One of the most useful aspects of GoCollect's CPI is the ability to analyze a key issue across multiple CGC grades in one data visualization. Even a cursory review of the key issues in the Silver Age CPI can quickly show you where deals can be had.
One such book is Tales of Suspense #52 which, of course, includes the first appearance of Natasha Romanoff. More famously known as the Black Widow.
Is it a buy at current price points? Let's take a closer look.
Personally, I think it's most helpful to view the CPI over the past five years because, that way, you can see the value of a particular key issue across multiple grades prior to the advent of the so-called "comic boom." The comic boom is the explosion of comic book values in 2020-21 fueled by a perfect storm of circumstances: the MCU being at the height of its popularity; billions of people quarantined at home; and trillions of dollars of stimulus. Accordingly, with the five year view, you can see what the values of these key issues were in a more "normal" environment prior to the pandemic. With the five year view, you can also see the results of the long-running bear market that began in 2022 and continues to this day.
The value of Tales of Suspense #52 across 13 CGC grades hasn't been this low since March 2019, a year before the comic boom began.
A quick scan of the Silver Age CPI shows several issues that have appeared to have over-corrected during the current bear market, including Tales of Suspense #52:
About six months prior to the pandemic, Tales of Suspense #52 was contributing 18.65 points to the Silver Age CPI value, a composite score composed from sales across 13 CGC grades. Less than two years later, by July 2021, that contribution had reached an all-time high of 25.33 or a 27% increase in value. Just over three years later, it contributes a mere 13.15 points. The book hasn't been that low since March 2019. Personally, I'd invest in this book at prices from five and a half years ago. Even if the comic boom hadn't occurred, you'd still expect this book to appreciate some since March 2019 especially considering how much inflation rose during 2022..
As a concrete example, take a look at this solid CGC 5.5 that sold for a mere $550 just two months ago for a fixed price on eBay:
You'd have to go way back to 2017 or 2018 to buy a 5.5 at this price point. I think this is evidence of over-correction, in my opinion.
The supply of CGC graded copies of Tales of Suspense #52 is unlikely to increase dramatically in the years ahead.
Also, this is a legitimate key issue and not some Modern Age key that had a huge print run. When you invest in a major key issue from the Silver Age, you can worry less about the issue of increasing supply of CGC graded copies. Today, there are just over 2,000 universal blue label copies of Tales of Suspense #52 on the CGC Census. According to CGCData.com, there were just over 1,000 blue labels in December 2019, just prior to the comic boom when an unprecedented number of comics were shipped to CGC for grading. I think it's highly unlikely that you'll see a dramatic increase in supply of CGC graded copies of this issue in the years ahead.
