Approximate
Condition Profile
MARVEL COMICS · 7/76
UNIT ECA-026476
CAPTAIN AMERICA #199
Jack Kirby's return-era Captain America, part of the 1976 Madbomb saga
// Unit specification
| Publisher | Cover date | Era | Variant | Key attribute | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marvel Comics | July 1976 | Bronze | — | — | AVAILABLE |
// Copies in archive
| Unit | Grade | Variant | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ECA-026476 | ~6.5 | — | AVAILABLE |
// Run position
// Condition analysis
Cover shows moderate wear consistent with a well-read copy: soft corner blunting on all four corners, slight edge wear along the top and right border, and a faint vertical crease running through the lower right cover image. Colors remain bright with minimal fading, and there is no visible tearing or major creasing through the central artwork, though some minor surface scuffing is visible under the plastic sleeve's reflections. Interior and back cover were not assessed.
// Valuation — market reference
| Bracket | Grade | Est. market value | Marker |
|---|---|---|---|
| LOW_RAW | 0.5 – 1.5 | $4 | |
| MID_RAW | 4.0 – 6.0 | $9 | |
| HIGH_CERT | 9.8 SLAB | $110 |
// Archive commentary
Captain America #199 (July 1976) falls within Jack Kirby's celebrated return to the title he co-created, a run that began with issue #193 and carried through the multi-part "Madbomb" epic. Kirby served as writer, penciler, and cover artist, bringing his trademark blend of oversized machinery, conspiratorial villainy, and blunt patriotic iconography to a Bicentennial-year Marvel line. The issue is a middle chapter in that arc rather than a standalone landmark, but it reflects the distinctive visual and narrative style Kirby brought back to the character after years away from the publisher.
Market data shows a book with a very deep certified population — over 220 CGC Universal copies on census — and correspondingly modest values through the mid grades, where FMV figures sit in the teens even at 9.0-9.2. Value climbs sharply only at the top of the grade curve, with 9.6 and 9.4 both trading in the $60-65 range and 9.8 nearly doubling that, a pattern typical of Bronze Age Marvel comics where survival is common but true gem-mint copies remain comparatively scarce. Demand is driven primarily by Kirby completists and Captain America run collectors rather than by any first appearance or landmark event tied to this specific issue.
This is a book that trades as a affordable run-filler in low and mid raw grades, priced for shelf-building rather than investment, while the certified high end draws steadier competition among Kirby-era specialists and Captain America type-set collectors. Expect raw copies to move quickly and cheaply at conventions and online marketplaces, while 9.6 and 9.8 slabs see more deliberate bidding tied to census scarcity at the extreme top of the grade scale.
INQUIRE_ABOUT_THIS_UNIT
Institutional buyers, auction houses, and private collectors — direct line to the archive.
