Not to leave Spider-Man out of the prior Giant-Size article, here the webslinger’s most popular Giant-Size books get their own feature.
GIANT-SIZE SPIDER-MAN #1 (1974)
The market fair market value spread across this book’s higher-end grades is rather interesting. Specifically, there is a rather large separation between the FMV of a CGC 9.8 from the rest of the grades below it. As it currently stands, 9.8 is $1,250, while 9.6 and 9.4 are $170 and $150, respectively. This is a 7-fold increase from 9.6 to 9.8. It's not rare, but it is uncommon. For comparison, a popular Spider-Man book like Amazing Spider-Man #50, the difference of the 9.8/9.6 FMV is 4.15. ASM #1, ASM #2, and ASM #3 are all in the 2-4.3 range. To look into this further, we examine the sales data for the book in grades CGC 9.8-9.2, which collectively represent the top half of the book’s CGC census:
We find that there has been a very low volume of sales for the book in 9.8. Due to this low volume and high sales prices of the few books, the FMV has been skewed higher. It’s easy to write this off as just an anomaly where a few collectors wanted the coveted 9.8 grade, and that the much lower FMVs of 9.6 and under point to the real market perception of the book; a more pessimistic one. To this end, we can focus our attention to the sales data for 9.6-9.2 (grey and yellow are 9.4/9.2, and orange is 9.6):
We find that prior to 2012, the only grades for the book selling in the market were 9.4s and under. It was only in mid-2012 that the first 9.8 sold at a very high price. Then in late-2013, 9.6s finally entered the market. Since that time, 9.4s and 9.2s have slowly moved upwards. 9.6s have taken a dip in sales prices. And sales of 9.8s have disappeared. What does this all mean? The slow upward movement of the lower 9.4/9.2 combined with the low volume at 9.6 and low availability of 9.8s… AND very high difference between the 9.8 and 9.6 FMVs, there could be a very interesting opportunity at the specific CGC 9.6 grade for this book.
In spite of the decline in 9.6, the sales prices for 9.4 have slowly come up to similar levels. This could provide a good support level. Again, there could be a good opportunity provided you can get a good price in the recent lows. Clear skies above.
GIANT-SIZE SUPER-HEROES #1 (1974)
Here is another popular Giant-Size cover that features Spider-Man. Compared to the 9.8/9.6 FMV difference of the book above, Giant-Size Super-Heroes #1’s FMVs are $800/$260 for a ratio of about 3. Either way, moving forward we look at the sales data for this book in CGC grades 9.8-9.4, which comprises the top half of its census:
Most of the sales for the book occurred in 9.6 and below. 9.8s only started in mid-2016. This absence of higher grade sales until recent years is similar to the book above. Here, the trend across all the grades appears to be only very, very slightly positive. As an investment, Giant-Size Super-Heroes #1 is not the best place to park your money.
GIANT-SIZE SPIDER-MAN #4 (1975)
A quick look at another popular Giant-Size book featuring Spider-Man. With a yellow cover that would display very nicely next to a copy of Amazing Spider-Man #129, this book contains the 3rd Punisher appearance and 1st of Moses Magnum. Below are sales data for the book, CGC 9.8-9.4.
A sale of note (not included above) is a CGC 9.9 slab that sold for $537.75 in mid-2013. With the recent high prices that CGC 9.8s command, it makes one wonder what the 9.9 would now go for. Overall, the market trends for this book are positive. Not the best, but the growth rates are higher than the above Giant-Size Super-Heroes #1 at comparable grades.
“My life can be summed up in three words: bad before good.” – Spider-Man
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