Set Description
A very difficult run to achieve in any grade, I am attempting to complete a run of every ASM issue boasting Pence rather than Cents on its cover.
Not every issue of Marvel's best-selling and most popular titles were made available to the UK, and as such, some were never produced with Pence variant pricing on the cover. This makes completing entire title runs impossible as many issues simply do not exist with Pence cover pricing,
As a result, issue gaps of such issues are inevitable, yet occasionally an unknown issue previously thought to be non-existent surfaces to fill an empty issue slot. IF you have any copies for sale that I do not have, feel free to reach out to me. I would love to purchase them.
9d &10d copies on average are 50 to100 times scarcer than 10,12 or 15 cent US Versions. Both were produced during the same initial press runs, as a result, the issues are identical in every aspect, Cover, Interior, Advertisements and Indicia.
The price & month are the only identifiable differences making the 9d,10d,12d UK Price Variant (as recognized by CGC) the only Price Variant to exist during Marvel's most significant and formative years of the early 1960's. Scarcity of these books often result in mid-grade copies representative of "Highest graded copy."
It is entirely possible that UK variants were actually produced BEFORE the US copies.
UK (Pence price variant) ink tones are typically darker in tone, and richer in color, a characteristic of pulp first or early press runs.
UK (Pence price Variant) copies seldom have Marvel chipping, a characteristic of a dull blade or latter press run.
Proximity may have also necessitated early press runs in order to meet the demand of mutual newsstand release dates. For this to occur during the pre-Federal Express days of the early 1960's, Marvel would have had to physically release the product to overseas couriers in advance of US distributors to allow for transport time. Does this mean, the US copies remained stacked in warehouses ? Doubtful, but It seem logical that since Pence priced covers represented less than 5% of the overall production run, that they would be first in line on the printer, then printed, pulled and shipped while the bulk of the print run slated for the US continued. This practice would reduce time lapse. This remains subject for debate.
What is clear is that Pence price variants are Marvel's first price variants.
As of this writing here is a list of ASM issues not produced with Pence priced covers.
Issue Numbers 18-19, 21-27, 42,43, 55-70, 80,81, 85, 88-90, 92-93, 103, 108, 111-112, 114-118, and ironically, #'s 121 and up.
It's as though fate somehow deprived the Brits of having access to the most significant issues of the bronze age !
The death of Gwen Stacy and subsequent death of the Green Goblin, along with the first ever appearance of the Punisher, were unfortunately left out. Certainly noteworthy and also not produced for the Brits, Wolverine's 1st appearance in Hulk 180 & 181, along with the first appearance of the New X-men, Ghost Rider, a Luke named Cage, not Skywalker, and many other significant issues.
None of the following Bronze age Key's exist with a Pence priced variant cover:
ASM #121,122,129,
Hulk 181
GS X-men #1
X-men #94
Marvel Spotlight #5
Hero for Hire #1 etc.
Why ? How ? Were the Brits not worthy ?
All is not lost and have no Fear, as Howard the Duck IS here !! You can find HTD #1 with a 9D cover at reasonable prices.
If anyone ever stumbles across one of these missing bronze age keys listed above PLEASE let me know as I would love to pick them up.
I will continue to chip away at ASM gaps and upgrade lower graded copies, price permitting, with the goal of completing what does exist and if really lucky, perhaps find a few of the issues that hadn't.
