Value Stamps

History
Beginning in March 1974, Marvel began printing a Value Stamp on the letters page of every title. The campaign culminated with the appearance of the hundredth stamp with a secret character in a secret issue (eventually revealed to be Galactus in Sub-Mariner #72). They also sold a stamp book for 50 cents (to cover postage and "manhandling") in which collectors could put those stamps. A full book entitled the owner to discounts on admission to comic-book conventions, merchandise, and other goodies. These books were also numbered, for reasons that never become clear.



None of the artwork in either Stamp issue is original work. All of the artwork for the Marvel Value Stamps were recycled from earlier Marvel artists work (either published or unpublished). For example, the Captain America image shown is from the cover of Avengers #58. All original artist's work and credits are listed at |The Marvel Value Stamp Site.

Marie Severin did a great deal of work on this project. Severin showed a propensity to reprint a number of classic images from the Silver Age of Marvel, a large number of Jack Kirby and John Romita, Sr. work while mixing in new "horror" characters being promoted by Marvel at the time, such as Werewolf by Night. Images were sometimes "flipped" (displayed on a photostat projector and re-printed in a reverse angle) as the Human Torch image shown above has been. That first set would become known as Series A. Series B ran from December 1975 to August 1976 and included parts of ten "miniposters," with ten stamps making up one picture. Collectors could get another stamp book for Series B, for another 50 cents.



Of course, cutting out a stamp drastically lowered the collectible condition and value of the issue. Before buying any issue from 1974-1976, collector's should make sure the stamp is intact. Remember Marvel urged each reader to "Clip'em and Collect Them All!". Perhaps the most sought out issue from the Bronze Age: Hulk #181 had a Value Stamp. An later issue of 'F.O.O.M.' magazine shows a picture of young Marvel fans who "clipped and collected" a complete set of 100 Series "A" stamps. One wonders today whether to admire or feel pity for these fans who defaced over 1,000 Marvel comics.

Series A Stamps

 * 1. Spider-Man
 * 2. Hulk
 * 3. Conan the Barbarian
 * 4. Thing
 * 5. Dracula
 * 6. Thor
 * 7. Werewolf
 * 8. Captain America
 * 9. Captain Marvel
 * 10. Power Man
 * 11. Deathlok
 * 12. Daredevil
 * 13. Doctor Strange
 * 14. Living Mummy
 * 15. Iron Man
 * 16. Shang-Chi, Master of Kung Fu
 * 17. Black Bolt
 * 18. Volstagg
 * 19. Hogun, Balder, Fandral
 * 20. Brother Voodoo
 * 21. Kull
 * 22. Man-Thing
 * 23. Sgt. Fury
 * 24. Falcon
 * 25. Torch
 * 26. Mephisto
 * 27. Black Widow
 * 28. Hawkeye
 * 29. Baron Mordo
 * 30. Grey Gargoyle
 * 31. MODOK
 * 32. Red Skull
 * 33. Sue Richards, Invisible Girl
 * 34. Mr. Fantastic
 * 35. Killraven
 * 36. Ancient One
 * 37. Watcher
 * 38. Red Sonja
 * 39. Iron Fist
 * 40. Loki
 * 41. Gladiator
 * 42. Man-Wolf
 * 43. Enchantress
 * 44. Absorbing Man
 * 45. Mantis
 * 46. Mysterio
 * 47. Green Goblin
 * 48. Kraven
 * 49. Odin
 * 50. Black Panther
 * 51. Bucky Barnes
 * 52. Quicksilver
 * 53. Grim Reaper
 * 54. Shanna the She-Devil
 * 55. Medusa
 * 56. Rawhide Kid
 * 57. Vulture
 * 58. Mandarin
 * 59. Golem
 * 60. Ka-Zar
 * 61. Red Ghost
 * 62. Plunderer
 * 63. Sub-Mariner
 * 64. Sif
 * 65. Iceman
 * 66. General Ross
 * 67. Cyclops
 * 68. Son of Satan
 * 69. Marvel Girl
 * 70. Super Skrull
 * 71. Vision
 * 72. Lizard
 * 73. Kingpin
 * 74. Stranger
 * 75. Morbius
 * 76. Dormammu
 * 77. Swordsman
 * 78. Owl
 * 79. Kang
 * 80. Ghost Rider
 * 81. Rhino
 * 82. Mary Jane Watson
 * 83. Dragon Man
 * 84. Dr. Doom
 * 85. Lilith, Dracula's Daughter
 * 86. Zemo
 * 87. J. Jonah Jameson
 * 88. Leader
 * 89. Hammerhead
 * 90. Hercules
 * 91. Hela, Goddess of Death
 * 92. Byrrah
 * 93. Silver Surfer
 * 94. Electro
 * 95. Mole Man
 * 96. Dr. Octopus
 * 97. Black Knight
 * 98. Puppet Master
 * 99. Sandman
 * 100. Galactus

Series B Pictures

 * Spider-Man (stamps 1, 14, 24, 36, 52, 58, 67, 75, 80, 93)
 * Dracula (stamps 2, 22, 27, 33, 48, 54, 61, 77, 85, 96)
 * Captain America (stamps 3, 17, 25, 29, 37, 46, 53, 64, 69, 74)
 * Hulk (stamps 4, 19, 41, 42, 76, 82, 83, 87, 97, 99)
 * Stan Lee (stamps 5, 15, 31, 40, 63, 71, 81, 89, 92, 100)
 * Conan (stamps 6, 11, 28, 38, 44, 60, 65, 78, 86, 94)
 * Thor (stamps 7, 16, 20, 21, 32, 39, 47, 55, 62, 72)
 * Silver Surfer (stamps 8, 12, 26, 43, 50, 57, 68, 79, 88, 91)
 * Doctor Strange (stamps 9, 13, 23, 35, 45, 51, 66, 73, 90, 95)
 * Fantastic Four (stamps 10, 18, 30, 34, 49, 56, 59, 70, 84, 98)

Links

 * The Marvel Value Stamp Site