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Hake’s Auctions
Superheroes continue to have collectors trapped in their web of popularity. A beautifully clean copy of Amazing Spider-Man #1 (Marvel, 1963) – one of only five of its issue grade known to exist – set off a bidding war at Hake’s July 25-26 auction of pop culture memorabilia, climbing to a staggering final price of $520,380.
The comic, a CGC-graded 9.6 issue, had been displayed at Comic-Con in San Diego prior to the sale and attracted considerable interest from fans, a good indicator of what was to come.
“Collectors knew what made the book special. It came from the John B Goodrich collection, had desirable white pages, and was one of only three at that grade level to reach the auction marketplace in more than a decade,” said Hake’s president, Alex Winter. “Eight months prior to our sale, a CGC 9.6 Spider-Man #1, which had off-white as opposed to white pages, sold for $336,000. Everyone in the comic book world was aware that our July auction was a buying opportunity not to be missed, so the result did not surprise us. Now the winning bidder owns one of the world’s top copies of one of the most important books in the Marvel universe.”
Spidey’s origin is retold in the issue, which also features the work of two Silver Age stalwarts, Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, who collaborated for the cover, with Ditko providing the story art.
More than 300 CGC-certified comic books were offered at the event, including examples of nearly all of Marvel’s key Silver Age titles. The company’s August 1962 production Amazing Fantasy #15, CGC-graded 7.5 VF, is notable for its introduction of Peter Parker/Spider-Man, as well as the character’s cover debut.
Hake’s Auctions
It sold at the upper end of its estimate range, for $170,844. A third highlight from the Goodrich trove was a CGC 9.4 example of Amazing Spider-Man #14 (July 1964), an issue that is important for its first appearance of Green Goblin and first meeting of Spider-Man and The Incredible Hulk. Not only did it surpass its high estimate, selling for $38,615, it also set a new auction record for the title/grade in so doing.
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