Metropolis Collectibles has sold a CGC-certified 9.9 copy of Iron Man and Sub-Mariner #1 for $40,000. "Just when we think there can't be any more sales records to break, another amazing sale happens!" Metropolis Chief Operating Officer Vincent Zurzolo. "The runaway popularity of Iron Man keys thanks to the recent Marvel movies, combined with the stunning condition of this copy, made this a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a very savvy buyer," he said.

An anomaly for the late Silver Age, Iron Man and Sub-Mariner #1 was created as a one-shot to bridge the gap between the end of the characters' previous titles and the starts of their new ones. "For many who were collecting when Iron Man and Sub-Mariner #1 was originally released, there is a lingering, often mistaken perception that this issue is readily available. There is indeed a plentiful supply of reader-grade copies. However, when it comes to high grade copies, particularly high grade, CGC-certified examples, there have been very few identified to date," said Robert M. Overstreet, author and publisher of The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide. "Of the 1,192 copies on the CGC Census to date, for instance, only 61 have been graded 9.6 (with two of them restored). Following that, there is a precipitous drop-off that has thus far revealed only eight copies certified 9.8 and just this one copy graded 9.9," he said.

"Sales such as these definitively prove that vintage comics are a mature, smart, and important investment market, comfortably holding its own alongside rare books and art, and we couldn't be happier or prouder of bringing these rare beauties to the attention of a wider audience. The number of new clients entering the market with each sale and each auction shows the long-term viability of the rare comics market, and helps boost the hobby across the board. I couldn't be more thrilled to see we've racked up another impressive number for a truly important book," said Metropolis Sales Director Frank Cwiklik.