Approximate
Condition Profile
MARVEL COMICS · 8/85 · NEWSSTAND
UNIT ECA-005014
CAPTAIN AMERICA #308
Captain America battles on in a standard mid-1980s newsstand issue
// Unit specification
| Publisher | Cover date | Era | Variant | Key attribute | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marvel Comics | August 1985 | Copper | Newsstand | — | AVAILABLE |
// Run position
// Condition analysis
Cover shows strong gloss and sharp corners with no visible creases or color breaks. Spine appears tight with no noticeable stress lines or ticks visible in this photo. The book is in a protective sleeve which limits full assessment of edges; slight softness at the top right corner is possible but not clearly a defect. Interior and back cover were not assessed.
// Valuation — market reference
| Bracket | Grade | Est. market value | Marker |
|---|---|---|---|
| LOW_RAW | 0.5 – 1.5 | $3 | |
| MID_RAW | 4.0 – 6.0 | $8 | |
| HIGH_CERT | 9.8 SLAB | $175 |
// Archive commentary
Captain America #308 (August 1985) arrived during the extended Cap run scripted by J.M. DeMatteis with art from Paul Neary, a period of the title focused on character-driven storytelling rather than landmark event issues. The book continues ongoing subplots from the series' mid-80s stretch, offering steady superhero-adventure content without introducing a new villain, hero, or origin element that would elevate it to key status. It stands as a representative single issue from a long-running, heavily collected Marvel flagship title.
Market activity for this issue is thin, consistent with its status as a non-key back issue from a well-supplied era. Certified sales exist only at the higher end of the grading scale, with a small number of 9.6 and 9.4 transactions establishing the top of the demand curve; no certified sales are recorded below that range or at the gem-mint tier. This pattern is typical of Copper Age filler issues, where collector interest is driven primarily by series completists and long-box shoppers rather than speculative demand.
Collectors of this issue are almost exclusively Captain America run-builders assembling complete sets of the DeMatteis/Neary era, along with dealers stocking bulk Copper Age inventory. Raw copies in low and mid grades move steadily but slowly at modest prices, while high-grade certified copies see occasional premium interest from grading enthusiasts chasing top-census slots. Because so few examples have been submitted at the highest tiers, a true 9.8 would likely command a notable premium over the best currently certified copies, though actual trading volume at that level remains speculative.
// Copies in archive
| Unit | Grade | Variant | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ECA-005046 | ~9.2 | Newsstand | AVAILABLE |
| ECA-005014 | ~9.0 | Newsstand | AVAILABLE |
| ECA-005039 | ~9.0 | Newsstand | AVAILABLE |
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