CPG has just been informed by Pedigree Comics' Doug Schmell, the on-line based company's CEO and President, that there has been an incredible, last-minute flurry of ultra high grade Silver and Bronze Age Marvels and DC's for the August Grand Auction, which ends beginning on Monday evening, August 24th, at approximately 6:00 p.m. EST. Due to the recent surge in consignments for the auction (around 100 books since the auction commencement on Friday, August 14th), exactly half of the over 700 lots will end Monday evening with the second portion ending on Tuesday evening, August 25th, similarly at approximately 6:00 p.m. EST.

The highlight of the new auction books is an incredible 9.6 (Near-Mint+), white-paged copy of the ever-popular Avengers #4, which features the first Silver Age appearance of Captain America. Cover dated March, 1964, the issue not only contains the 4th ever appearance of "Earth's Mightiest Super-Heroes", it marks the very first Captain America sighting since the early 1950's. Penciled by Jack Kirby (cover and story) with inks by George Roussos and written by Stan Lee, the issue is an all-time Marvel classic and one of the hottest comic books in the world at the moment. Pedigree recently sold a 9.4 copy (in July) for $25,000 after selling another Near-Mint example (in February) for a then-record $13,000. The book has been skyrocketing in all high CGC grades due to the upcoming Avengers and Captain America motion pictures and will undoubtedly set a record when the Grand Auction ends. As of this article, the current high bid on the 9.6 copy is over $50,000. Adding to this particular copy's lure is the fact that it is the best existing example (9.6 with white pages, and one of only 5 in this grade) plus it is amazingly bright and newsstand fresh. According to Mr. Schmell, it is easily the nicest copy in existence, obviously never read or handled ("Just purchased off the newsstand and tucked away for the past 45 years").

There were many additional outstanding, last minute additions to the auction. Here are the other highlights: 

Amazing Spider-Man #1 8.5
Amazing Spider-Man #2 9.0
Amazing Spider-Man #4 9.0
Amazing Spider-Man #14 9.4
Amazing Spider-Man #18 9.4 (White Mountain)
Amazing Spider-Man #37 9.4
Amazing Spider-Man #73 9.8
Amazing Spider-Man #100 9.8
Amazing Spider-Man #194 9.9
Avengers #2 9.4 (Mass. copy)
Avengers #66 9.8 (Pacific Coast)
Avengers #88 9.8 (Pacific Coast)
Batman #139 9.4Batman #144 9.6
Batman #148 9.6Batman #227 9.6
Captain America #114 9.8 (Rocky Mountain)
Fantastic Four #9 9.6
Fantastic Four #10 9.6
Fantastic four #17 9.4 (Northland)
Fantastic Four #20 9.4
Incredible Hulk #1 7.0
Iron Man #66 9.8
Tales of Suspense #41 9.2
Tales of Suspense #42 9.4
Tales of Suspense #43 9.2
Tales of Suspense #45 9.2
Tales of Suspense #47 9.4
Tales of Suspense #57 9.4
Tales of Suspense #59 9.6
Tales of Suspense #74 9.8
Tales of Suspense #98 9.8
Tales to Astonish #48 9.4 (Northland)
Tales to Astonish #68 9.6
Tomb of Dracula #10 9.6
Tomb of Dracula #16 9.8
Uncle Scrooge #14 9.8
Uncle Scrooge #15 9.4
Werewolf By Night #32 9.6
X-Men #96 9.8
X-Men #103 9.8
X-Men #108 9.8
X-Men #111 9.8
X-Men #119 9.8
X-Men #124 9.8
X-Men #126 9.8
X-Men #128 9.8

Remember, the Grand Auction ends beginning on Monday evening August 24th on the Pedigree Comics Web site (www.PedigreeComics.com), starting with the initial alphabetically listed lots at approximately 6:00 p.m. The first half of lots ends Monday night at 12:00 a.m. The second half of lots begins to end on the following evening, Tuesday, August 25th, similarly at around 6:00 p.m. The last book in the auction (X-Men #130 in 9.8) ends Tuesday night at 12:00 a.m.

Please contact Mr. Schmell at 561-422-1120 or 561-596-9111 or email him at DougSchmell@pedigreecomics.com for any questions, comments or information about the Grand Auction. Financial related concerns and questions regarding consignor payments can be made to Pedigree's CFO Lisa Shapiro at Lisa@pedigreecomics.com and all technical related questions and issues should be addressed to the Pedigree Comics, Inc.’s Web Master at WebDesigner@pedigreecomics.com.