We have all heard about comics being sold for staggeringly high amounts of money, with fascinating tales of books being found in walls and attics and changing people’s lives forever and it is incredible sales like these that make comics such an exciting investment opportunity for those who love antiques and vintage items.
So what makes some comics so valuable and which ones should you go after?
Well, the following tips will guide you in the right direction if your primary focus is to collect comics for profit. But if you simply love comics why not just buy the ones you enjoy the most, read them and if they turn out to be worth something later on, you can consider it a bonus!
Age
Comic books that were printed from the 1980’s onwards were generally printed and sold in high volumes and looked after carefully by collectors so comic books of this age are generally in excellent condition and fairly easy to get hold of.
With the odd exception, comics from this era are not worth a great deal in terms of their monetary value at the moment. There is nothing to say they will not be worth something in a few decades mind you, but you may need to sit on them for quite some time to see how much their value will increase!
As a serious collector you need to be looking for the older comic books that were printed before 1970 that are harder to find and worth a lot more. These comics are the sorts of investment that can significantly increase in value.
Rarity
Comic books from the Golden Age (1933 to 1955) were printed in far smaller quantities and because some of those books are over 80 years old now they are few and far between.
Comics that were printed in the Platinum Age (between 1897 and 1933) are even older and more difficult to come by. Back then, comics were inexpensive and often thrown away after being read!
Books from both the Platinum and Golden Ages are rare and therefore they are generally the most valuable, especially when their condition is good.
Condition
The condition of a comic book will depend on the way it has been read and the conditions it has been stored in. The better the condition of a comic, the more it will be worth. Keep your eye out for the older comics that have survived in good condition.
Value
An up to date price guide for comics will give you an excellent idea of the types of comics to go for and a realistic indication of the value you could expect to achieve. The most valuable comics to have sold over the years are comics in which influential characters who have remained popular over the years have made their very first appearances. Old favourites like Batman, Superman and the X Men are the type of characters to stick with as they are always going to resell easily.
To give you an idea, the highest sale on record for Detective Comics #27 featuring Batman’s first appearance is 1.7 million dollars and Superman tipped the scale in 2010 with a copy of Action Comics # 1 selling for a whopping 2.16 million dollars!
Think Ahead
The market for comics can fluctuate a great deal and instinctively choosing the right time to sell, for example to coincide with a new film release can have a significant impact on the profit you can achieve from your collection. Comic collecting is a fascinating world to get involved in and no more so than if you love comics.
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