A CGC-certified 9.8 copy of Avengers #4 has sold for a record price of $120,000 at Pedigree Comics, Doug Schmell, the company’s President and CEO, has reported. Featuring the first Silver Age appearance of Captain America as well as the fourth appearance of the super teams, Avengers #4 has remained one of the more popular and valuable early Silver Age keys for many years.

“Cover dated March 1964, Avengers #4 has been a very hot book in ultra high grade over the past few years. The Ohio pedigree copy (9.6 with off-white pages) sold for $91,500 at auction in February 2011. The only other 9.8 example to be offered for sale sold for $86,000 at auction in August 2012. Pedigree Comics sold a 9.4 copy in April 2011 for $30,000, a record price for a 9.4,” Schmell said.

“The book is characterized by unbelievable color strike, exact centering, tight and perfectly placed staples, razor sharp edges and corners, off-white to white pages and a remarkably white cover. The back cover is perfect and is unbelievably white. It is easily the nicest copy of this great issue I have ever seen and I have owned a few 9.6’s, including the Pacific Coast one. What sets it apart from the other high grade copies I have seen is the bottom left front cover edge, which usually displays wear and color flecking due to the dark black background. This copy has absolutely no wear whatsoever on any portion of the front or back cover and looks to be unread. It is one of only three (3) copies to make it to 9.8 (out of 1,980 copies submitted to the CGC as of this writing) and is truly deserving of the Near Mint – Mint designation.  I told the buyer he would be calling me as soon as he received it to rave about his new purchase and sure enough he did,” Schmell said.

“The buyer is a Silver Age collector who focuses on investment quality, ultra high grade keys. He primarily is interested in Marvels but does like the early Silver Age DC #1 and first appearance issues as well. He saw the book listed in the Auction Preview of my then-current Grand Auction (August 25 through September 4) and asked if he could purchase it outright prior to the auction commencement. After two days’ worth of negotiations, a price of $120,000 was agreed upon, on August 24,” he said.

For additional information, contact Schmell by phone at (561) 422-1120 or (561) 596-9111 or by email at DougSchmell@pedigreecomics.com.