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Archie Comics #1 (Archie, 1942) CGC FN/VF 7.0 Off-white pages....
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Sold on Aug 14, 2009 for:
$38,837.50
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Description
Archie Comics #1 (Archie, 1942) CGC FN/VF 7.0 Off-white pages. This is the highest-graded copy of one of Overstreet's top fifty Golden Age comics. Ranked #37 by Overstreet, it should probably be much higher than that, since any copy we've auctioned sells much higher than the Guide value!This is considered the first teen comic book by Overstreet. While Archie had appeared in other comics before, they were anthology titles like Pep and Jackpot where he shared space with adventure stories. Also, Archie had never been the sole cover feature of a comic before this! Other key points: this issue has what you might call the "origin" of Veronica -- we learn how Archie read about the blue-blooded Park Avenue debutante-to-be and wrote to invite her to his prom in Riverdale (a more mundane account of their first meeting told in Pep Comics #26 was thankfully forgotten from this point forward). This book also has the very first appearance of Mrs. Andrews, Archie's mother. And of course, it's the first issue of a series that's still going strong in the present day and is now closing in on issue #600.
We were really wowed by this copy when we saw it before it was certified. Most copies you'll find (not that it's easy to find any copy) will have tape, staining, smudging, etc.... not so with this gem.
If the name "Guy Holcombe" handwritten on the cover seems familiar, it's because this is originally from a collection that produced a fair number of key books. Dealer/collector Gary Colabuono, who along with Stephen Fishler purchased the collection in the 1980s, tells us that the collection originally also included "early Golden Age runs of Timelys like Marvel Mystery #2, DCs like Green Lantern #1, and more." Mr. Colabuono also noted that more of these books exist than collectors realize, since the name was often written in a spot where it could be removed (and the collection came out two decades ago when such removal was perhaps more common than in the present day).
Having offered a few lower-grade copies of this issue recently and seen them sell for 2-3 times the Guide value at auction, we expect a very strong result for this copy.
Overstreet 2009 FN 6.0 value = $6,300; VF 8.0 value = $16,000. CGC census 6/09: 1 in 7.0, none higher.
CGC Grader Notes:
Bottom Front Cover Small Tear
Front Cover Marker/Pen
Front Cover Small Crease
Spine Stress Lines
Top Spine Small Tear
Top Spine Tape
Whole Book Multiple Bend
View the certification for CGC Certification ID 0912724001, including grader's notes if available and a link to the latest full census report for the issue.*
*All information listed is intended to be as accurate as possible, but errors are possible. No item may be returned or refused based on this information, which is provided as a service to our clients. Feel free to contact each data source directly to determine the accuracy of this information.
More information about Archie Comics, and Archie Comics #1 Comic Title.
Auction Info
2009 August Signature Comics & Comic Art Auction #7009 (go to Auction Home page)
Auction Dates
August, 2009
14th-15th
Friday-Saturday
Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: 22
Lot Tracking Activity: N/A
Page Views: 13,009
Buyer's Premium per Lot:
19.5% of the successful bid per lot.
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