De one million dollar man: Action Comics n° 1

Inderdaad, wat de gek ervoor betaalt. Het persbericht van ComicConnect.com verklaart:
They said it couldn’t be done. They said that no comic book—no matter how rare—would ever sell for $1,000,000. This week, they were proven wrong. And in the midst of a recession, no less!
That’s because ComicConnect.com, one of the industry’s leading online auction/consignment sites, just sold an extremely rare, top-condition copy of the world’s most coveted comic book for exactly $1,000,000. That figure is more than three times higher than the prior record-holder, also set by ComicConnect.com.
That comic book, of course, is Action Comics #1, which marked the debut of Superman in 1938 and promptly changed the course of pop culture forever.
This particular copy has been in a private collection for more than 15 years, and it’s likely to disappear again once it’s been turned over to its new owner. However, ComicConnect.com will allow the media to view it briefly in its New York City showroom (873 Broadway, Suite 201, 212-895-3999). The showroom is also home to ComicConnect.com’s affiliate, Metropolis Collectibles (metropoliscomics.com), the largest vintage comic book dealer in the world.
"It’s the Holy Grail of comic books," says founder Stephen Fishler, one of the leading experts on collectible comics.
"Before Action Comics #1, there was no such thing as a superhero or a man who could fly," notes Fishler, who created the 10-point grading scale which today is used universally to evaluate the condition of comic books.
"It’s the single most important event in comic book history," adds ComicConnect.com co-owner and COO, Vincent Zurzolo.
Only about 100 copies Action Comics #1 remain in existence, and of those 100, only two have received a grading of 8.0 (Very Fine) or higher. This particular book is one of them, making it among the rarest of the rare.
Up until now, the record-holder was another Action Comics #1, this one with a grading of 6.0. It sold on ComicConnect.com for $317,200 in 2009.
According to the Overstreet Price Guide to Comic Books—the industry bible—Action Comics #1 is indisputably the highest-valued comic book of all time. In second place is Detective Comics #27, which marked the first appearance of Batman in 1939. An Action Comics #1 graded 8.0 or higher is priced about 25% higher than a comparable Detective Comics #27.
Until last week, some collectors weren’t aware of the existence of this million dollar copy. Fishler, however, knew it well, because 15 years ago, he sold it for $150,000.
But why the big jump in price?
"High-grade copies are rarely, rarely offered for sale," explains Zurzolo. "When they do come on the market, you can expect to see a big leap in value."
"I knew that someday, there would be a seven figure comic book sale, and I dreamed of being part of that historic moment. But I didn’t think it would happen so soon, particularly given the current state of the economy."
Imagine: back in 1938, this very comic book sold for ten cents, its sole purpose to entertain a child. 72 years later, some very fortunate adult is willing to spend $1,000,000 for the privilege of owning it—something most experts believed would never happen.
"Is it worth it?" says Fishler. "Absolutely. There is nothing else like it."
In een poging wat meer achtergrondinformatie los te peuteren, je vraagt je immers af of die transactie daadwerkelijk gebeurt, verder gezocht naar concrete details:
"Fishler said it transpired minutes after the issue was put on sale at around 10:30 a.m. Eastern time (1530 GMT). He said that the seller was a “well known individual” in New York with a pedigree collection, and that the buyer was a known customer who previously bought an Action Comics No. 1 of lesser grade.
The previous comic book record was set last year when John Dolmayan, drummer for the rock band System of a Down, paid $317,000 for an Action Comics No. 1 issue. Attempts to reach him for comment on Monday’s sale were not immediately successful."
Voor een interessant overzicht, dat nu geactualiseerd moet worden, kan je terecht via deze slideshow: De 10 duurste comics. En opgelet. "Comic book auction enthusiasts -- especially those with way too much money -- should also note that the impressive Heritage Comics and Comics Art auction is coming up this Thursday as well, with a whole host of Golden and Silver Age rarities ready go.
The items for sale include an 8.0 copy of "Detective Comics" #27, the first appearance of Batman, which another site had predicted only this morning could break the all-time record for the most expensive comic. Best of luck with that now!"