CGC Renames Registry Award in Recognition of John Verzyl Sr.

When John Verzyl passed away on March 10, 2018 he was at his zenith; he had become one of the largest, most successful comic book dealers in the world, touting a tremendous inventory of rare and valuable comics. John had not only cultivated a huge number of loyal collectors over the decades, but essentially created his own market, thanks to a rare combination of his vast knowledge of comic books, a savvy business sense, and an affable personality that made it impossible not to like him.

But this was only part of the picture. What made John truly legendary in the industry was his personal comic collection. A fierce collector since childhood, John recognized the importance of the famous Edgar Church collection when it was discovered in 1977, and set about buying as much as he could, with his main focus falling on the company he loved the most--Timely. By the late '80s John had managed to piece together most of Edgar Church copies of every Timely comic book published, as well as scores of other copies from that and other incredible pedigree collections.

Over subsequent decades John gained a reputation as one of the greatest collectors the hobby had ever seen. In retrospect, his prescient vision during the early days of collecting is awe-inspiring; as the market changed and matured into the new millennium, it became clear that John had a foresight that few others ever came close to matching. Because of this, he not only amassed one of the greatest collections ever assembled, but dominated the market in a subtle way that made it seem effortless.

His vast and unique collection is an incredible achievement. His knowledge, imagination and perseverance has inspired countless others. He was, in the end, the ultimate collector. For this reason, and to honor our dear friend John, CGC has renamed its special annual Registry award for outstanding achievement the John Verzyl Sr. Registry Masterpiece Award.