CGC-certified Hulk #181 Claws Its Way to $146,000
Posted on 11/2/2022
A collector-favorite comic book featuring the first appearance of Wolverine, and graded by Certified Guaranty Company® (CGC®), was sold for six figures in ComicLink’s October auction, along with CGC-graded first appearances of Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, Daredevil and others.
A new milestone, the copy of Incredible Hulk #181 graded CGC 9.8 realized $146,000, the first in this grade to pass the $140,000 mark. The only higher sale for the issue occurred in 2011, also through ComicLink, when the single highest graded copy, a CGC 9.9, sold for $150,000. The CGC Census reports that there are 148 examples graded CGC 9.8 (136 in CGC Universal Grade and 12 CGC Signature Series).
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This comic is a significant key issue, with the first full appearance of Wolverine following a cameo in the previous issue. Created by Len Wein, Roy Thomas and John Romita Sr., Wolverine went on to join the X-Men in Giant-Size X-Men #1. The character has become a fan-favorite, starring in multiple animated series and films. Recently, actor Hugh Jackman revealed that he will return to the role for the film “Deadpool 3,” officially debuting Wolverine in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
“This sale is really a testament to the strength over the last decade of the certified comic book market,” said Josh Nathanson, Founder and Managing Director at ComicLink. “The number of strong buyers has skyrocketed along with their purchasing power. As a result, we’ve seen demand eclipsing supply even as that supply has increased with more comic books certified. That fuels higher prices, setting the stage for the record-setting result achieved by our consignor for this Hulk #181 in the most recent ComicLink auction.”
Other CGC-certified comics sold in this auction include:
- an Amazing Fantasy #15 graded CGC 5.0 that realized $47,115
- a Giant-Size X-Men #1 graded CGC 9.8 that realized $42,999
- a Daredevil #1 graded CGC 9.0 that realized $24,250
- an Incredible Hulk #1 graded CGC 3.0 that realized $20,000
- a Fantastic Four #1 graded CGC 3.0 that realized $18,000
- an X-Men #1 Signature Series signed by Stan Lee, graded CGC 4.5 that realized $13,250
- a Marvel Spotlight #5 graded CGC 9.2 that realized $11,388
- a Sub-Mariner #1 graded CGC 9.8 that realized $11,250
- a Giant-Size X-Men #1 graded CGC 9.6 that realized $10,500
- a Daredevil #1 graded CGC 7.5 that realized $10,251
- a Marvel Spotlight #5 Signature Series signed by Roy Thomas, graded CGC 9.2 that realized $10,250
- a Tales of Suspense #39 graded CGC 3.5 that realized $10,201
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