Amazing Fantasy #15 Value & Price Guide (2026)
Spider-Man almost didn't happen. Stan Lee pitched the idea of a teenage superhero with real problems - money trouble, girl trouble, school trouble - and his publisher hated it. "People hate spiders," Stan was told. So Lee slipped the character into the last issue of a failing anthology series nobody cared about. Amazing Fantasy #15 hit newsstands in August 1962. It sold so well that Spider-Man got his own series within months. A copy in CGC 9.6 sold for $3.6 million in 2021.
Quick Value Summary
| Item | Amazing Fantasy #15 |
| Year | 1962 |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| Category | Comic Books - Silver Age |
| Creators | Stan Lee (writer), Steve Ditko (artist) |
| Condition Range | |
| Poor (CGC 0.5–1.8) | $7,500 – $15,000 |
| Good (CGC 2.0–3.5) | $14,000 – $22,000 |
| Fine (CGC 5.0–6.5) | $45,000 – $56,000 |
| Very Fine (CGC 7.0–8.5) | $125,000 – $552,000 |
| Near Mint (CGC 9.0–9.6) | $705,000 – $3,600,000 |
| Record Sale | $3,600,000 (CGC NM+ 9.6, Heritage Auctions, 2021) |
| Rarity | Rare (only 3 copies known at CGC 9.6) |
The Story
The series had already been canceled. Amazing Fantasy - originally titled Amazing Adventures, then Amazing Adult Fantasy - was done. Issue #15 would be the last. Which made it the perfect place for an experiment nobody believed in.
Stan Lee created Peter Parker as the anti-superhero. He wasn't a billionaire or an alien or a super-soldier. He was a nerdy high school kid from Queens who got bullied, worried about his aunt's medical bills, and couldn't get a date. When a radioactive spider bit him, he didn't immediately become noble. His first instinct was to make money. It took the death of his Uncle Ben - killed by a criminal Peter could have stopped - to teach him that "with great power comes great responsibility."
Steve Ditko's art gave Spider-Man a gangly, awkward look that matched Peter's personality. The full-face mask was revolutionary - any kid could imagine themselves behind it. No square jaw required.
The issue sold phenomenally. Within months, The Amazing Spider-Man #1 launched as an ongoing series. Spider-Man became Marvel's flagship character, and he still is today. The character has generated billions in movies, merchandise, and media - all traceable back to this single issue that almost never existed.
How to Identify It
Key Visual Markers
Cover price: 12 cents, upper left corner.
Cover image: Spider-Man swinging on a web, carrying a man under his arm. Text reads "Though the world may mock Peter Parker, the timid teen-ager..."
Interior pages: Newsprint stock, not glossy.
Marvel Comics Group logo in the upper left.
Common Confusions
Several reprints exist and are worth very little:
Marvel Milestone Edition - A reprint with "Marvel Milestone Edition" printed on the cover. Worth a few dollars.
Marvel Spider-Man Collectible Series - Reprint with different cover treatment. Worth face value.
Facsimile editions - Modern reprints designed to look like the original. Check the fine print inside.
The original has newsprint interiors, a 12-cent cover price, and no reprint markings.
Marvel Chipping
This is the most common condition issue on 1960s Marvel comics. "Marvel chipping" refers to scoop-shaped color loss along the edges of the cover, caused by the brittle cover stock used during this era. It's extremely common on Amazing Fantasy #15 and reduces the grade. Even copies that look great at first glance may have chipping visible at the edges.
Value by Condition
Amazing Fantasy #15 is remarkable because even poor-condition copies are valuable. A complete copy with missing pieces, torn pages, and heavy wear still sells for $7,500 or more. That's the power of Spider-Man.
| Grade | Description | Value Range |
|---|---|---|
| Poor (CGC 0.5–1.8) | Heavy damage, but complete | $7,500 – $15,000 |
| Good (CGC 2.0–3.5) | Significant wear, readable | $14,000 – $22,000 |
| Fine (CGC 5.0–6.5) | Moderate wear, presentable | $45,000 – $56,000 |
| Very Fine (CGC 7.0–8.0) | Light wear, sharp appearance | $125,000 – $450,000 |
| VF+ (CGC 8.5) | Minimal wear | ~$552,000 (2022 Heritage) |
| NM (CGC 9.4) | Near perfect | ~$795,000 (2024) |
| NM+ (CGC 9.6) | Virtually flawless | $3,600,000 (2021 Heritage) |
Only three copies are known to exist at CGC 9.6. No copies have been graded higher. The value appreciation has been staggering - prices have roughly doubled every 5–7 years in high grades.
Key Variations
UK Price Variant
Some copies were distributed in the United Kingdom with a pence cover price instead of the 12-cent US price. These UK variants are scarcer than US copies and are collectible in their own right, though they typically sell at a slight discount to their US equivalents in the same grade.
Marvel Chipping
Not a variation exactly, but it's so common on this issue that it's worth highlighting again. The brittle cover stock of early 1960s Marvels chips easily. Copies without chipping command premiums over copies with it at the same apparent grade.
Authentication & Fakes
How Common Are Fakes?
Given that even a poor copy is worth $7,500, fakes and misrepresented copies circulate regularly. The most common issues:
Reprints sold as originals - Always verify it's a first printing, not a Marvel Milestone or Collectible Series edition.
Trimmed copies - Pages cut to remove damage, making the book appear in better condition. CGC checks for trimming.
Color touch-up - Retouched colors on the cover to hide wear. Visible under UV light.
Married pages - Pages from different copies combined to create one "complete" book.
Professional Grading
CGC grading is essential for any copy you're buying or selling. The difference between a CGC 8.0 and an 8.5 on this book is over $100,000. That makes the $50–$100 grading fee the best investment in comics.
For copies in VG (4.0) or better condition, always get CGC certification before selling. Below VG, grading still adds value but the fee represents a larger percentage of the book's worth.
Where to Sell
Lower Grades (under $25,000)
Heritage Auctions - Weekly comics auctions with strong buyer base
ComicConnect - Competitive for Silver Age keys
eBay - Surprisingly strong results for CGC-certified copies with good photos
Mid to High Grades ($25,000+)
Heritage Auctions - Handled the record $3.6M sale
ComicConnect - Strong track record with high-value Silver Age books
Private dealers - For discreet, faster transactions (expect to leave some money on the table)
Before selling: Get the book CGC graded. An ungraded copy in apparent VF condition could sell for $50,000. The same book in a CGC 8.0 slab could bring $125,000+. The slab is the difference.
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Common Questions
How much is Amazing Fantasy #15 worth?
From $7,500 for a heavily worn copy to $3,600,000 for the highest-graded examples. The most commonly traded grades (CGC 3.0–6.0) sell for $14,000 to $56,000. It's one of the few comics where even a poor-condition copy puts real money in your pocket.
Why is Amazing Fantasy #15 so expensive?
It's the first appearance of Spider-Man - Marvel's most popular character and one of the most recognizable fictional characters in the world. The series was canceled after this issue, so there's no second printing. Every copy is from the one and only original print run. Demand is massive; supply is fixed and shrinking.
How do I know if mine is a first printing?
Check for the 12-cent cover price, newsprint interior pages, and the absence of any "reprint," "Milestone Edition," or "Collectible Series" markings. If it has glossy pages or a modern barcode, it's a reprint.
What is Marvel chipping?
Scoop-shaped color loss along the edges of the cover, caused by brittle cover stock used on 1960s Marvel comics. It's the most common condition issue on Amazing Fantasy #15 and affects the CGC grade. Look carefully at all edges, especially the spine and corners.
Should I get my copy graded?
Yes. For a book where a single grade point can mean a six-figure difference in value, CGC grading is not optional. It authenticates the book, protects it in a sealed case, and gives buyers confidence to pay fair market value.
Related Items
Action Comics #1 - Superman's debut, 1938. The only comic that regularly outsells Amazing Fantasy #15. Up to $6,000,000.
Fantastic Four #1 - Launched the Marvel Age in 1961. $4,500 to $2,040,000.
X-Men #1 (1963) - The original mutant team, one year after Spider-Man. $1,000 to $807,300.
Incredible Hulk #1 - The Hulk's debut, same year as Spider-Man. Up to $750,000.
Detective Comics #27 - Batman's first appearance. The Golden Age equivalent. $650,000 to $3,500,000.
Batman: The Killing Joke First Print - A modern classic. Accessible entry point at $10 to $250.
Part of our guide: Are My Old Comic Books Worth Anything? →
Last updated: February 2026. Prices based on recent CGC census data, Heritage Auctions, and ComicConnect results. For a current estimate on your specific comic, upload a photo to Curio Comp.
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