Though information technology could exist easily forgotten in today's irony-loving world, the concept of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) began every bit a joke. Creators Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird thought it would be pretty funny to fuse the legendary martial artist, Bruce Lee, with the to the lowest degree nimble animal they could retrieve of: turtles. The end result were the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, iv vigilante heroes-in-a-half-shell trained by a sewer rat whose enemies included immortal samurais, ninja clans, other mutants, and an alien with a drooling encephalon for abs.

Whether they expected it or non, Eastman and Laird'south cosmos became a cultural phenomenon following the popular '90s boob tube prove, which led to countless trade including toys, video games, movies, and comic books. These days, the franchise remains a hot commodity as its electric current ongoing comics serial have found ways to renew interest in the archetype characters. The turtles' comics continue to sell extremely well, especially these rare variants that accept since become goldmines for hardcore collectors.

x Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 (1987)

Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 Comic Book (1987)

Cost By Grade: Depression $seven, Mid $18, High $threescore+ | Record Auction: $180

This issue marks the debut of the second comic volume run of the TMNT but due to a printing error for result #iv reprint from the first TMNT run, the cover artwork was mistakenly used before in the aforementioned month.

Consequently, this confused many readers, leading them to believe that this effect was a reprint. This caused sales to fluctuate despite normal circulation. Grabbing this issue is relatively easy for novice collectors as a virtually mint re-create simply costs under $200.

9 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #four (1987) - Print Error Variant

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #4 comic print error variant

Price By Class: Depression $50, Mid $150, High $500+

As mentioned earlier, the cover art for this variant was intended for Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1. As a effect, nearly sixty,000 copies were recalled and destroyed, and approximately simply ane,000 error copies remained in circulation, thus making this variant a pretty rare copy to come up by.

The original cover art for upshot #four (published in 1985), shown on the correct side of the image, is less rare and expensive simply withal highly collectible.

8 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #7 Variant Reprint (1989)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #7 Variant Cover Reprint

Price By Grade: Low $12, Mid $30, High $115+

This blueish wraparound issue features the caput of an unnamed fellow member of Krang's alien race, the Utroms. It's a variant of the original issue (embrace shown on the left side of the paradigm) which was first published in March 1986.

Information technology was re-issued for a second-printing in January 1987 due to its popularity because it featured a monumental reveal that the mysterious ooze which created the Ninja Turtles and Principal Splinter was originally created by the Utroms. In terms of TMNT lore, this is a archetype twist where it's revealed that the villain was inadvertently responsible for creating the heroes who'd become a thorn on his side for years to come up.

7 Tales of the TMNT #70 (2010)

Tales of the TMNT #70 comic book published in 2010

Toll By Grade: Low $12, Mid $twoscore, High $125+ | Record Sale: $280

This is the final issue of a 6-twelvemonth comic book series nether Mirage Comics. At the terminate of its run, the comic was struggling to stand-out in a resurgent comic volume industry, so but 1,062 copies were ordered for circulation.

It'south a book that'southward valued by and large for its scarcity, which as well concludes a successful run by writer Jake Blackness and renowned artist Jim Lawson who worked on TMNT comics for xx years.

6 TMNT #29-#thirty (2008-09)

TMNT #29, #30 limited 1,000 copies 2008-2009

Price By Grade: Low $55, Mid $180, High $300+

These series of issues are the scarcest of an underrated TMNT comic volume, sporadically running for just 32 issues from 2001-2015. Due to the abiding publishing difficulties the serial faced at the latter role of its run, simply 1,000 copies each of issues #29 and #30 were made for circulation. Moreover, issue #30 is the more coveted of the two since 300 copies had original sketches on the inside back cover.

The serial ultimately ended its run with two concluding issues that were sold via online releases in 2014 and 2015, respectively, before finally press them.

five Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #100 Variant (2019)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #100 Peach Momoko Variant (2019) 250 copies

Cost By Course: Low $30, Mid $90, High $350+

This consequence marked the 25-year ceremony of the TMNT'southward comic book debut, which was celebrated in December 2019 with diverse artists existence commissioned to create variant cover artwork for the occasion.

Specifically, this variant encompass past Peach Momoko just published 250 copies, which makes information technology an extremely rare and highly sought-afterward volume by hardcore collectors because even if information technology information technology's a relatively new issue, it has high potential to increase in value over time.

four Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #2 (1984)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #2 Comic Book 1984

Price By Grade: Depression $viii, Mid $xxx, High $125+ |  Record Sale: $3,200

The 2nd consequence printed in the TMNT series features the first appearance of April O'Neil, the reporter who somewhen became an integral character in TMNT lore. She even temporarily becomes i of the female person Ninja Turtles at some betoken in the comics.

This issue also marks the first appearance of recurring TMNT supervillain Baxter Stockman, a mad scientist centrolineal with Shredder and Krang who transforms into a half-human half-fly hybrid in the '90s TV series.

3 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #3 (1985) - Color Mistake Variant

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #3 1985 Comic Book Color Error Variant

Price By Grade: Depression $125, Mid $310, High $i.2k+

This consequence marks the first group appearance of the Utroms. Moreover, due to a printing mistake, approximately 500 copies had slight discoloration and a superimposed department that repeats the "Laird'southward Photo" sign, which is highlighted in the above image with a cherry edge.

While a copy with the correctly printed cover (above, left) can be valued upward starting at $105 for a near mint re-create, the error variant (above, right) is typically over a dozen times more valuable.

2 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 (1984) 1st Print

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 Comic Book 1984 1st & 2nd printing

Price Past Course: Depression $one.2k, Mid $3k, Loftier $12k+ | Record Sale: $88,000

The issue that started it all, especially a first-print re-create, can be considered the holy grail of TMNT comic books. Withal, a high-quality copy of the book is typically hard to come by, so the more affordable second and third printings are sometimes more preferable. A 2d print could go from $300 to $3,600 while a third impress racks up $fifty to $1,000 at most.

One should be extremely meticulous in spotting slight differences, yet, as some sellers tend to overvalue their copies (whether intentionally or not), believing their merchandise to be first-prints when in fact they're not. For case, the existent deal (above, left) shows a distinctive crimson-ruddy coloring compared to the second-print (above, correct) which is closer to a shade of pink.

1 Turtlemania Special #1 Variant Gilt Embrace (1986)

Cost By Grade: Depression $515, Mid $1.8k, High $4k+ | Record Sale: $58,000

The regular comprehend (higher up, correct) of this issue hovers around $400 in most mint condition, with a relatively deficient distribution of 3,000 copies in circulation. A high-quality silverish encompass variant tin go for over $1,100, with only 100 copies fabricated.

The gold cover (above, left), though, can be valued upward of thousands of dollars equally at that place are but 10 copies in existence. This golden variant is without a doubt the rarest of all TMNT comic books.

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