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 4.5 median $3,350 · 6 sold
Amazing Spider-Man #14
Marvel · 1964
1st: Green Goblin
CGC 5.0 median $2,500 · 6 sold
Amazing Spider-Man #3
Marvel · 1963
1st: Doctor Octopus
CGC 3.0 median $1,815 · 6 sold
Amazing Spider-Man #50
Marvel · 1967
1st: Kingpin
CGC 8.5 median $4,151 · 6 sold
Amazing Spider-Man #6
Marvel · 1963
1st: The Lizard
CGC 7.0 median $2,696 · 6 sold
Avengers #1
Marvel · 1963
1st: The Avengers
CGC 6.0 median $7,000 · 6 sold
Avengers #4
Marvel · 1964
1st: Silver Age Captain America (revival)
CGC 6.0 median $1,725 · 6 sold
Avengers #57
Marvel · 1968
1st: The Vision (android)
CGC 8.0 median $1,300 · 6 sold
Avengers #8
Marvel · 1964
1st: Kang the Conqueror
CGC 7.0 median $760 · 6 sold
Batman #121
DC · 1959
1st: Mr. Freeze (as Mr. Zero)
CGC 5.0 median $3,900 · 6 sold
Batman #181
DC · 1966
1st: Poison Ivy
CGC 7.5 median $2,200 · 6 sold
Captain America #117
Marvel · 1969
1st: The Falcon
CGC 9 median $2,501 · 6 sold
Daredevil #1
Marvel · 1964
1st: Daredevil
CGC 6.5 median $4,378 · 6 sold
Daredevil #7
Marvel · 1965
1st: Daredevil's red costume
CGC 6.0 median $500 · 6 sold
Detective Comics #359
DC · 1967
1st: Barbara Gordon as Batgirl
CGC 6.0 median $660 · 6 sold
Fantastic Four #1
Marvel · 1961
1st: Fantastic Four
CGC 5.0 median $16,000 · 6 sold
Fantastic Four #4
Marvel · 1962
1st: Silver Age return of the Sub-Mariner
CGC 4.5 median $2,150 · 6 sold
Fantastic Four #45
Marvel · 1965
1st: The Inhumans
CGC 9.0 median $1,530 · 6 sold
Fantastic Four #48
Marvel · 1966
1st: Galactus and Silver Surfer
CGC 9 median $10,500 · 6 sold
Fantastic Four #5
Marvel · 1962
1st: Doctor Doom
CGC 3.5 median $5,450 · 6 sold
Fantastic Four #52
Marvel · 1966
1st: Black Panther
CGC 7.5 median $1,448 · 6 sold
Incredible Hulk #1
Marvel · 1962
1st: The Hulk
CGC 3.5 median $17,888 · 6 sold
Iron Man #1
Marvel · 1968
1st: First Iron Man solo series
CGC 9.0 median $2,025 · 6 sold
Journey into Mystery #83
Marvel · 1962
1st: Thor
CGC 3.0 median $5,300 · 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 8.0 median $555 · 6 sold
Showcase #22
DC · 1959
1st: Hal Jordan as Green Lantern
CGC 4.0 median $3,500 · 6 sold
Strange Tales #110
Marvel · 1963
1st: Doctor Strange
CGC 7.5 median $5,100 · 6 sold
Strange Tales #115
Marvel · 1963
1st: Origin of Doctor Strange
CGC 6.5 median $375 · 6 sold
Tales of Suspense #39
Marvel · 1963
1st: Iron Man
CGC 3.0 median $8,700 · 6 sold
Tales of Suspense #52
Marvel · 1964
1st: Black Widow (Natasha Romanoff)
CGC 4.5 median $580 · 6 sold
Tales of Suspense #57
Marvel · 1964
1st: Hawkeye
CGC 8.0 median $2,099 · 6 sold
The Flash #123
DC · 1961
1st: Flash of Two Worlds (Earth-Two)
CGC 3.5 median $629 · 6 sold
X-Men #12
Marvel · 1965
1st: The Juggernaut
CGC 7.0 median $1,522 · 6 sold
X-Men #14
Marvel · 1965
1st: The Sentinels
CGC 7.0 median $854 · 6 sold
X-Men #28
Marvel · 1967
1st: Banshee
CGC 9 median $2,295 · 6 sold
X-Men #4
Marvel · 1964
1st: Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver
CGC 6.5 median $2,650 · 6 sold
Action Comics #242
DC · 1958
1st: Brainiac and the Bottle City of Kandor
CGC 7.0 median $2,300 · 5 sold
Amazing Fantasy #15
Marvel · 1962
1st: Spider-Man
CGC 2.5 median $23,550 · 5 sold
Showcase #34
DC · 1961
1st: Ray Palmer as the Atom
CGC 7.0 median $788 · 5 sold
Silver Surfer #1
Marvel · 1968
1st: First Silver Surfer solo series
CGC 7.5 median $1,400 · 5 sold
Amazing Spider-Man #1
Marvel · 1963
1st: Solo Spider-Man series
CGC 4.0 median $11,000 · 4 sold
Green Lantern #1
DC · 1960
1st: First Hal Jordan solo series
CGC 4.5 median $1,101 · 4 sold
Showcase #4
DC · 1956
1st: Silver Age Flash (Barry Allen)
CGC 5.0 median $7,520 · 4 sold
Strange Tales #135
Marvel · 1965
1st: Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.
CGC 6.5 median $225 · 4 sold
Tales to Astonish #35
Marvel · 1962
1st: Ant-Man in costume
CGC 5.0 median $699 · 4 sold
X-Men #1
Marvel · 1963
1st: X-Men team
CGC 4.0 median $9,999 · 4 sold
Adventure Comics #247
DC · 1958
1st: Legion of Super-Heroes
CGC 3.0 median $1,725 · 3 sold
Superboy #68
DC · 1958
1st: Bizarro
CGC 4.5 median $700 · 3 sold
Tales to Astonish #27
Marvel · 1962
1st: Hank Pym (pre-Ant-Man)
CGC 4.5 median $3,950 · 3 sold
The Brave and the Bold #28
DC · 1960
1st: Justice League of America
CGC 8.0 median $19,800 · 3 sold
Adventure Comics #260
DC · 1959
1st: Silver Age Aquaman origin
CGC 5.0 median $273 · 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.