Just discovered that a 1990 X-Men #1 comic, graded a 9.8, sold for over $30,000 at auction last month.

I was reading an auction results blog and that price for a book from the '90s bubble totally blew my mind, so what's the most you've ever seen someone PAY for a single modern-age comic?

3 comments

3 Comments

juliahall21d ago

Is it really that deep though? I saw a news story about a Spawn #1 selling for like fifteen grand and it just made me laugh. It's a piece of cardboard with pictures that came in a plastic bag. People treat these slabs like they're gold bars, but you can't even read the comic inside. The whole thing feels like a game for rich people who don't know what else to do with their money.

jessica90221d ago

Grading creates a clear standard that turns a common item into a certified collectible. The market clearly supports those prices, so calling it a scam ignores the basic rule of something being worth what people will pay. It's more like buying fine art than a beanie baby, an asset with a documented history and condition.

clairer7921d ago

Honestly that price is just stupid money for a mass produced book from that era. Tbh the whole grading thing feels like a scam to make common comics seem rare. People paying that much are just showing off or betting it'll go even higher, which is a bad bet. Ngl it reminds me of the beanie baby craze, just with plastic cases instead of tags. Seen a guy drop five figures on a modern variant last year and it just felt like setting cash on fire. The real value is in reading the stories, not locking them away.