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Transformers #1 Newsstand $1.00 Variant Value

From: The 2025 Newsstand CPV Price Guide for Canadian Price Variants (Type 1A) by Tim Bildhauser, Paul Clairmont, Greg Holland, Jon McClure, Salvatore Miceli, Jayden Mitchell, Benjamin Nobel, Conan Saunders, Doug Sulipa, and Angelo Virone [ introduction, table of contents, all titles, other price guide editions]
9.2Near Mint -$298
9.0Very Fine / Near Mint$200
8.0Very Fine$160
6.0Fine$112
4.0Very Good$75
2.0Good$37
Transformers #1 Comic Book Values
Transformers #1 $1.00 Newsstand Cover Price Variant, Marvel, 9/1984, Published in the USA
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Transformers #1 $1.00 Canadian Price Variant Issue Notes:
1st Appearance of Transformers
#8 in this year's Top 100.
Angelo notes: The latest Transformers movie in 2023 paved the way to more movies yet to be released. In 2024: February a 9.8 CGC sold for $3899; Winter a 9.6 CGC sold for $1250, August a 9.4 CGC sold for $650; May a 5.0 CGC sold for $250. Any dip in price on this book will prove to be a great buy when looking back years from now. Every CPV collector should have a copy of this book given the importance of this issue. A good number of copies were printed with a manufactoring flaw due to a dull blade (top and/or bottom edge of covers).
Bill notes: A CGC 9.8 variant sold for $1,800 in December 2017
Conan notes: Example recent variant sales at MyComicShop: a raw GD 2.0 on 6/12/2023 for $63.00 (buy it now), a raw GD/VG 3.0 on 8/4/2023 for $50.35 (buy it now), a raw VG+ 4.5 on 7/11/2023 for $72.10 (buy it now)
Conan notes: Example past variant sales at MyComicShop: a raw FR 1.0 on 1/19/2022 for $12 (buy it now), a raw VG+ 4.5 on 12/3/2021 for $76 (at auction), a CGC 5.5 on 8/2/2022 for $110 (buy it now), a raw 8.5 on 5/3/2021 for $741, a CGC 8.5 on 11/18/2019 for $77, a CGC 9.2 on 7/3/2020 for $350
Conan notes: A CGC 9.8 variant sold at MyComicShop on 2/12/2024 for $3785.00 (buy it now)
Doug notes: ORIGIN and FIRST appearance in Comics of the AUTOBOTS and the DECEPTICONS; The FIRST BATTLE between the Autobots & the Decepticons; The FIRST Appearance in Comics of; MEGATRON, Ravage, OPTIMUS PRIME
Jayden notes: A CGC 9.8 CPV sold at CaptCanComics.ca on 9/26/2023 for $5,000 CAD
CGC label note: Origin & 1st comic appearance of the Autobots & the Decepticons. $1.00 cover price.
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As one of the top 100 most valuable variants in our guide this year, we rate $1.00 price variant copies of Transformers #1 FIVE STARS as a collectible, and the hands-down preferable type to collect for the issue as compared to regular copies. In addition to everything the issue has going for it (as detailed in the issue notes in the page above), we note the price guide value movement since 2018. Regular copies in 9.2 have increased in value by $50 since 2018, or about +40% on a percentage basis. Meanwhile, CPV newsstand copies in 9.2 have outperformed notably, increasing in value by $113 since 2018, or about +61%. With a $1.00 variant NM- value of $298, Transformers #1 is part of the proverbial cream of the CPV crop, with a value greater than approximately 98% of our guide's entire coverage universe.

Transformers #1 Comic Book FAQ

What is the value of Transformers #1?
I have a copy of Transformers #1 and I want to know what this comic book is worth in different grades as a first printing?

✔️Accepted answer: The answer depends on the type that you own. For Transformers #1, Marvel published a direct edition type (exceptionally well preserved by collectors as direct edition comics were the type sold in comic shops), and two newsstand types which were sold to the general public on newsstands (a regular cover price version and the $1.00 price variant). If you own a price variant, lucky you, it is worth $298 in 9.2 (Near Mint Minus).

  Suggested answer: Check whether the cover of your copy of Transformers #1 has a graphical logo or a bar code box. If it has a graphical logo, sorry to break it to you but you own a commonplace direct edition copy which is worth about $175 (still, that's not too shabby).

  Suggested answer: If your copy of Transformers #1 has a bar code box on the cover, then you've got a newsstand copy! Is it the more-rare price variant? Now for the moment of excitement: is the cover price of your newsstand copy $1.00? If so, congratulations, you own the cover price variant!!


How rare is the Transformers #1 $1.00 cover price variant?

✔️Accepted answer: As of the October 2023 CGC census, the price variant has census rarity of 2.7%, with 204 price variant copies on record versus 7365 regular copies.

What is Transformers #1 worth in VF/NM condition?

✔️Accepted answer: The direct edition (logo on cover) is worth about $117 in VF/NM whereas the $1.00 newsstand variants are worth $200.

Why are the Transformers #1 newsstand cover price variants worth so much more than the direct edition copies?

✔️Accepted answer: As collectibles, direct edition copies are already at a disadvantage compared to newsstand copies in the highest grades, because direct editions were extraordinarily well preserved as the distinct type sold in specialty comic shops. The comic shop owners ordered direct edition copies of Transformers #1 at a discount to cover price, but on a non-returnable basis (the graphical logo was to tell non-returnable copies apart from their returnable newsstand counterparts). When their orders arrived, the comic shop staff handled the books with extreme care to preserve their condition, and then the comic book collectors who shopped there typically preserved their purchases in plastic bags with backing boards. By contrast, newsstand copies were treated as reading material with no staff training to handle the books with any semblance of care, and they were then sold to the general public; unsold copies were returned for credit and typically pulped/recycled forward. Only those newsstand copies of Transformers #1 that were taken home and preserved by collectors would survive today in the highest grades. Among surviving newsstand copies of Transformers #1, the market area that received the $1.00 cover price newsstand copies was a restricted area representing less than 10% the population of the total North American newsstand market. That's because the destination market for $1.00 copies of Transformers #1 was Canadian newsstands — hence the name Canadian Price Variant as a short-hand for $1.00 Price Variant. All of this adds up to a market value for the $1.00 variant approximately 71% higher than the direct edition in Very Fine / Near Mint (9.0) condition, as of our 2025 CPV Price Guide Edition.

In VF condition, how much is Transformers #1 worth?

✔️Accepted answer: The direct edition version of Transformers #1 is worth about $94 in Very Fine (8.0) whereas the $1.00 newsstand variants are worth $160.

What is the value of Transformers #1 in Fine condition?

✔️Accepted answer: In FN (6.0) shape, the direct edition version of Transformers #1 is worth about $66 whereas the $1.00 newsstand variants are worth $112.

What is the approximate Transformers #1 value in very good condition?

✔️Accepted answer: Down in VG (4.0) Very Good condition, the direct edition version of Transformers #1 is worth about $44 whereas the $1.00 newsstand variants are worth $75.

What is the Transformers #1 price guide value in good condition?

✔️Accepted answer: The price guide value way down in GD (2.0) Good condition for Transformers #1 is about $22 for the direct edition version whereas the $1.00 newsstand variants are worth $37.

Has the Transformers #1 $1.00 variant from Marvel been a good investment?

✔️Accepted answer: Transformers #1 $1.00 variant newsstand copies in 9.2 have produced gains, increasing in value by $113 since 2018, or about +61% in 8 years (from our 2018 guide edition to our 2025 guide edition).

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The information within CPVPriceGuide.com is presented on a best-efforts basis, but none of the included information is guaranteed to be free of error and therefore you should use this guide only as one tool among your comics research tool-belt, and you should verify information with other sources before acting. Please read the full methodology & guide usage information. Our latest price guide edition of our comprehensive guide to Canadian Price Variant comics is the 2021 Edition, published December 2020.