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Pop Culture Bonanza Continues for Auction Houses

ake’s Auction’s June 29-30, 2021, Premiere Auction Another Pokémon high seller was the 1999 Base Set First Edition
marked the firm’s second consecutive auction to set a new set of 102 CGC-graded cards that hammered for $41,057.
Hhouse record, in this case a total of $3.6 million. As usual, Predominately in higher grade, the complete set includes 16 cards at
the offerings were split between political and sports selections, and CGC 9, 40 at CGC 8.5, 35 at CGC 8, 9 at CGC 7.5, 1 at CGC 7,
a very wide range of pop culture items. Records were set in a number and 1 at CGC 6.5. Some of the standouts include Alakazam CGC
of categories. 8.5, Blastoise CGC 9, Chansey CGC 9, Charizard CGC 9, and
Concentrating on the pop culture side of things, the auction was Clefairy CGC 8.5. The set includes 16 Holo cards.
led by a 1999 Pokémon Shadowless Holographic Uncut Proof Sheet The rare Empire Strikes Back Action Display Stand AFA 75 Q-
with 99 cards, including seven Charizard cards, that net- Ex+/NM containing six action figures bested the
ted $234,171. The Base Set’s first issue preauction estimate of $20,000 when it closed at
print and a few of the following have a $36,301. The display features Luke Skywalker
slightly different design than the stan- (Bespin), Princess Leia (Bespin), Lando Calrissian,
dard Unlimited third issue prints with Bossk, Imperial Stormtrooper (Hoth), and FX-7
brighter color, thinner font, the year (medical droid). Made for Kenner’s 1980 line, the
1999 appears twice in the respective figures are still sealed in the original
copyright notice, and they lack the Hong Kong baggies.
shadow around the pictures. Known
as Shadowless cards, they are rarer Heritage Tops $22 Million in June Auction
compared to the Unlimited cards Heritage wrapped their June 17-19, 2021,
because of their smaller print run. Comics & Comic Art Auction by setting a new
Pokémon is a fast-growing commodity record with $22.4 million in total sales. This
in the collecting world with this topped their $16.5 million house record set only
sale exceeding its high-end preauction two months earlier in April, and it included
estimate by over $34,000. a $5.9 million first day and the debut of
The auction’s second spot wasn’t far the Promise Collection, which brought in $7.9
behind. A Boba Fett rocket-firing proto- million.
type L-slot AFA 85 NM+, the most “I remember when we were thrilled to have
valuable Star Wars toy on the market, $15 million in comic and comic art sales for an
brought in $165,200. This unpainted entire year,” Heritage Vice President Barry
3-3/4” figure was pulled from Kenner’s Sandoval said. “And this was more than $22 mil-
1979 toy line because the rocket-firing lion in just three days.”
capability was considered a choking The auction began with CGC 5.0 copy of
hazard. Among the rarest and most Detective Comics #27, the first appearance of
coveted Star Wars action figures, this Batman, which sold for $1.125 million. This
marks the fifth one that Hake’s has sold followed a CGC 7.0 copy that the company
since March 2018. sold in November 2020 for $1.5 million. While
The original art for the July 3, 1955, we have still seen only a few key issues break the
Peanuts Sunday page by Charles Schulz, This CGC-certified 9.0 copy of Gobbledygook #1, $1 million level, the number of copies and a
which features Charlie Brown, Lucy Van signed and sketched by Teenage Mutant now-widening grade range has definitely attract-
Pelt, and Snoopy, landed at $80,476. The Ninja Turtles creators Kevin Eastman and ed the attention of collectors and dealers alike.
Peter Laird, sold for $71,390.
17-1/8” x 23-5/8” artboard includes eight Wally Wood’s original cover art for EC
photo: Hake’s Auctions
panels in pen and ink art. In the strip, Lucy Comics’ Shock SuspenStories #6, featuring the
and Charlie Brown take turns listening into Snoopy’s ears before Black Vigilante Society about to torture a woman, hammered for
Charlie Brown claims that he can “hear the ocean roar” before $840,000. This set a world record for highest price paid at auction
Snoopy thinks “Oh, good grief.” This piece is notable for the fact for an American comic cover.
that all three characters appear in all eight panels. Schulz signed and “I am especially pleased that Wally Wood’s cover to Shock
dated the last panel. SuspenStories #6 is now a world record-holder, as it deserves its place
Leading the comic book section was a CGC 9.0 copy of in not only comic book history but American history,” Heritage Co-
Gobbledygook #1 signed and sketched by Kevin Eastman and Peter Chairman Jim Halperin said. “It’s a powerful work and a reminder
Laird. The issue, which predates their creation of the Teenage of how far ahead of its time EC Comics was.”
Mutant Ninja Turtles, tallied $71,390. It includes the first Another high-profile breakout item of this auction was a CGC-
appearance of the Fugitoid and features a back cover ad for the then- certified 9.8 copy of Marvel Spotlight #5, which featured the first
upcoming Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1. The interior cover appearance of the Johnny Blaze incarnation of Ghost Rider. The
features signatures and Turtles sketches by the co-creators, which $264,000 final sale price makes this issue, at least for now, the most
were personally authenticated by Eastman. expensive comic from the 1970s.
Continued on page 57
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