Hake’s Sees Record $1M Bids in First 2 Days of Auction

Hake’s Auctions opened their Auction #238 this week, and it didn’t take long for the fireworks to start. In just two days of bidding, the premier auction set two major house records.

On Monday, July 3, 2023, the auction set an opening day record with $654,000 in bids, and that momentum of competitive bidding continued through the Fourth of July holiday. Auction #238 achieved $1 million in bids in record time, reaching the milestone in less than two days of bidding.

“Setting this new record to the $1 million mark comes as no surprise, because we knew we had put together an incredible auction,” Hake’s President Alex Winter said. “Every section – the comic books, sports, action figures, political, and art – is loaded with rare and desirable items. The early and active bidding certainly reflects the quality of this auction. While Amazing Spider-Man #1 is the star of the show, the other highlights are plentifully, and it shows.”

Hake’s premier auctions present a vast selection of categories within pop culture and Americana collecting. Auction #238 contains 1,930 lots, with everything from political campaign buttons to vintage baseball cards to comic books and toys. Winter reported that they are seeing lots of bids across the board in political, sports, and action figures, and that all the major categories received early bids and a lot of bidder activity.

Among the auction’s many highlights are the Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man’s first two appearances. They are offering the Amazing Spider-Man #1 with Spider-Man’s second appearance in the impressive high grade of CGC 9.6. This key retells Spider-Man’s origin, sees the debuts of J. Jonah Jameson and the Chameleon, and has the first Fantastic Four crossover. The fresh to market book was in a private collection for 25 years, and is one of only five copies at the grade with only two graded higher at CGC 9.8. At press time, it is up to $157,500 in bids with nearly three weeks of bidding to go.

Then there’s a CGC 7.5 copy of Amazing Fantasy #15, featuring Spider-Man’s first appearance, as well as the introductions of Aunt May and Uncle Ben. At press time, the book is at $95,000 in bids – just shy of its preauction estimate with plenty of time left on the clock.

Competitive bidding can also be seen in the Star Wars Boba Fett rocket-firing prototype, Star Wars #1 comic page original art by Howard Chaykin, the JFK Big Four “Democracy for Jack Kennedy” rare 1960 US Capitol portrait button, and the 1910-1912 Sweet Caporal Cigarettes high grade complete set of 204 buttons featuring many Hall of Fame baseball players.

Hake’s Auction #238 is open for bids now through Tuesday and Wednesday, July 25-26, 2023.