Heritage Auctions is a destination for all comic book collectors. This past Sunday & Monday Comic Books Select Auction was a destination for every level of collector, multiple key issues and trophy titles in all conditions sold including multiples of The Avengers #1. The comic is a trophy in higher grades that would peak the attention of collectors who pursue the finest examples of any collectible. That said multiple lower grades represented in this auction were also sold. There is also the Journey Into Mystery #83 from Marvel in 1962, with the notes that the latter is actually Marvel’s first appearance of Thor and the Avengers #1 is the first time Thor is with “the team.”

These sales may be partly driven by a planned upcoming Thor movie slated for summer of 2022 based upon our own Guide to Comic Book Movie Releases of 2022 and beyond.

Collectors Dashboard evaluates high-end collectibles as an alternative asset class. This means collectibles are attracting the same capital that could have been invested into stocks or bonds. Many collectibles now cost thousands of dollars (or much more). Collectors with a passion to own a collectible for years frequently have to compete directly against investors whose only desire is to make a profit in the future.

The Avengers #1 (Marvel, 1963) graded as a CGC 4.5 seems to be where the most action has been of late in looking at the “most recent sales” in the Heritage database. A CGC 4.5 graded with off-white pages had a bid of $2,100.00 after 2 bids on January 26 and sold for $5,520.00 on January 30, 2022 after 13 bids. According to the CGC census report 408 examples of the issue in CGC 4.5 exist. Here were two prior sales (image below by Heritage Auctions) of this same grade through Heritage:

4.5 grade of The Avengers #1 issue sold for $5,280.00 on December 19, 2021;

and a 4.5 grade of The Avengers #1 sold for $4,680 on December 5, 2021.

We have also lined up sales on the Journey Into Mystery #83 comic (Marvel, 1962) which is actually ahead of the Avengers #1 release the following year. This is Thor’s actual first appearance in the Marvel universe. Here are some of the most recent Heritage sales that had been seen:

Journey Into Mystery #83 CGC FN 6.0 off-white pages sold for $28,800 on Jan. 30, 2022.

Journey Into Mystery #83 CGC FN 6.5 off-white to white pages sold for $36,000 on Jan. 14, 2022, but the same grade and issue sold for $38,400 on Nov. 19, 2021.

Journey Into Mystery #83 CGC GD 1.8 white pages sold for $8,400 on Jan. 9, 2022.

Journey Into Mystery #83 CGC VG 4.0 off-white pages sold for $14,400 on Dec. 26, 2021.

Journey Into Mystery #83 CGC GD 2.5 off-white pages sold for $9,300 on Dec. 12, 2021.

Journey Into Mystery #83 CGC VF 8.0 off-white pages sold for $69,000 on Nov. 18, 2021.

To the Avengers collectors here are the other conditions and final sales of Avengers #1 in this most recent Heritage Auction:

The Avengers #1 CGC FR 1.0 off-white pages had a bid of $700.00 after 23 bids on January 26 and sold for $3,120.00 on January 30, 2022 after 29 bids. According to the CGC census report 153 examples of the issue in CGC 1.0 exist.

The Avengers #1 CGC FN+ 6.5 off-white to white pages had a bid of $7,000.00 after 12 bids on January 26 and sold for $10,800.00 on January 30, 2022 after 21 bids. According to the CGC census report 196 examples of the issue in CGC 6.5 exist.

The Avengers #1 CGC Apparent FN 6.0 cream to off-white pages. CGC notes, “Restoration includes: color touch, seals, reinforced. Cover is a color copy. Incomplete.” The issue had a bid of $160.00 after 10 bids on January 26 and sold for $2,160.00 on January 30, 2022 after 28 bids.

eBay has also had multiple sales of The Avengers #1. After we set a safe dollar floor and eliminate the sales that were “Buy It Now (or Best Offer)” and after eliminating the sales with 1 bid only, here is what we saw:

Avengers #1 CGC 5.0 sold for $6,101.01 after 48 bids on Dec. 5, 2021.

Avengers #1 CGC 4.0 sold for $5,049.99 after 16 bids on Nov. 7, 2021.

Avengers #1 CGC 5.0 sold for $4,900.00 after 5 bids on Dec. 19, 2021.

Avengers #1 CGC 4.0 sold for $4,800.00 after 11 bids on Nov. 7, 2021.

Avengers #1 CGC 4.5 sold for $4,838.00 after 20 bids on Dec. 12, 2021.