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The value of vintage comics is determined by several factors such as condition, scope, characters, and history. Old comics that have survived decades of reading, are in good condition, and have interesting historical events or characters are highly sought after by collectors. Supply and demand also plays a role, with the lower the supply, the higher the demand. The top 10 most valuable antique comics in mint condition as of early 2009 are: Action Comics #1, Detective Comics #27, Marvel Comics #1, Superman #1, All American Comics #16, Batman #1, Captain America #1, Flash Comics #1, More Fun Comics #42, and Whiz Comics #1. The value of these comics is based on their historical significance and rarity.
Not all old comics are valuable. Age is perhaps the least accurate indicator of what makes a comic book desirable. Like other antiques or collectibles, value is determined by how much a collector is willing to pay for the item. There are four basic criteria that make vintage comics attractive to collectors: condition, scope, characters and history.
Since comics are meant to be read not just watched, it is sometimes difficult to find key old comics in pristine condition. Those that have survived decades of reading are of great value. If they’ve been stored properly, the chances of retaining value are better than if they’ve been sitting in a box in an attic, although you shouldn’t discard grandpa’s old copies of Spider-Man. Even in average condition, some of the most sought-after comics can still command quite a steep price tag.
The supply of particular old comics is also important in calculating value. Just as supply and demand works for any retail product, the lower the supply of a particular comic, the higher the demand. If there are 15,000 copies of the comic in perfect condition, it will be less desirable than one with only 100 known copies in mint condition.
Books with major characters will be significantly more valuable than those with minor or unknown characters. Names like Superman, Spider-Man, Batman, Hulk, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, Captain America, and the X-Men, among other recognizable names, will command top dollar. Issues with these characters will be much more interesting to collectors than those with the relatively unknown Dartman.
Finally, the holy grail of comic book collecting is finding first appearances and other significant events for the main characters. The first appearance of a particular character is not necessarily the first issue of their series. Many main characters appeared in anthologies or as characters in other series before they had their own. Other events that collectors find interesting are major life changes such as births, marriages, loss of power, and deaths. Also interesting are the crossover issues in another series.
Based on these factors, the top 10 most valuable antique comics when in mint condition as of early 2009 are:
1940 Whiz Comics #1, first appearance of Captain Marvel. Valued at $84,000 US Dollars (USD)
1940 More Fun Comics #42, first appearance of The Spectre. Valued at $84,000 USD
1940 Flash Comics #1, a promotional comic featuring the Flash. It is valued at $97,000 USD
1941 Captain America #1, first appearance of Captain America. Valued at $125,000 USD
1940 Batman #1, first Batman comic. Valued at $125,000 USD
1940 All American Comics #16, first appearance of The Green Lantern. Valued at $160,000 USD
1939 Superman #1, first Superman comic. Valued at $270,000 USD
1939 Marvel Comics #1, first appearance of the Human Torch and other characters. Valued at $330,000 USD
1939 Detective Comics #27, first appearance of Batman. Valued at $375,000 USD
1938 Action Comics #1, first appearance of Superman. Valued at $440,000 USD
