What was the graded DATE of the first Sig Series book? Cert # would be AWESOME.

1 1

:shrug:

Now I am curious....

This is from a sales thread going on in the misc. section

$150 $125 (from the very 1st SS signing)

 

Awesome! I was googling to find either the Tomb Raider or the Superman: Man of Steel #22 (from the same signing, I think) last night.

Didn't find anything.

This is from a sales thread going on in the misc. section

 

$150 $125 (from the very 1st SS signing)

 

Still for sale?!?

MINE!

Awesome! I was googling to find either the Tomb Raider or the Superman: Man of Steel #22 (from the same signing, I think) last night.

 

Didn't find anything.

 

This is from a sales thread going on in the misc. section

 

$150 $125 (from the very 1st SS signing)

 

Still for sale?!?

 

MINE!

Can you Prove its first?

Can you Prove its first?

Good point!

According to the historical CGC Census data that has been compiled on a little website called CGCdata.com

...the first three books in the census as Signature Series were 2 copies of Tomb Raider #1 graded 9.8

and one copy of Superman: Man of Steel #22 graded 0.5.

In the early days of CGC, they used "worthless" 1993 Superman issues as slabbed samples.

I own one of those, a CGC 9.8 Superman #78 in the red label with "CGC SAMPLE" noted.

I don't know how many were created, but I do know that the serial number on the sample book points to Adv. of Superman #500... without a grade.

https://www.cgccomics.com/grading/verify-cgc-comic.aspx?cgc-comic-cert=0010955001

Early in the compilation of the CGC census, there were 20 copies of Adv. of Superman #500 listed as 0.5 grade.

When I asked Steve Borock about them ten years ago, he said they were in there for testing, so I don't know if he meant they were testing the database/census or if they had tested the slabbing process and made test samples of slabbed books like the Superman #78.

At any rate, the Adv. of Superman #500 graded 0.5 (or graded nothing) would be an unlikely scenario for anyone to actually submit...

so that was "dummy data" from early in CGC's existence.

The Signature Series listing for Man of Steel #22 graded 0.5 is probably another dummy data record,

possibly associated with a CGC sample for the Signature Series books, or it is just a phantom record without a real-world slab.

The two copies of Tomb Raider #1 CGC 9.8 Signature Series appear to have been entered in the CGC census prior to July 1, 2001.

So, those, if they exist, are the actual first two books from the CGC Signature Series.

The CGC 9.6 Tomb Raider #1 above is one of a group of 68 copies of Tomb Raider #1 Signature Series books

that appear on the CGC census between July 1, 2001 and January 2002.

I don't have any CGC Census data between July 2001 and January 2002.

The 9.6 Tomb Raider #1 slab appears to say "signed on 8/5/01", so it's entirely possible

that the August 2001 signing was the first actual Signature Series signing,

with the other three books (2 Tomb Raider, 1 MOS 22) being prototypes/samples created earlier.

The Man of Steel #22 may be a completely different book in a sample slab.

It was probably planned to have Tomb Raider #1 as the first Signature Series signing in August 2001,

so that may be why two "prototypes" for Tomb Raider #1 were created prior to July 1, 2001.

There are a total of 70 copies of Tomb Raider #1 Signature Series on the CGC Census as of January 2002,

so the other 68 may have ALL been signed in that first signing in August 2001.

The CGC 9.6 Tomb Raider #1 being sold for $125 is one of the 68 on the census.

http://www.cgcdata.com/cgc/issuehistory.asp?comicid=1632&labeltype=Signature

Also appearing on the CGC Census in January 2002 (and signed prior) are 79 copies of Catwoman #1 (2002), 100 copies of Wolverine: The Origin #1 and 101 copies of Wolverine: The Origin #2. All three of these books were not yet released in August 2001, so they could not have been the first Signature Series signing.

Additionally, a single copy of Black Bull Entertainment Shadow Reavers Limited Preview Edition 1 is listed for Signature Series prior to January 2002.

I'd be interested to find out when that book was signed was after July 2001.

SO... from what I can see in the data...

The first two Signature Series books listed were CGC 9.8 Tomb Raider #1 signed prior to July 1, 2001.

The next 68 Signature Series books are also Tomb Raider #1 signed after July 1, 2001 (the example above says early August 2001), with grades varying from 9.0 to 9.9.

I would guess all 68 were signed on the same day in August, but that's a guess.

There is one CGC 0.5 Man of Steel #22 prior to July 1, 2001, but it is likely a sample slab, and possibly a different comic.

The next (possibly pre-2002) Signature Series slabs were 79 copies of Catwoman #1 (2002), 100 copies of Wolverine: The Origin #1, 101 copies of Wolverine: The Origin #2, and a single copy of Black Bull Entertainment Shadow Reavers Limited Preview Edition 1.

Of course, if any CGC former or present employee wants to enlighten me about any of this... I'll take notes...

but after 12 years, it's entirely possible that the electronic data has the better memory.

EDIT: Just found a CGC press release from May 2001 (and got the same link PM'd to me not 30 minutes later.)

http://www.cgccomics.com/news/viewarticle.aspx?IDArticle=42

Tomb Raider #1 was first, and it looks like the plan was 100 copies... though only 70 are on the census pre-2002.

The announced second signing, Legend of the Sage from Chaos, doesn't appear to have happened at all.

I own one of those, a CGC 9.8 Superman #78 in the red label with "CGC SAMPLE" noted.

That is so cool!

That Supes is a piece of CGC history!

-slym

That Supes is a piece of CGC history!

 

 

-slym

Longest slabbed comic in the world?

Probably the most valuable copy of Superman #78 ever... so that makes it, what, $3?

I put it in a mylar today so it will stay fresh. (thumbs u

Aw, with the slab & everything, you could probably get $20 for it.

-slym

Aw, with the slab & everything, you could probably get $20 for it.

 

I significantly overpaid.

::

-slym

On 7/5/2013 at 12:16 PM, valiantman said:

 

 

In the early days of CGC, they used "worthless" 1993 Superman issues as slabbed samples.

 

I own one of those, a CGC 9.8 Superman #78 in the red label with "CGC SAMPLE" noted.

 

 

I was looking through a lot of my Doomsday collection tonight , and kept thinking that I knew I sold off some of my old books. One was a SS from 09 and 07 , but then it got me reminiscent and thinking what was the first SS. After a quick search  I found this old thread. Then while looking through I see this sample book and think.. I have one of those.. then I look back and find out 2012 I uploaded pictures (which for me then meant I sold it) Since my pictures really weren't that clear then I am curious if @valiantman you remember where you got this from? Here are my old pictures. 

And the original SS that made me stumble across this thread..

Thank you.