Silver Surfer keys are the best investments on the market today, but his major keys are getting out of reach for many fans and collectors. While the minor keys are still viable options, they may not stay that way for long.
The Surfer is poised to have a huge 2019, and none of his early issues will lose money anytime soon. Obviously there are other solid investments, and you can't go wrong with early Wolverine appearances. However, the Surfer keys, although getting more expensive by the day, are more cost efficient than Wolverine's. In the end, you have the chance for a bigger return on Surfer's keys.
This past week, I gave you a run down of the top four Surfer appearances in "Silver Surfer Investments," but it's not just those major keys that are on the rise. Even the minor keys are getting a boost from all this attention on the character, and you would be wise to invest in them.
That being said, here's four more issues you'll want to watch.
FANTASTIC FOUR #50It's the third appearance of the Silver Surfer, and if you want an affordable copy of FF #50, don't waste time. Like all the other early Surfer tales, this one is going through the roof in a short time. When a 0.5 is selling for $75, things are getting crazy.
Last year, 10 of the 13 different grades sold lost value on average. Only the 4.0, 5.0, and the 6.0 saw even the slightest of increases. Everything else from the 9.0 down to the 2.5 lost fair market value. Things have completely turned around this year.
In the past 12 months, all 15 grades of FF #50 that have sold have gone up. An 8.0, which averaged $342 in 2017, recently sold for $1,000 and has a 90-day FMV of $848. Even a 4.5 is approaching the $200 mark after a November sale of $185. Compare that with last year when it averaged $79.
FF #55 gave us the Surfer's fourth appearance, and this time he went toe-to-toe with the Thing, who was one of Marvel's most popular characters at the time.
Unlike FF #50, this issue didn't experience a drop off last year. On the contrary, most grades' FMVs were up, and they're still moving. Even a 3.5 is commanding a respectable $37 price tag at the moment.
The 9.0 has experienced the greatest gains. Last year, it was down with an FMV of $262. In the past 12 months, it's ballooned to a $350 average. Following that lead, the 8.5 has shown an impressive spike. In 2017, it brought $167 on average, but since last December, it's jumped to $248.
Here's a first that you can have for a reasonable price. Unless Psycho-Man, Livewire, and Shellshock suddenly become fan favorites (and if Hydro-Man's first appearance can become a major key as reported in "Since When Did Hydro-Man Matter?," then any first appearance is fair game), this will remain a minor key. However, this issue does include the Surfer's first solo story, which was a backup feature in the annual.
As with everything else Silver Surfer, FF Annual #5's price has been going up, but it's still affordable. At least when you deal with a minor key, you can get a much higher grade than opting for a major key. For about $250, you can add a 9.2 FF Annual #5 to your collection. If you're willing to go with a lower grade to save money, consider the 3.5, which sold for $18 last May.
SILVER SURFER #14Another first, Silver Surfer #14 marked the first time he met Spider-Man. Like everything else with the Surfer on it, this comic is getting more expensive by the week.
Over the past 12 months, virtually all grades have taken a sharp upward turn, and they're not slowing down. On the bright side, they haven't gotten completely out of hand...except for the 9.6. After a down year in which it averaged $735, the 9.6 has returned with a vengeance and sold for $1,875 back in February.
While nothing else has hit the ridiculous stage like the 9.6, there are quite a few grades that have made significant gains. The 8.0 has averaged $160 in the past 12 months after a 2017 FMV of $115. The 7.5, which had an FMV of $98 in 2017, has averaged $140 in the same span. Nothing below a 6.0 has sold in the last year, so there's nothing recent to report on the low grades.
