The Silver Age Index may be down, but some comics are bucking the trend, while others are contributing to it. Let’s take a look at the Silver Age CPI to note some winners and losers over the past 90 days.
Criteria
Taking a look at the comics in our Silver Age CPI, I first determined which ones were showing general upward trends and which were trending downward over the past 90 days. I then looked at the trends per grade. If there were an overwhelming number of grades that matched the trend, that book made the list. Too many flat lines or a mixed bag across grades caused a book to not be included. It’s a simple but effective way to look at the comics in the CPI quickly and determine if the trend is being reflected across grades.
Winner – Iron Man #1 – up 5.9%
Shellhead’s first solo issue saw lifts across nine grades, including the top three grades in the index. The increases in value in the 8.5 and 8.0 grades were each more than $100. The lines were also trending upward in the 4.0 through 3.0 grades. One note of caution: while mid grades were up from their values three months ago, they were down from peaks within the past two months.
Loser – Batman #181 – down 5.4%
Poison Ivy’s first appearance was down $720 in the 8.5 grade, and down $73 in the 8.0 grade. Other grades down through 5.0 dropped as well. The one bright spot was grades 4.5 and below, which all saw lifts. While they weren’t significantly large increases, it does show that it’s still a coveted issue, one where budget conscious shoppers are finding value.
Winner – The Flash #123 – up 2.8%
The big increase for the first appearance of the Golden Age Flash in the Silver Age came in the 8.5 grade, which saw a $767 increase in value. The 3.0 and 4.0 grades saw lifts as well, while some of the mid grades saw some softening.
Loser – Amazing Spider-Man #3 – down 3.8%
Doc Ock’s first appearance was an honorable mention loser last time around and has since moved up the list, but not in a good way. The 7.0 grade in particular saw a $1,760 drop in value. The 5.5, 5.0, and 4.0 grades also experienced downward trends.
Winner – Star Trek #1 – up 2.4%
Kirk, Spock, and their friends’ first comic appearance is experiencing some positive upward trends, particularly in the 8.0 and 7.5 grades. However, there is some softening in some of the mid to lower grades. Still, it’s nice to see a non-superhero Silver Age comic continue to get attention from collectors.
Loser – Fantastic Four #4 – down 2.7%
It’s a repeat appearance as a loser on this list for Sub-Mariner’s first Silver Age appearance. It’s the continuation of a long-running trend. Over the past three months, all but one grade saw drops in value or no sales.
Honorable Mention Winner – Tales of Suspense #52 – up 1.8%
Black Widow’s first appearance showed enough positive signs (for the first time in a long time) to merit an honorable mention. The 8.5 grade was up, although not markedly, and there were some lifts in the lower grades as well.
Honorable Mention Loser – Tales to Astonish #13 – down 1.1%
Groot’s first appearance didn’t see many sales over the past few months, but most were down and often by hundreds of dollars. Should this trend continue, we could very well see it passed on the list by Mr. Freeze’s first appearance in Batman #121.
