The big sale this quarter is, of course, the best known and graded copy of Fantastic Four #1. A mind-blowing CGC NM+ 9.6, it sold in the most recent Heritage Signature Auction for $2,040,000.00! Should we be surprised? I think so. While this is nowhere near how well the last Amazing Fantasy #15 sale in the same grade performed, consider Spider-Man is arguably much more popular. That said, FF #1 in high grade is much tougher. The census data implies it is significantly scarcer, with eight CGC copies better than VF/NM 9.0, compared to fifteen for AF #15. Consider also, there are two CGC NM+ copies of FF #1, and this one has no pedigree. Which, in itself, feels a bit strange. How is there no glaringly obvious paper trail for such a miraculous book? Granted, I have not dug even a little bit into the background of this sale, but there is nothing mentioned on the label or in the cataloger notes.

This one should really make you pause and ponder. Unless you regularly read my market reports, and are tired of me harping on true scarcity combined with timeless characteristics of key Golden Age comics. World War II Hitler covers will always be in demand. And for this book? All I can say is $18,000.00, and there is only one CGC Blue copy in lower grade! The fact that this issue, (second to last) is near the end of the run, implies sales perhaps were not great, which adds at least anecdotal evidence regarding just how scarce this particular issue really is.

Flipping genres now, we have yet another lowly FR 1.0 book going bonkers. You can't deny, even if you have no interest in romance comics, this book stands out from its peers. First you've got that uber cool pre-code Marvel/Atlas feel. Additionally, it's a pretty stylish cover. Why did we not see more of Jay Scott Pike? And finally, total CGC Census is less than 10. Can you blame Overstreet for having a beat up rag GD 2.0 value of only $15.00 for this book? Maybe I should check the Nostomania value before I criticize anyone. Personally, based on what I can see, I would have given this book a 1.8. For once I am saying CGC appears to have undergraded a copy. In any case, sales drive the value, and I would bet the next copy of this book to hit the market will also sell for way more than Overstreet.

Switching gears momentarily to rock music in the Bronze Age, we find a copy of Marvel Comics Super Special #1, featuring the band Kiss, in CGC MT- 9.9 selling for what seems to be a wild and crazy $13,800.00. I recall part of the marketing blitz back at release time was that there was actual blood from the band in the red ink used for the magazine-sized comic book. Whether that's true? You tell us. I think, the lesson here is once again "Finest Known". This is the only 9.9 on the CGC Census at this time, and you know collectors - some of them just have to have the best, at any cost. As Gene Simmons used to say, "You wanted the best, you got the best!". One of you did anyway. For now.

I'm sorry, I can't help myself, back to the Golden Age, for a piece of 1950s horror history. This sale is stunning for a few reasons. First, it's not as scarce as people make it out to be. There are 83 copies on the CCG Census today. Second, there are actually several extremely high grade copies out there. As is true for most E.C. comics, I realize, due to the Gaines File Copies. But there are twelve copies better than 9.0, including a MT 9.9! A landmark issue whatever the price, featuring the very first appearance of the Crypt Keeper, and the first Crypt of Terror story. Wow!

And here, a gorgeous 1895 Morgan, DCAM and PCGS PR-67+. Did you know Nostomania now supports "plus" grades? Ok, I realize most of you are comic book people and might wonder "Huh? What are plus grades?" Ok, this is my view, and my opinions do not reflect those in charge of the coin grading scale. For some insane reason, it was decided coin grades would have a 1 to 70 scale, not a logical 1 to 10, or 1 to 100 (the same of course, jostling a decimal point). Eventually, similar to other collectible categories, it was decided we needed room for finer grades, between, say 67 and 68. However, there was no room, so what to do? And so we have 67+. And CAC, to boot! I realize value of, and respect the people behind CAC, being original Nostomania Advisory Board members, but man, I do not like stickers on slabs. In any case, remarkably beautiful coin, remarkable price.

We'll round this out by honoring our Native American neighbors with this gorgeous Indian Half Eagle sale. It's just a super cool design for a regular circulation U.S. coin. It must have been fun to have one or more of these in your pocket in 1909. There is a lot of history here, with this being the only year of this type minted in New Orleans. I can't do the history justice, and so should defer to a specialist in this type of coin, Doug Winter: "It is not an especially scarce coin in circulated grades but it is exceedingly popular due to its status as a one-year type. In recent years, the level of demand for this coin has soared and it now ranks as one of the most popular New Orleans issues of any denomination. The 1909-O is very scarce in properly graded Uncirculated, with most survivors in the MS-60 to MS-62 range. This date is rare in MS-63 and very rare in MS-64