Onward & Upward
Back in April, the dip in the Pre-Code Horror CPI was concerning as it was the first drop in the index value in five years. Since, however, the index has rebounded and reached new heights; it’s up 0.94% since June 8. Most of the increase occurred between June 22 and June 29 and has held steady since. Horror comics tend to see a spike as we near Halloween, so it’s a good time to check in on the books that are gaining in value and those that are dropping. Here are a few.
Big Gainers
Two sales in the lower grades produced a 6.5% increase in index value for Mister Mystery #12. Its cringe-inducing Bernard Baily cover makes this one a perennial favorite. A 4.0 sold in an August 12 Heritage auction for $7,500, beating out a copy that sold in a 2019 ComicConnect auction for $7,250 for the record in the grade. Not far behind was a 3.5 that sold in a June 29 Heritage auction for $7,200, setting a record in the grade nearly $5,000 higher than the previous high. With only 89 graded copies in the CGC census, even the low grades don’t come up for sale that often (roughly three sales per year in all grades over the past five years), so it’s nice to see some solid gains for this book.
It’s hard to keep the final issue in an iconic series down. Despite losing ground in some grades, Tales From the Crypt #46 saw significant increases in other grades that buoyed its index value up 7.0%. Sales since June 8 included a 6.0 setting a grade record with a $1,920 sale in a July 1 Heritage auction; a 4.0 that saw an initial 10% drop in value when it sold for $600 in a June 20 eBay auction before climbing to $750 in an August 5 Heritage auction; and a 3.0 holding steady with a $516 sale in a June 24 Heritage auction. On the downside, the sale of a 4.5 saw a dip down to $960 in a July 8 Heritage auction, bringing its 90-day average lower than the one-year average of $1,080. A 3.5 graded copy also lost marginal value with the $480 sale in an August 4 eBay auction. While that looks like a big drop from the previous sale - $1,100 in a March 4 eBay best offer sale – it’s in line with the two prior sales dating back to November 2024: $520 and $550. Overall, it’s been a nice 90-day period for this book despite seeing some losses in some of the mid to low grades.
Weird Mysteries #5 saw a decent 3.3% bump up in index value with two sales in the mid to lower grades. A 5.0 sold in the June 29 Heritage auction for an eye-popping $12,000, far above the previous high in the grade of $5,280 set back in 2019. A 3.5 also performed well, fetching $7,200 in the July 29 Heritage auction, nearly $2,200 higher than the previous sale in 2021.
Dropping In Value
Perhaps the biggest shock when perusing the Pre-Code Horror CPI is the 2.7% loss in index value for Shock SuspenStories #6. This all-time favorite Wally Wood cover dropped based on lower sales in the mid to low grades, including a 4.5 going for $1,680 in the July 29 Heritage auction ($600 below previous sale) and a 3.0 selling for $1,080 in an August 12 Heritage auction ($220 less than previous sale). The good news is that the 3.5 grade held relatively steady. Additionally, none of the losses were in the higher grades.
There wasn’t much in the way of good news for Crime SuspenStories #20, however, which fell 3.8% in index value. After reaching an all-time high in the 6.0 grade of $3,120 back in April, sales in a July 27 eBay auction and an August 2 Goldin auction were for $2,574 and $2,562 respectively. Losses were also seen in the 3.5 and 3.0 grades, although there was a very slight uptick in the 4.0 grade.
Crime SuspenStories #19 also saw a 3.2% decline in index value due to reduced sales in the lower grades. A 4.5 sold in a July 6 eBay auction for $547, down from a 2023 peak of $914. The 4.0 grade recovered a bit with a $395 sale in an August 22 eBay auction. That’s after dropping to $348 in a July 22 Heritage auction, a floor this grade hadn’t reached since 2021.
Final Thoughts
It was a solid if unspectacular 90 days for the Pre-Code Horror CPI. Overall, the index is up 2.9% for the calendar year and up 63.7% over the past five years. While some books were down, many of them were EC books that have larger census counts and come up for sale with more regularity, making it easier for buyers to wait for bargains.
