Before Duncan McAlpine's enormous '90s price guides to British comics there were some earlier, less well-known publications. Updated in red, below.
Here's the earliest one...published by Alan Austin in 1975...this covers US comic distributed in the UK after 1959 (before this distribution was too sporadic or non-existent). For comparison purposes let's track the price of one issues in all these volumes to see how prices changed, let's pick the first appearance of Spiderman in Amazing Fantasy #15 (mint condition) valued at £15.
These volumes seemed to go through a number of editions (hence why the purchase prices vary on these two volumes). This is the 4th edition and is undated.
These volumes seemed to go through a number of editions (hence why the purchase prices vary on these two volumes). This is from February 1979 and Amazing Fantasy is up to £120.
Chronologically next up is Denis Gifford's effort - although his effort is clearly focused on British comics and should be seen as a pre-cursor for his later catalogues
Alan Austin then came back in 1983 with an updated comic guide. Amazing Fantasy #15 is now up to £300
Now we can add 'The 1979 Ferret price guide' into the mix as well! I've shamelessly taken all these images from collector Frank Motler (who posted them on the 'London Loves comics' Facebook group). Good luck hunting these rarities down, I've certainly never seem them before.
There was also this volume from 1976
These volumes seemed to go through a number of editions (hence why the purchase prices vary on these two volumes). This is the 4th edition and is undated.
These volumes seemed to go through a number of editions (hence why the purchase prices vary on these two volumes). This is from February 1979 and Amazing Fantasy is up to £120.
Chronologically next up is Denis Gifford's effort - although his effort is clearly focused on British comics and should be seen as a pre-cursor for his later catalogues
Alan Austin then came back in 1983 with an updated comic guide. Amazing Fantasy #15 is now up to £300
Now we can add 'The 1979 Ferret price guide' into the mix as well! I've shamelessly taken all these images from collector Frank Motler (who posted them on the 'London Loves comics' Facebook group). Good luck hunting these rarities down, I've certainly never seem them before.
The Ferret Price Guide! I was involved in initial discussions for this, and then cruelly (or so it seemed to me at the time) left out of things! I was only 16 and still at school at the time. The three people credited felt that as I wouldn't be able to contribute to the cost of producing it then I shouldn't be involved. I told them I would happily have helped out without expecting any reward but by then it was done. I must admit I couldn't help pointing out any mistakes that I would have prevented had I been involved! Frank Posner was a manager at The Vintage Magazine Shop (his father Danny was the owner). I had a Saturday job there at the time. "Geek" worked in the shop and was a big Neal Adams fan, hence the Adams A - Z. Bob Goffman was a customer and friend. I can't remember exactly why it was called the Ferret Price Guide but it was some kind of running joke at the shop.
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