"ACTION COMICS" VERSION OF THE SUPERMAN 1940 CONTEST PRIZE RING.
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Winning Bid:
$8,709.58
(Includes 18% Buyer's Premium)
Bidding Ended:
Thursday, November 16, 2017 9:00:00 AM (20 Minute Clock Begins At Thursday, November 16, 2017 9:00:00 AM)
Item Description
See the previous item, #1741 for the history of the "Member" version of this ring. When the first Superman contest was announced in "Superman" #3, it appeared as a two-page spread w/one of the pages picturing "Some Of The Many Handsome Prizes Offered In This Gigantic Superman Contest!" At the lower left of the ad is an illustration of the ring issued as the contest's sixth prize w/1,600 rings to be awarded. The same ring could be purchased using coupons printed on the inside of Superman candy box covers. We picture a detail online from this advertisement which we've taken from Harry Matetsky's book "The Adventures Of Superman Collecting," published in 1988. What is most surprising about this ring illustration is that the words on it are "Supermen Of America Action Comics." Left/right side panels do not show a planet and lightning bolts, as on the "Member" ring, but rather geometric designs w/some resemblance to those appearing on the actually produced "Action Comics" ring. We know of over 20 examples of the "Member" prize ring but this is one of only seven examples known to us w/the words "Action Comics." We believe a very possible explanation for the change between the ring illustrated in the ad as the prize and the ring actually sent to contest winners is that the publisher decided not to favor one comic book title over the other on the ring and thus simply decided to use the word "Member" as every valid contestant had to be a member of the Supermen Of America Club. This theory is further backed up by the fact that the "Action Comics" ring has printed on its interior band not only the trademark of the maker Uncas (the letter U w/an arrow design crossing it), but also the words "Made In U.S.A." This marking was required on items that were going to be distributed in Canada. We believe this "Action Comics" version was produced as a premium for use c. 1940 in Canada. This example is missing most silver luster from the lower narrow bands but has much silver luster remaining on the bkgs. of the upper part of the bands. The ring top retains most silver luster and the raised circle containing the inscription "Supermen Of America - Action Comics" retains about 90% of the red paint although there is no longer any red paint on his chest letter "S" logo. Our last example of this ring from the Franco Toscanini Collection had about an equal amount of red paint complete but it did have more of the silver luster on the lower bands. That example in Auction #216 exceeded $10,000. Like that example, which began with a $2,000 opening bid, we will also start this item w/a $2,000 opening bid, this example displaying just as nicely from the top view as out previous example. Both the "Member" and "Action Comics" rings (and the Superman-Tim ring, item #1782) have been in an advanced Superman collection for the past 25 years.
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