'Star Trek's' 1st-ever comic sells for record price at auction
Near-mint 1st-edition ‘Star Trek’ comic book sold for thousands at a Heritage Auctions sale
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A first edition "Star Trek" comic book from 1967 that’s in near-mint condition has been auctioned off for a new record price.
Heritage Auctions, a multinational collectibles auctioneer in Dallas, put the first issue up for sale during a Doug’s Dell and Gold Key Comics Auction on Nov. 3, and the comic book reportedly sold for $46,500, according to Certified Guaranty Company (CGC) – a third-party comic book grading service in Sarasota, Florida.
Comic book experts at the CGC gave the white page "Star Trek" issue an NM+ 9.6 grading, meaning it’s "a very well-preserved collectible with several minor manufacturing or handling defects," according to the guaranty company’s standard grading scale.
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"This is the first comic book appearance of the Star Trek franchise, published by Gold Key Comics in 1967," the CGC wrote in a press release issued on Friday, Nov. 11.
From left to right, the front cover of the first "Star Trek" comic book features Science Officer Spock (Leonard Nimoy), Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) and Helmsman Hikaru Sulu (George Takei). (Heritage Auctions, HA.com / Fox News)
"It is one of only five copies in the CGC Census graded CGC 9.6, with only one graded higher," the CGC continued. "This sale more than doubled its previous record of $20,400 for a CGC 9.6 sold in 2019."
The record five-figure price includes the buyer’s premium the winning bidder had to pay, the CGC noted.
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Doug Schmell, a comic book dealer and collector, provided the record-breaking "Star Trek" comic to Heritage Auctions, the auctioneer wrote in a press release.
Leonard Nimoy, William Shatner and George Takei – the actors from the 1966 "Star Trek" television show – are pictured on the comic book’s front cover as Science Officer Spock, Captain James T. Kirk and Helmsman Hikaru Sulu.
The back cover of the first "Star Trek" comic book feature a photo of Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner). (Heritage Auctions, HA.com / Fox News)
There’s also a solo photo of Shatner on the comic book’s back cover pin-up.
"To date, just a single copy has been given a higher grade from CGC," Heritage Auctions wrote under the comic book’s product description.
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The original TV series of "Star Trek" aired for three seasons from September 1966 to June 1969 and followed the fictional 23rd-century space crew of the USS Enterprise, a mission starship.
The series won a Writers Guild of America award in 1968 for its "The City on the Edge of Forever" (season 1, episode 28), which was written by Harlan Ellison.
This 1965 poster from "Star Trek's" pilot episode "The Cage," features actors Jeffrey Hunter, Leonard Nimoy, Susan Oliver and Meg Wyllie. (LMPC via Getty Images / Getty Images)
Gold Key Comics reportedly produced 62 issues of "Star Trek" over the course of 12 years, according to Heritage Auctions.
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The Nov. 3 auction also put 480 other comic books up for sale.