Set Description:
Synopsis: This Green Lantern set has topped the census since 2012, although for a couple of years we kept it obscured. It contains all 89 books with 78 books highest graded in the census, including 16 single highest graded books. Of the 11 issues where we do not own a highest graded example, ten are bested by a single copy and one is bested by two examples. No book in this set is worse than second highest graded.
Background: Unlike many sets where we rank #1, because the top collections are not registered, I think it is safe to say that this is the greatest collection of SA Green Lantern books in existence containing copies of every single issue, including 58 9.8s and 19 single highest graded issues.
We really jumpstarted this set back in 2011 when CL auctioned off what was up until that time the #1 registry set containing a slew of Pacific Coast pedigrees. We also acquired in that auction our copy of GL #1, which sat atop the registry until one of the other two 9.4s was upgraded in 2019.
During 2019, we were lucky enough to add 7 single highest graded books through a private transaction with a good friend and fellow collector. But during the year 5 books we owned that were previously single highest graded lost that distinction.
With respect to GL, issue #8 has been a real challenge for us, as we are still stuck with just a 9.0, despite many higher issues in the census. We also have a large number of Pacific Coast Pedigree books in this run and would love to add some more as long as we don’t already own a higher graded copy.
June 2020; Updating this set as of 6/1/2020, it now contains 59 9.8s, 20 9.6s, 6 9.4s, 3 9.2s and a single 9.0. 79 of the books are highest graded with 18 enjoying the distinction of being single highest graded. The misses are #1, #5, #7, #8, #9, #15, #24, #29, #42 and #47. OK, admittedly those are some big misses, LOL, but of 26 single highest graded books in the census, we own 18 of them. Thirty-eight of the books in this set are pedigrees, including 15 Pacific Coast and 12 Twin Cities pedigrees. Only one book is lower than second in the census, the aforementioned #8. While the registry points of this set are far below many other sets we collect, because of the low registry value given to SA GL books, based just on the collective rankings of our books in the current census, this is probably our second best set trailing only our SA Flash Collection (Sheldon’s Envy).
September 2020 Update: We finally upgraded GL #8 when another board member offered us the Don & Maggie 9.4. We may have overpaid, but now we have every book at 9.2 or higher. The three 9.2s are #5, #9 and #24. Unfortunately, there is only one higher graded book in the census in each case, so upgrading those could be a long wait.
2022 Update: This set took some hits in 2022, as we lost a couple of single highest graded books when a second #17 9.8 and a second #18 9.6 hit the census. Also, there is now a #6 9.6 and a #44 9.8 topping the census of those issues, which again we have never seen. We did acquire a #15 9.6 in early 2022, upgrading our 9.4, but otherwise, there were no upgrades for us that came on the market-at least none we saw. We do own several highest graded duplicates, which are always available if the price is right.
2023 Update: We had planned to rewrite our Green Lantern set descriptions, as we have with most sets where we top the census, but quite frankly I just ran out of time. We did not acquire any books in this set in 2023, as no upgrades hit the market. We have explored making a run at the #1 9.6, but quite frankly, it’s cost prohibitive right now. I did do a quick review of the census and, unlike JLA and Flash, there were virtually no changes atop the census in the past year.
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