Sales in the January 16 Heritage auction dominate the Chartbusters list over the past 30 days. Let’s dive deep to determine what these sales tell us about the market for the comics every collector wishes they could own.

Richie Rich Goes for Big Bucks

Coming in at number 10 on the Chartbusters is Little Dot #1. Featuring the first appearance of Richie Rich, a 9.6 graded copy sold in the January 16 Heritage auction for $78,000, the highest price paid for a copy of this comic.

There are only 45 graded copies of this 1953 classic published by Harvey and this is the only copy at the 9.6 grade. There are no copies graded higher.

Sales of Little Dot #1 are few and far between. In fact, we have no record of a sale of the 9.6 graded copy prior to the January 16 sale. Two sales in 2022 – an 8.0 selling for $13,123 and a 7.5 selling for $11,499 give us little data to go by to say whether or not the buyer of the 9.6 overpaid or got a deal.

Our takeaway should be that it’s a singularly unique comic that set an enormous record in this sale.

Marvel Silver Age Firsts

A few Marvel Silver Age first appearances sold in the January 16 Heritage auction. First up, and coming in at number 1 on our Chartbusters list, is Amazing Fantasy #15. A 9.2 graded copy sold for $810,000, a record in the grade and a 35% increase over the last sale of a 9.2 in a 2019 ComicConnect auction for $598,000.

There was some thought that this copy would cross the $1 million threshold. However, the off-white pages likely dropped the bidding to some degree.

A 9.4 graded copy of Avengers #1 (Chartbuster #5) sold for $120,000, a record for the grade. The previous sale in this grade was in a 2018 ComicConnect auction for $79,000, marking a 52% increase in value.

No 9.6 graded copies – the highest grade for this book – have sold since 2018, so it will be interesting to see the heights it can reach if one does come up for sale in the near future.

Finally, coming in at number 23 on our Chartbusters list is Tales to Astonish #44, the first appearance of the Wasp. A 9.6 graded copy sold for $39,600, setting an all-time record. The previous sale of a 9.6 was for $26,290 in a 2017 Heritage auction. There are two 9.8 graded copies but neither has been offered for sale since 2012.

Golden Age DC

While every month seems to bring another sale of Superman #1, we had a rare sale of Superman #2 (Chartbuster #22) in the January 16 auction. A 7.5-graded copy sold for $40,800. The previous sale in this grade was for $37,200 in a 2020 Heritage auction.

Considering the age and importance of this comic, an increase in value of slightly less than 10% over three years isn’t really the markup you want to see. It’s either a reflection of our times or the final bidder got a great deal.

Coming in at number 20 is All-Star Comics #8, the first appearance of Wonder Woman. A 4.5 graded copy sold for $43,200, marking a dip in the grade that continues a trendline that looks like a heart monitor of late.

These are the previous four sales: $57,563, $42,621, $56,879, and $43,200. So, what the next one sells for is anyone’s guess.

First Captain Marvel

A 3.5 graded copy of Whiz Comics #1 (Chartbuster #6) sold for $120,000. Featuring the first newsstand appearance of Captain Marvel, there are a scant 59 graded copies in the CGC census, nearly half of which are restored or conserved. The only previous sale of a 3.5 was for $72,000 in a 2021 Heritage auction.

The 67% increase in value in a two-year time span is indicative of the rarity and importance of this comic. The highest graded copy of Whiz Comics #1 is a 9.0, which hasn’t sold since 2012 when it went for $281,001 in a ComicConnect auction. Should this copy come up for sale in the near future, we could be looking at a million-dollar comic.

Ax Decapitation Cover Makes Big Gains

A 9.0 graded copy of Crime SuspenStories #22, with its famous ax decapitation cover made it to number 11 on the Chartbuster list with the $72,000 sale of a 9.0 graded copy. It’s the highest price paid for a copy.

The previous sale of a 9.0 occurred way back in 2003 when a Gaines File pedigree copy sold in a Heritage auction for $2,358. That’s a 2,953% increase in value in 20 years! I can guarantee that your house has not increased in value at a rate like this over the course of 20 years.

Other Interesting Sales

Our Chartbuster list always contains some fascinating sales outside of the big books you typically see mentioned. The first of these, coming in at number 14, is Four Color #16 from the first series of that name. Featuring a cool, spooky Mickey Mouse cover, an 8.5 graded copy sold for $57,600.

Only two sales of the single 9.2 graded copy are higher. The previous sale of an 8.5 was for $23,900 in a 2007 Heritage auction, marking a tidy 141% increase in value.

An 8.0 graded copy of Captain America Comics #46 (Chartbuster #15), featuring an Alex Schomburg World War II cover, sold for $55,200. What’s most interesting about this sale is that a 7.5-graded copy sold in a December 12 Heritage auction for the exact same price.

If I’m the seller, I’m disappointed in this sale, and if I’m the buyer of the 7.5, I’m concerned with what this says about the true value of my copy.

Finally, we have a 9.0 graded copy of Headline Comics #8 (Chartbuster #17), which sold for $48,000. It’s the highest price paid for this comic with its ghoulish Hitler cover. This sale was the only sale in this grade, while the singular 9.4 graded copy has never been up for sale.

This sale tops the December 12 sale of an 8.5 for $33,600 and marks the third sale in a row in which a new overall record has been set.

Do you follow the big auctions? Tell us your thoughts on these sales and others.

*Any perceived investment advice is that of the freelance blogger and does not represent advice on behalf of GoCollect.