Valuing your comic books: Are They Worth Money?

Valuing your comic books is definitely one of the toughest but possible tasks. After doing comprehensive research on how you can know your comic books are valuable, we have compiled this article to make the process easier for you.

How to know if a comic book is worth money

Valuable books were published in the 70s or earlier, featured popular characters and have a low issue number. If your comic book is close to these, most likely it is worth money.

Continue reading to find more details on how you can value your comic books easily.

Top ways to know if a comic book is worth money

Every day there are hundreds of comic books being published and it can be hard to distinguish between regular comic books and valuable ones. How can you know if a comic book is worth money? The indicators below will guide you.

Age

Age is a great determinant of the value of a comic book. 1970s or earlier comic books are most likely to be valuable than newer ones.

Low issue number

Issue number refers to the number of times a comic book has been published in a year. A comic book with a low issue number means it has not filled the market and is likely to be valuable.

Grade

Comic Book Certification Service groups comic books as good or bad based on their conditions. One that has been read frequently, torn, curved or looks old is of less value than one in its original condition.

Check out this grading guide on comicspriceguide.com.

Popular characters

Popular characters such as Spider-Man, Batman and Superman are worth the money. The value of your comic book will shoot if these popular characters feature in the comic.

First appearances

The value of your comic book can skyrocket with the first appearance of a character. It is not necessarily a popular character, even a villain can do. If your comic book has the origin story of such characters, its value is most likely going to be high.

Copies printed 

If there are many copies of a comic book already in the market, going for such a comic book is likely to be a waste of money. Comic books that have fewer copies existing mean they are rarer and thus they become more valuable.

The retailer’s perspective 

The retailer you choose to sell your book can determine the worth of the book. Retailers like Spawn are an authority in the market and thus will make your comic book valuable. Retailers with a low edition price are likely to pull down the worth of your comics. This has to do with the market trust of the retailer.

Are 1980’s comics worth anything?

How to value your comic book

Use these three ultimate steps to find the value of your comic book:

1. Create a checklist

The first step is to list comic books that have value. These often are books that were published in the 1970s or earlier. These original comic editions are worth thousands of dollars and can be found in the museums. To identify such comic books, check the issue number, the publication date and the exact title.

2. Grade your comic books

Download a reference book to help you find the value of comic books. One of the best reference books is Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide which can be found in bookstores. You can also order and download an electronic version from Heritage.

These guides will help you understand the level of your comic book’s value and what others are paying for such value. Use the reference book also to grade your comic before sending it for authentication. 

Grading is a big determinant of value. Such insights will help you know if the comic is worth money. Read this grading guide for more information.

3. Request for appraisal

After the comic book has been authenticated, request for appraisal. These conditions will play out; the higher the grade of the book the higher the value, price ranges in the recent past and the supply and demand. These factors and the latest auction outcomes will help in determining the value of a comic book.

The most valuable comic books

Not all comic books are valuable. Here is a list of ten of the most valuable comic books:

Action Comics 

The first issue of Action Comics marked the appearance of the popular character, Superman.

Amazing Fantasy No 15 

Amazing Fantasy issue No. 15 introduced the popular character Spider-man when it was first issued in 1962.

Detective Comics No 27

Batman appeared in issue No 27 of Detective Comics a year after Superman. A Few copies of the original comic of 1939 have remained.

All-star Comics No 8 

All-star comics, issue number 8 marked Wonder Woman’s first appearance. It is based on America’s justice system and Superwoman’s origin story is featured

X-men number 1 

It was published in 1963 and the issue introduced the popular characters Magneto, Beast and Cyclops.

Tales of Suspense No 39 

The debut issue from 1963 of Iron Man; Tales of Suspense issue number 39 is one of the best-selling comic books since 2012 due to the popular character B-list Marvel.

Marvel Comics No 1 

This comic book has trended in pop culture. It was first published in 1939 before the famous characters Spider-man and X-men had come up. Featuring the core characters, the Human Torch made the book skyrocket in value.

The incredible Hulk No 1 

It was first published in 1962 and was sold out for 12 cents. When it was auctioned in 2014, it was sold for $320,000.

All American Comics No 16 

The issue number 16 of All American Comics displays the first appearance of The Green Lantern’s Alan Scott in 1940. This issue is a rare comic to remain in existence and this made it more valuable in 2013 at auction.

Suspense Comics No 3 

This is a horror / thriller book. It had an extremely provocative cover of a bound young woman wearing swastikas and about to be slain by armed men and that is why it could not be sold in 1944. Currently, the remaining copies are few and worth money.

How and where do I sell comic books?

Selling comic books is not easy work and neither is it totally impossible. The process consumes time if you want the best deals. It requires a lot of research, good organization of your collection and high skills.

To sell your book:

1. Organize

Organize your collection by title and issue before submitting it and if they are less valuable, it is wise to group them so that they are bought as a bundle of the full story.

2. Sell them yourself if possible

Paying a dealer to help in selling your comic book can be a good idea if you’re patient and want good deals. But listing your books on sites like eBay and Sell My Comic Books can earn you better deals.

3. Find more information from your local comic book store

Consulting experienced people will help you set a sensible starting price. Then, use this information to sell through a dealer or yourself via eBay.

Where to sell your comic books

Sell My Comic Books

It is best for beginner sellers. It gives resources, appraisals, advice and receives customer reviews

Lone Star Comics

It offers the same services as Sell My Comic Books but on large scales. However, they are low on technology. 

CGC Comics

They help in grading and evaluating comic books. However, this is not a comics retail company.

Sparkle City Comics

This is a retail shop that deals largely in 1970s and earlier comics. They also buy new ones in bulk.

Sheepbuy

This is an online marketplace where you can sell up to three items for free. No hidden or selling fees ever.

Conclusion

Distinguishing a valuable comic book from the rest is not so easy a task. You have to know the characteristics of a valuable comic book which will then act as a guide. These characteristics are age, issue number, grade, first appearance and popular characters. 

Reference guides are built by these indicators and they are in turn used to find the value of a book. The closer your comic books are to the valuable qualities the more money you’ll get out of them. 

If you’d like to sell your comic book, consider listing it on our very own Sheepbuy. There’s no selling commission ever and our basic tier lets you post up to three items, free of charge.

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• How to use Sheepbuy?
• Guide to selling used books.
• Flipping books for profit.