A picture is worth a thousand words. but turn it into a strip of pictures, complete with words, and it could be worth a thousand dollars. but what comics are worth money?
comics can be worth a considerable amount of money. Take, for example, the first issue of the Batman standalone series. It sold for a whopping $527,000 in 2013. And in 1962, Spider-Man burst onto the scene through issue #15 of the incredible fantasy series. Fast forward to 2011, when that comic sold for over $1.1 million at auction.
You are reading: Comic books worth money
holy collectibles, batman! what are you doing now? While it’s unlikely you have a comic that could catapult you into early retirement, here’s how to tell which comics are worth money:
Is your comic worth money? use a guide to find out!
do some basic navigation and see where google takes you. If your search falls short on information, check out a pricing site like www.comicspriceguide.com. You can also browse an auction site like eBay. search for its title, character, and filter by quality (like new, used, etc.).
how much money a comic is worth depends on the condition
comics are like cars. as wear increases, the value depreciates. comic books are rated from 1 to 10, using a cgc scale. Categories include Flawless, Fine, Good, Fair, and Poor, each with different sublevels. the more pristine, the more expensive the piece. to get the best price estimate, outsource the task to a reseller. Obvious things to look for now include torn pages, missing pages, faded colors, and/or stains.
learn about the eras of comics and how much money they typically make
We’ve heard of the stone age and the renaissance, but who knew comics had their own age category? milestones and industry trends defined each era. classic characters emerged in each of the eras, so their leading superheroes can give you a clue as to the value of your comic. here are the different periods:
- Victorian and platinum era (1828-1933)
- Golden era (1933-1950): Known as the most valuable era.
- Silver era (1956 )-1970)
- Bronze Age (1970-1985)
- Modern Age (1985-present)
To Find Out If Your Comic Book is Worth Money, Know the Demand!
While rarity is important, demand is everything. For example, there are over 10,000 copies of New Mutants #98, a number featuring the first appearance of Deadpool, floating around on the market. copies of this issue continually sell for over $1,000, though it’s not hard to come by. Do some research to find out if any of your issues are in high demand.
what comics are worth money nowadays?
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this is the thing; it’s very, very difficult to determine which comics will gain value over time. on the other hand, the actual age of a comic may be all that is needed for it to gain value. For example, the #1 action comics featuring the debut of superman are literally worth a fortune. not only is it from the golden age of comics, but it features the most popular superhero of all time. however, other titles from the same era, such as hour-man, hawkman, and dr. midnight, they’re not that valuable.
On the other hand, any comic from the 1930s to the 1960s is likely to have amassed real value. why? simply because they are antiques, and everyone loves to go back in time through well-kept and visually appealing antiques, like comic books. but then again heroes like superman, spiderman, hulk and batman will always get a lot of money because they are so popular. Below are some of the most valuable comics from the last 90 years of comic history, including:
action comics #1- 1938
The granddaddy of them all, this is the comic where superman, the strange visitor from another planet, made his comic book debut. selling in 1938 for a measly 0.10 cents, the #1 action comics are worth more than $3 million today. man of steel, he knows the golden comic.
detective comics #27 – 1939
If you’re a batman fan, you can thank detective comics issue #27. the dark knight was introduced in this classic comic, which has fewer than 200 issues in existence. that makes it, as you can imagine, quite valuable. copies in perfect condition have sold for more than 2 million dollars.
amazing fantasy #15 – 1962
Have you ever heard of a certain wall-crawler named Spider-Man, also known as Peter Parker? chances are you have, as it is very popular nowadays. He wasn’t when Amazing Fantasy #15 debuted, but that comic shows just how much fan love for Spidey has grown. today it is worth more than $1 million.
star comics #8 – 1941
No comic book collection would be complete without Princess Diana of Themyscira, the dynamic Wonder Woman! she came and changed everything in comics! however, finding a copy of this classic won’t be easy, as it is exceptionally rare.
marvel comics #1 – 1939
Making his debut in this classic comic book is the Scuba Diver and the Human Torch, two of Marvel’s biggest superstars. even better, since there are less than 26 of these incredibly rare comics available, they’re worth around $1 million!
batman #1 – 1940
batman and his trusted ward dick grayson, aka robin the boy wonder, made their comic book debut in 1940. this issue also debuted two of batman’s famous “rogues gallery,” joker and catwoman. today it is worth almost $600,000.
Superman #1 – 1939
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the last son of krypton got his own comic in 1939 and today there are fewer than 200. that makes them worth over $500,000! (last krypton comic?)
x-men #1 – 1963
if mutants float your proverbial ship, x-men #1 is your favorite comic. hard to find in good condition, x-men #1 will set you back around $500,000.
flash comics #1 – 1940
Although not as popular with some comic book fans, the flash is still a big deal. (He’s part of the justice league, you know?) flash comics #1 is worth over $400,000 at auction.
feeling comics #1 – 1942
wonder woman makes her first appearance on the cover of this classic comic, though finding one in mint condition is incredibly difficult. (they’re going for over $400,000!)
the incredible hulk #1 – 1962
Nearly impossible to find in excellent condition, the first comic about the jade giant sells today for around $375,000. that price will definitely crush your savings account!
thriller stories #39 – 1959
our final comic today saw the first appearance of iron man and his alter ego, tony stark. Today’s modern marvel movie family would never have existed were it not for tony and his arc reactor technology!
now you know which comics are worth money!
The more you know about your comic or collection, the easier it will be to evaluate it. if your comic turns out to be worth something, be sure to seal it in a slab. A slab is a plastic sleeve that protects the value of a comic. if the slab is opened, the rating is invalid, so remember to keep it well sealed!
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This post was originally published on 12/13/2018. It was updated on 1/27/2022.
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