CGC Recognizes Haight-Ashbury Pedigree

SARASOTA, Fla. (Jan. 29, 2013) — The Certified Guaranty Company (CGC) has recognized Haight-Ashbury, the first underground pedigree. The Haight-Ashbury Collection consists of almost 500 underground “comix” books and magazines named after the section in San Francisco where the hippy subculture originated.

Popular in the late 1960s and early 1970s, underground comix are small-press or self-published books that often contain socially relevant content. The collection features an overwhelming majority of first printings with minimal duplication.

These comics were collected by a single individual from San Francisco starting in 1970. After obtaining his first batch of underground comics, the owner started putting aside new books every week for the next five to six years, never reading them. Although he was not a comic collector, he collected other items and knew it was important to store them carefully. From 1976 to 1981 he added a few comics and associated publications to his collection, but nothing like the early years.

Late last year, the owner came across the books he put away decades ago and decided to sell them. Because they were stored meticulously, the books have fantastic color and look like they were printed yesterday. Howard Greber (a.k.a "Eggs Ackley" on the CGC® Chat Board) contacted the owner and purchased the entire collection. Howard has been collecting and selling comic books since the mid-1960s and currently specializes in the underground “comix” genre.

Among the first few books graded by CGC are Death Rattle #1, CGC 9.8; Zap #3, CGC 9.2; Zap #4, CGC 9.4; Arcade #1, CGC 9.8; Freak Brothers #1, CGC 9.2; Snatch #3, CGC 9.8; and American Splendor #1, CGC 9.6.

Paul Litch, CGC primary grader, comments, “This is a rare and exceptional collection of underground books that has never been seen in such high grade. The pages are in beautiful condition; the covers have bold colors. CGC is thrilled to be a part of the first underground pedigree to hit the market.”