While most collectors are familiar with the big Golden Age books that sell each month, there are so many more worth investigating. It was an unusually light month for Golden Age sales. Of course, that means some interesting books sold, ones that you don’t see every day.
Teen-Age Romances #37
A new record was set for this 1954 issue published by St. John and featuring a cover and two interior stories with artwork by the inimitable Matt Baker. A 6.0 graded copy, the second highest on the CGC census, sold for $2,880 in an October 7 Heritage auction. There are 18 graded copies in the CGC census, all in the Universal grades. No copies have yet been graded by the other grading companies. The previous record holder was a 4.5 that sold in a 2022 Heritage auction for $1,560. The highest graded copy is a lone 7.5, which has never sold.
Dynamic Comics #13
Another mid-grade Golden Age issue set a record when a 6.0 graded copy of this issue sold for $2,100 in the same October 7 Heritage auction. This classic published by Chesler in 1945 features a nifty cover by Gus Ricca. There are 22 graded copies in the CGC census, all but two of which are in the Universal grades. No copies have as yet been graded by PSA or CBCS. There are three copies graded higher than the 6.0 that sold in October, each a singular copy: a 9.0, 7.5, and 6.5. Of these, the 6.5 last sold way back in 2007 when it went for just $263 in a Heritage auction. The 9.0 sold in a 2009 Heritage auction for $2,032. The 7.5 has never sold.
Green Hornet Comics #26
A high grade copy of this issue – a 9.0 Promise Collection copy – sold for $2,400 sale in the October 28 Heritage auction. It previously sold in a 2022 Heritage auction for $2,640, marking a slight downgrade in the book’s value. Other than these two sales of this copy, all other recorded sales are for less than $1,000. There are 23 CGC graded copies of this comic published by Harvey in 1945, and two 3.5 copies graded by CBCS. The only other sale this year was a 3.0 that went for $264 in a March 4 Heritage auction. There is a lone top-of-census 9.4 that has never sold.
Bang-Up Comics #1
You may not have heard of this comic published by Chicago based Progressive Publishers in 1941, but high grade copies come up for sale quite frequently, as shown by five copies graded 9.0 or higher moving in auctions since 2019. Not bad considering there are only 20 copies in the CGC census and just 17 are in the Universal grades. In this case, it was one of two 9.2 graded copies going for $2,400 in an October 16 Heritage auction. Interestingly, it’s the eighth time a 9.2 has sold. In fact, this exact copy has changed hands six times since 2010. The other 9.2 is a Mile High Pedigree copy that has sold twice – first in a 2002 Heritage auction for $3,680, and then in a 2016 ComicConnect auction for $3,600. The record holder is the lone top-of-census 9.6, which sold in a 2020 Heritage auction for $3,960.
Victory Comics #1
A 7.0 graded copy of this first issue published by Hillman in 1941 features a Bill Everett drawn cover and sold in the October 16 Heritage auction for $3,360. Printed with a patriotic cover consisting of primarily red, white, and blue colors (with some small splashes of pale yellow), there are 40 graded copies in the CGC census and a lone 7.0 graded by CBCS. A CGC 7.0 previously sold in a 2023 Heritage auction for $4,800, marking this sale as a significant 30% drop in value. The record holder is a 9.6 that sold in a 2014 ComicConnect auction for a whopping $22,111. No other copy above 7.0 has ever sold, including a singularly spectacular 9.8.
