High graded comics were selling for big premiums on the first day of Heritage Aucitons "2011 February Dallas Signature Vintage Comics & Comic Art Auction". Predictably, the biggest sale of of the day was a VF+ (8.5) Archie #1, the nicest known copy in existence, selling for $167,300, a record for the book. Other highlights included a VF- (7.5) copy of Amazing Fantasy #15, featuring the first appearance of Spider-man, selling for $32,862.50. Interestingly, old war and romance comics and even books from the 1970s were selling for huge premiums when they were graded at, or above, Near Mint (9.4).
In an impressive feat of Internet technology, Heritage Auctions provides anyone who creates an account the ability to watch the sale live and bid on items in real-time from their computer. Watching yesterday's auction of classic comics was thrilling, but today's sale of original comic art should be an absolute sensation, featuring original oil paintings by master duck artist Carl Barks, as well as original pages by underground comics legend Robert Crumb (more details here). If you're near a computer, sign up -- you won't want to miss this.
