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Home / Comics, Comic Art & Animation Art / 2011 November 15-17 Vintage Comics & Comic Art Signature Auction- Beverly Hills Auction #7039 / Lot #91321
    LOT #91321  | 
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    Famous Funnies #1 (Eastern Color, 1934) CGC VG 4.0 Cream to off-white pages....

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    • Platinum Age (1897-1937):Miscellaneous, Famous Funnies #1 (Eastern Color, 1934) CGC VG 4.0 Cream to off-white pages....
    • Platinum Age (1897-1937):Miscellaneous, Famous Funnies #1 (Eastern Color, 1934) CGC VG 4.0 Cream to off-white pages....
    • Platinum Age (1897-1937):Miscellaneous, Famous Funnies #1 (Eastern Color, 1934) CGC VG 4.0 Cream to off-white pages....
    Platinum Age (1897-1937):Miscellaneous, Famous Funnies #1 (Eastern Color, 1934) CGC VG 4.0 Cream to off-white pages.... Platinum Age (1897-1937):Miscellaneous, Famous Funnies #1 (Eastern Color, 1934) CGC VG 4.0 Cream to off-white pages.... Platinum Age (1897-1937):Miscellaneous, Famous Funnies #1 (Eastern Color, 1934) CGC VG 4.0 Cream to off-white pages.... View More >
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    Description

    Famous Funnies #1 (Eastern Color, 1934) CGC VG 4.0 Cream to off-white pages. This was the first comic book sold to the general public through newsstand distribution! It's also a book that's seldom found in unrestored condition, and this is a copy with an intriguing provenance to boot.
    A brief recap of the history for you: this comic's predecessors (for example Funnies On Parade) were giveaway premiums, the success of which indicated that there might be reader demand for the format. Then came Famous Funnies, Series 1, which was sold to the general public through chain stores. The new format having passed those tests, Eastern Color brought out this first issue of a monthly newsstand series. It would run for over twenty years. Don't forget that at the time, some naysayers wondered why anyone would pay 10 cents for the same strips they had already read for free in the newspapers!
    This copy is certified as "From the Personal Collection of William M. Gaines" (please see the online listing for a scan of the certificate which has more information). Of course, William Gaines, the well-known publisher of Mad, was the son of M. C. Gaines who played a major role in the creation of the modern comic book. While this issue was not a production of the elder Gaines, no doubt he followed its success with great interest, as it was in many ways the culmination of his earlier efforts.
    This comic is currently ranked #57 on Overstreet's list of the most valuable Golden Age comics -- the only reason it's not much higher is that while most comics have NM- prices listed in the Guide, no NM- copy of this is known to exist. Gerber gave it a scarcity rating of "9" or "Very Rare." Overstreet 2011 VG 4.0 value = $6,200. CGC census 11/11: 4 in 4.0, 7 higher.

    View the certification for CGC Certification ID 783147002 and purchase grader's notes if available.

    Auction Info

    Auction Dates
    November, 2011
    15th-17th Tuesday-Thursday
    Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: 28
    Lot Tracking Activity: N/A
    Page Views: 1,284

    Buyer's Premium per Lot:
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