Topic hub
Silver Age Key Issues
The Silver Age (roughly 1956 to 1970) reintroduced superheroes and produced many of the hobby's most valuable first appearances. Low surviving populations in high grade make graded census scarcity the dominant value driver for genuine Silver Age keys.
Silver Age keys are where superhero collecting was reborn. This hub collects the cataloged Silver Age keys with first-appearance context and explains why a single grade point can move the price sharply on scarce, decades-old books.
Action Comics #252
DC · 1959
1st: Supergirl (Kara Zor-El)
CGC 3.5 median $2,150 · 6 sold
Amazing Spider-Man #1
Marvel · 1963
1st: Solo Spider-Man series
CGC 4.5 median $13,279 · 6 sold
CGC 6.0 median $3,795 · 6 sold
CGC 1.0 median $5,250 · 6 sold
CGC 7.5 median $2,115 · 6 sold
CGC 6.0 median $2,250 · 6 sold
Avengers #4
Marvel · 1964
1st: Silver Age Captain America (revival)
CGC 7.0 median $3,041 · 6 sold
CGC 9 median $1,390 · 6 sold
CGC 7.0 median $600 · 6 sold
CGC 5.0 median $3,600 · 6 sold
CGC 5.5 median $751 · 6 sold
CGC 9 median $1,525 · 6 sold
CGC 9.0 median $3,055 · 6 sold
Detective Comics #359
DC · 1967
1st: Barbara Gordon as Batgirl
CGC 4.0 median $525 · 6 sold
CGC 4.0 median $14,000 · 6 sold
CGC 8.0 median $423 · 6 sold
Fantastic Four #48
Marvel · 1966
1st: Galactus and Silver Surfer
CGC 6.5 median $1,425 · 6 sold
CGC 3.5 median $2,825 · 6 sold
CGC 7.0 median $1,150 · 6 sold
Green Lantern #1
DC · 1960
1st: First Hal Jordan solo series
CGC 3.0 median $1,200 · 6 sold
CGC 4.5 median $7,377 · 6 sold
Journey into Mystery #85
Marvel · 1962
1st: Loki (Silver Age)
CGC 8.5 median $17,500 · 6 sold
Justice League of America #1
DC · 1960
1st: First Justice League series
CGC 5.5 median $1,889 · 6 sold
Marvel Super-Heroes #18
Marvel · 1969
1st: Guardians of the Galaxy (1969 team)
CGC 7.5 median $420 · 6 sold
CBCS 6.0 median $3,720 · 6 sold
CGC 5.0 median $2,100 · 6 sold
Strange Tales #115
Marvel · 1963
1st: Origin of Doctor Strange
CGC 8.0 median $1,095 · 6 sold
CGC 3.5 median $7,500 · 6 sold
Tales of Suspense #52
Marvel · 1964
1st: Black Widow (Natasha Romanoff)
CGC 4.5 median $580 · 6 sold
CGC 8.0 median $2,099 · 6 sold
The Flash #123
DC · 1961
1st: Flash of Two Worlds (Earth-Two)
CGC 5.0 median $977 · 6 sold
CGC 7.0 median $1,500 · 6 sold
CGC 9.0 median $2,999 · 6 sold
CGC 8.5 median $600 · 6 sold
X-Men #4
Marvel · 1964
1st: Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver
CGC 4.0 median $1,350 · 6 sold
Action Comics #242
DC · 1958
1st: Brainiac and the Bottle City of Kandor
CGC 4.5 median $2,800 · 5 sold
Adventure Comics #247
DC · 1958
1st: Legion of Super-Heroes
CGC 8.0 median $15,000 · 5 sold
CGC 6.5 median $4,500 · 5 sold
CGC 7.0 median $788 · 5 sold
Tales to Astonish #27
Marvel · 1962
1st: Hank Pym (pre-Ant-Man)
CGC 4.0 median $2,450 · 5 sold
The Brave and the Bold #28
DC · 1960
1st: Justice League of America
CGC 8.0 median $19,800 · 5 sold
Fantastic Four #4
Marvel · 1962
1st: Silver Age return of the Sub-Mariner
CGC 4.5 median $2,250 · 4 sold
Showcase #4
DC · 1956
1st: Silver Age Flash (Barry Allen)
CGC 5.0 median $9,603 · 4 sold
CGC 5.5 median $15,000 · 4 sold
CGC 2.0 median $27,500 · 3 sold
CGC 3.0 median $15,867 · 3 sold
Silver Surfer #1
Marvel · 1968
1st: First Silver Surfer solo series
CGC 5.0 median $525 · 3 sold
CGC 3.0 median $2,566 · 2 sold
Iron Man #1
Marvel · 1968
1st: First Iron Man solo series
CGC 6.0 median $450 · 2 sold
Adventure Comics #260
DC · 1959
1st: Silver Age Aquaman origin
CGC 5.0 median $273 · 1 sold
Strange Tales #135
Marvel · 1965
1st: Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.
CGC 3.5 median $150 · 1 sold
CGC 3.5 median $255 · 1 sold
Tales to Astonish #35
Marvel · 1962
1st: Ant-Man in costume
CGC 3.5 median $445 · 1 sold
Silver Age Key Issues: FAQ
Why are Silver Age keys so valuable?+
Two reasons: they include the first appearances of many enduring characters, and very few copies survived in high grade. That scarcity means graded high-grade Silver Age keys can sell for many multiples of a mid-grade copy of the same issue.