In 1976, Marvel ran a test to see how their comics would sell if they raised the price 5 cents – from 25 cents to 30 cents. 46 years later, those test issues are much sought-after by comic book collectors and investors. But which of these 30-cent variants are the ones to target? Let’s take a look through the data and see.

Testing the Waters

Like many corporations in the 1970s, Marvel was dealing with rapidly increasing costs in an inflationary environment. In particular, paper costs were putting financial pressure on all publishers. After a series of price increases that drove the price of a new comic from 15 cents at the beginning of the decade to 25 cents, Marvel knew they would have to increase prices again to 30 cents. But how to go about it, determine how it would affect sales, and time the price increase versus their primary competitor, DC Comics?

Marvel decided to test comic books priced at 30 cents in select markets; thus was born the Marvel 30-cent variant.

To go about this, Marvel distributed comics during the months of April through August 1976 in select markets with no 25-cent versions available in those markets. The markets selected were likely Albuquerque, Baltimore, Grand Rapids, San Antonio, San Jose, and Springfield, MA. There is some evidence to support this, although it is possible that there were other markets.

Presumably, the markets were selected to compare to similar markets where the price had not risen above 25 cents. Over time, the 30-cent variants were sold and traded around the country such that now those markets don’t have appreciably more copies of the variants per capita than other markets. In short, if you think because you’re in Baltimore these will be easier to find, you’re out of luck.

The Most Common 30-Cent Variant

By far, the 30-cent variant with the most copies in the CGC census is Eternals #1 with 401. There are only 4 copies in the 9.8 grade and no sales have been tracked in that grade. Looking at the 9.6 grade, we see the most recent sale and the highest price paid were in an eBay best offer sale in October 2021 for a slashed $11,000. There are 22 copies in the 9.6 grade in the CGC census. With the next highest price being $5,600, and that occurring in an eBay auction just six months earlier in April 2021, it strikes me as very odd that someone would pay nearly double.

The grade with the most copies in the census is 8.5 with 64 copies. The current FMV is $550. The 1-year average is $647, and the most recent sale was on April 26 for a slashed $450. To put these prices in perspective, a 9.6 of the non-variant version of Eternals #1 has a current FMV of $230, while the FMV for an 8.5 is $190.

X-Men 30-Cent Variants

X-Men was still on a bi-monthly publishing schedule in 1976, so there are only three issues in the 30-cent test: X-Men #98, X-Men #99, and X-Men #100. These are among the 30-cent variants with the highest number of copies in the CGC census, with 127, 153, and 142 copies respectively.

There are no 9.8 graded copies of any of these issues in the census. There are four 9.6 grade copies of X-Men #98 and the most recent sale was for $1,620 in September 2021.

X-Men #99 has only one 9.6 in the census and that has never sold. There are 11 9.4 graded copies and the most recent sale was for $1,301 in September 2017.

There are five copies of X-Men #100 in the 9.6 grade and the most recent sale was for $1,400 in February 2021.

Clearly, these are rare books in the high grade, with numbers similar to what we would see in hard-to-find high-grade Golden Age comics. Even in the 8.5 grade, the current FMV stands at $449, $325, and $900 respectively. As one would expect, FMV for non-variant versions of these comics is much lower than for these 30-cent variants.

Moon Knight Key 30-Cent Variant

Moon Knight’s first solo appearance in Marvel Spotlight #28 is also among the most graded of the 30-cent variants, with 124 graded copies in the census. There are six 9.8 graded copies in the CGC census. The most recent sale occurred in a fixed price eBay sale in December 2021 for an eye-popping $12,000. That's 20% higher than the previous high of $10,000 in August 2021.

The current FMV for an 8.5 graded copy stands at $625 and the most recent sale was for $599 in August 2021.

Analysis of 30-Cent Variant Keys

Besides the 30-cent variants of key comics listed above, Marvel Spotlight #29, Amazing Spider-Man #155, #156, #157, #158, and #159, Incredible Hulk #200, and (somewhat surprisingly) Howard the Duck #3 are also among the comics with the highest number of graded copies in the CGC census.

In general, the rarity of these books drives prices significantly higher. In some instances, 9.8 graded copies don’t exist. The next highest grade, be it 9.6 or 9.4, will sell for prices far higher than would normally be expected, even with the low total of graded copies. Census numbers are similar to many Golden Age comics and significantly lower than a typical Bronze Age Marvel key. Next time, we’ll take a look at the rarest of the 30-cent price variants.

Want more spec?

Do you collect Marvel 30-cent price variants? Let us know below.

*Any perceived investment advice is that of the freelance blogger and does not represent advice on behalf of GoCollect.