Set Description:
The BEST of Nick Fury! This set has holds all 9.8 copies and is the top set as of 2021. It holds seven 9.8 SS copies signed by Jim Steranko, Stan Lee and /or Herb Trimpe. I hold a few CGC 9.8 doubles now and slowly getting a few more Steranko signatures. This prior set leader, Doc Joe, said it best stating “Steranko covers are always stunning”! I have always agreed, and slowly worked over the last 10 years to make this the best CGC set. Oh, there is one 9.9 CGC graded issue of #1, held by “Marvin the Martain”, LOL, not for sale. Otherwise most of the comics in this set are the highest graded or the only examples of the highest grade. All are White Pages except issues #6, 13 and 16 which are OWW copies.
To collect this set you need a bit of information. Issues 1-7 had Steranko covers. Issues 8-18 had assorted artists and writers. The title ran from issue 1-18 from 1968 to 1970. Oddly, it seems the last three issues, #16-18 had a smaller print run or collectability, and have much lower census numbers. Some issues had dark covers and are very hard to get in 9.8. The set also had assorted characters in and out of the storyline which make some issues more valuable than others.
Issue #10 has one solo 9.8 graded copy. Issues #13, 17 and 18 only have 2. Seven other issues have less than 9 copies in 9.8. Besides issue #1 with 63 copies in 9.8, most of the other issues have few 9.8s, #4 has 21, # 14 has 16m, #2 has 15, #7 with 14.
All in all, out of 7604 graded copies, there are only 210 in 9.8 and 615 in 9.6. This is a very low ratio number.
As far as Signature copies, the numbers are even rarer. Out of 1184 SS copies, only 18 got a 9.8 grade. Number 1 has 7, 2 has 1, 4 has 2, 5 has 2, 6 has 1, 8 has 1, 9 has 2, 11 has 1, 14 has 1. I have 7 of these 18 SS comics. I did make a horrible mistake a few years back. I sent my 9.8WP CVA #1 to have signed, and has Steranko sign it. I Ignored Stan Lee on this one, as he had nothing to do with the cover, or was my thoughts at the time. Heritage Auctions sold a NF#1 SS by Steranko AND Stan for $18,000.00. My bad.
Besides the Steranko cover, which was my main desire to collect this set, I considered the rarity of the Nick Fury character. There are few Marvel characters that have his kind of history, where he morphs from a cigar chewing WWII hero Sgt. Fury in his first comic series to a Nick Fury Agent of SHIELD. His presentation by Samuel Jackson in the MCU also has added to his legendary MCU status. His is a fixture in the MCU world, and can be added or subtracted from almost every MCU character plot line without explanation, and with a smile.
Thus as a collector and investor I expected this to be both a more popular and valuable series to collect and invest in, that simple.
I collected most of these 5-10 years ago, and had most of the SS Steranko or Stan Lee work done by Sharron at Celestial Comics in Las Vegas. I sadly passed on part of a CGC graded SS lot years ago as they were mainly 9.6’s, as I wanted 9.8’s! Ops. During the 2020-21 comic price spike I passed Doc Joe on the census and all of a sudden A LOT of 9.8 Nick Fury’s were presented at auction and I bought the final ones to complete the set in 9.8.
I still monitor and collect any 9.8 graded issue if the price is right, and hope to send a final few to get a Steranko SS. Almost all the other artists/writers have passed away.
Finally, the valuations. Number 1 in 9.8 expect to pay at least $2k, and any other issue 2-6 expect to pay $1k now. Issues 8-18, well match the census to your pocketbook. Number 10 could easily be $3k or more, it is rare and hard to get.
If anyone has a 9.8 or 9.8SS copy they want to sell, send me an email ! matthollymarshalls@yahoo.com
December 2022.
Have a fun day!
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