A lot of sales are happening each and every week in our hobby.  The only time where comic book sales are recorded for the public to take notice happens during online sales. In-person comic shop or Comic-Con sales are rarely recorded on 3rd party websites.  So this is one of those online sales.  What I’m talking about here are sales that make you go hmmm, not bad while other sales make you go @*&%#, what just happened!    This article will focus on the latter rather than the former.  The @*&%#, what just happened moment happens when we see an auction end ridiculously high and you wonder who would pay that amount of money.  It happens all the time. 

You have to admit, those auction sales that close at astronomical amounts always catch our attention.  This was one of those sales.  It happened on eBay and was a legitimate auction type sale with multiple bids.  A ghost book as collectors call it and the end price will leave you speechless.

THE ONE

Albedo #2 (1984) – one of those grail comic books you just never see for sale; either online or in-person.  I, personally, do not think I have seen this at any Comic-Con.  A must-have for any collector.  Published by Thoughts and Images, in November 1984, it is the first publication to include a Usagi Yojimbo story; 1st appearance of Usagi Yojimbo (Yojimbo is Japanese for bodyguard).  Copies of this issue are extremely rare today, which makes this issue a highly sought-after collector's item.   Who would have thought that a samurai rabbit would catch on?

Arguably the most sought after Copper Age comic book in existence along with TMNT #1.  When a copy pops up for sale, collectors are clamoring to the action so they can get their bids in.  There are only 282 copies graded on the CGC census from a mere print run of 2,000 copies.  Add on top of that the upcoming Netflix animated series announced in July 2020 and you got yourself a winner.  Produced by James Wan of Aquaman, Saw & Conjuring fame, the show titled Samurai Rabbit: The Usagi Chronicles follows a teenage descendent of Usagi Yojimbo.  Now find one if you can!

SOLD!  

Now back to the sale.  There was a sale that ended a week or so ago for Albedo #2 and the final sales priced shocked me.  It was listed as “Albedo #2 1st USAGI YOJIMBO by STAN SAKAI 1st printing. VG-FINE. No reserve” and it sold for $4,941.  Wow!  I understand graded copies may be selling for high amounts due to its certified grading but a raw copy?  A VG-Fine is a CGC 5.0 grade in case you’re wondering.   According to GoCollect, the Fair Market Value (FMV) for a graded CGC 5.0 is $2,400.  As a comparison, a CGC 5.0 copy sold in 6/2020 for $2,399, which was the only sale in existence for this grade.  Fast-forward five months later and a raw copy sells for higher than a graded copy as this particular auction just showed us.  Go figure?  Wow again!  At the time of this writing, there are no raw copies listed on eBay and there is only one graded CGC 9.4 listed for sale at $14,995 or best offer.

Conclusion 

There you go.  Just one of those comic book sales that make you scratch your head.  Don’t get me wrong, an amazing sale nonetheless, and kudos to the buyer and seller on this transaction.  This should tell you what a buyer will do to get the comic book they want.  But sometimes you can’t help but wonder who this mysterious buyer was?!  No telling what will happen when the Netflix series is released, for all we know this could have been a steal.  Sky’s the limit for this character as there is much anticipation for the animated series.  Only time will tell.  Stay tuned for the next installment of the “What the #$%*&:  Those Amazing Comic Sales #2" as I delve into the crazy sales that are happening each and every week in our hobby.  Until next time you comic book junkies………………..

Please share your thoughts and comments you have on this crazy sale?  Were you among the only 15 bidders for this auction?   Are you a fan of Miyamoto Usagi – the samurai rabbit?  What are some of those rare comic books on your watch list that you are waiting to pop up for auction?  Are you a proud owner of Albedo #2?