Poison Ivy’s First Appearance, Graded by CGC, Achieves New Sales Record
Posted on 8/15/2023
The first appearance of the Batman villain Poison Ivy sprouted to a new record in a recent Heritage Auctions’ sale. The comic, graded by Certified Guaranty Company® (CGC®), was sold as part of the Greenwich Collection sale on August 10, 2023.
This copy of Batman #181 graded CGC 9.8 (lot 83098), realized $96,000, beating the previous record of $90,000 for a CGC 9.8 sold in 2020. Published by DC Comics in 1966 by Robert Kanigher and Carmine Infantino, this issue introduces Dr. Pamela Isley, a brilliant botanist who becomes the villainous eco-terrorist known as Poison Ivy after experiments gone wrong and betrayal. Her primary motivation is her deep love and connection with plants, which leads her to view humanity as a threat to the natural world. As of August 15, 2023, there were 3,540 graded copies in the CGC Census, and this is one of only four graded CGC 9.8, with none higher.
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Another strong sale was Amazing Fantasy #15 graded CGC 3.5 (lot 83001), which realized $34,800. Published by Marvel Comics in 1962 by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, this issue features the first appearance of Spider-Man. What set Spider-Man apart from many other superheroes at the time was his relatability and everyday struggles as a teenager and later as a young adult. As of August 15, 2023, there were 3,777 graded copies of Amazing Fantasy #15 in the CGC Census, with a median numerical grade of CGC 3.5. Of those, there are 2,461 recorded in the desirable blue-label Universal condition (including the book that just sold), and the median grade for those is CGC 3.0.
Other CGC-graded comics sold in this auction include:
- an Amazing Spider-Man #1 graded CGC 6.5 (lot 83002) that realized $28,800
- a Fantastic Four #48 graded CGC 9.6 (lot 83155) that realized $28,800
- a Fantastic Four #50 graded CGC 9.6 (lot 83157) that realized $19,200
- a Daredevil #1 graded CGC 8.5 (lot 83136) that realized $16,800
- a Fantastic Four #52 graded CGC 9.4 (lot 83159) that realized $16,800
- a Fantastic Four #49 graded CGC 9.4 (lot 83156) that realized $14,400
- an Avengers #1 graded CGC 7.5 (lot 83062) that realized $13,200
- an Incredible Hulk #181 graded CGC 9.4 (lot 83197) that realized $13,200
- an Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1 graded CGC 9.0 (lot 83054) that realized $10,500
- a Detective Comics #359 graded CGC 9.2 (lot 83139) that realized $9,600
Prices realized include a buyer’s premium.
About CGC
Since revolutionizing comic book grading in 2000, CGC has grown to include certification services for many other types of pop culture collectibles. These divisions include CGC Cards, CGC Video Games and CGC Home Video. CGC Cards provides expert card grading for TCGs, sports cards and non-sports cards. CGC Video Games is dedicated to video game grading for the most popular consoles, including Nintendo, Sega, Atari, PlayStation and more. The newest division of CGC, CGC Home Video, provides expert VHS grading in addition to other types of videocassettes.
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