CAPTAIN AMERICA #247

Cover shows strong gloss and vibrant colors with sharp corners and no visible creases or color breaks. There is minor surface handling wear along the top edge and a slight bend visible near the upper left spine area. The book is in a protective sleeve, which limits full assessment of spine stress lines and back cover condition; interior pages were not examined.

Captain America #247 opens the celebrated Roger Stern and John Byrne collaboration on the title, a run frequently cited among the strongest Captain America stretches of the Bronze Age for its blend of espionage plotting and character-driven storytelling. The issue also marks the first appearance of Machinesmith, a Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D.-adjacent android villain who has recurred steadily across Marvel continuity in the decades since, including modern MCU-adjacent media attention. Byrne's pencils and cover, inked by Joe Rubinstein, give the book a clean, dynamic Bronze Age look consistent with the artist's rising profile at the time, having just come off his defining X-Men work.

Demand for the issue is driven by two overlapping collector bases: Captain America run completists chasing the Stern/Byrne arc, and Bronze Age key-issue buyers targeting first appearances with ongoing character relevance. The certified population is healthy but top-grade copies are scarce relative to demand, with only a handful of 9.4 and above on census and no 9.8 sales volume suggesting a thin, contested high end. Pricing at 9.6 and 9.8 shows a meaningful premium curve typical of well-regarded Bronze Age keys that were not initially hoarded in quantity at the newsstand level.

The book trades as an accessible key across the grading spectrum: raw low- and mid-grade copies remain inexpensive entry points for readers and character collectors, while certified 9.6 and 9.8 copies command a real premium reflecting genuine scarcity rather than speculative inflation. Buyers include Captain America specialists, Byrne and Stern collectors, and villain-first-appearance completists; the issue is unlikely to see dramatic near-term appreciation but should hold steady demand tied to its recognized status as a creative-run and first-appearance key.