The ComicLink October Focused Auction that ended yesterday yielded some very interesting results. First off, these monthly comic auctions from ComicLink have turned into major events though some months are much better (in terms of quality of offerings) than others. I’d say the October event was sub par in terms of quality, but is still provided us with interesting, surprising and entertaining results. Let’s dive in.
We’ll start with a study of how CGC 9.9 grades are doing compared to their poorer cousin the CGC 9.8. I have been grading comics for a long time and I’d like to think that I know how to grade. For the life of me though, I cannot tell the difference between a 9.9 and a 9.8. To me some 9.9s should be 9.8s and some 9.8s should be 9.9s and I’ll bet you 10 cents that some of those 9.85s coming in for grading can go one way today and the other way tomorrow. I think the CGC graders do fantastically consistent work when you consider the thousands of different variables they are dealing with when grading but boy is there ever a razor thin line between these two grades.
Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #8 (1984) graded by CGC at 9.9 White Pages sold for a tidy $1003.00. Listed just below was a very nice CGC 9.8 copy of the same book, it sold for $75.00. The Overstreet price guide value for this comic at 9.2 is $32.00. Interestingly there are actually 11 CGC 9.9s out there (a whopping 907 Universal CGC 9.8s are floating around out there though). I guess we should remember that this is a Copper Age key and an important book to all Spider-Man collectors.
Spectacular Spider-Man #81 (1983) graded by CGC at 9.9 White Pages sold for $400.00. The same issue graded CGC 9.8 White Pages was listed just below this one and it sold for $25.00. The Overstreet price guide value for this comic at 9.2 is $6.00 but this fact is really irrelevant. There is only 1 CGC 9.9 grade on the census at the time of this auction and that’s really the only thing going on here.
Flash #313 (1982) graded by CGC at 8.5 White Pages sold for $3.00. Yes, you read right, $3.00. This was easily my favorite result of the event (though 2 other comics closed at $3.00 as well). The Overstreet price guide value for this comic at 9.2 is $5.00 so I think this comic went for around guide! Honestly, ComicLink must find a different venue for these comics. If the owner was the same guy that sent them the Green Lantern #76 and the Flash #105 then just pay him $10 and buy the thing outright, open the comic and sell the plastic to a recycler and the comic to a fireplace kindling supply company (or give the comic to kids to read).
Walter Durajlija is an Overstreet Price Guide Advisor and Shuster Award winner. He owns Big B Comics in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
