To start a Saga collection (Image Comics, 2012, by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples), only one book deserves a real hunt: Saga #1, 1st printing. Its "all editions combined" eBay median looks modest — €6 across 46 listings (June 2026) — but that figure is dragged down by the many reprints and cheap raw copies. The 1st printing itself was under-printed (~37,641 copies, sold out in a week): in high grade it's scarce and has hit documented records around $4,000 in CGC 9.8 (2021). The rest of the collection is, by design, affordable.
Saga is a modern series launched in March 2012: there is no "Silver Age" or "Bronze Age" Saga, since those eras ended long before. The keys to know are all recent, and the collection is one of the most welcoming there is for a beginner — multiple-Eisner-winning, with a single genuinely pricey book to target.
This guide sticks to the verifiable: real-time eBay medians (via our estimator) and documented sale records. When the listing count is too low for a reliable value, we say so honestly rather than quoting a false figure.
The one real key: Saga #1, 1st printing
Unlike most Image #1s — overprinted and therefore common — Saga #1 was under-printed at launch: its 1st-print run sits around 37,641 copies, and the publisher announced it was sold out within the first week, for five printings in all. The result: the 1st printing in high grade is genuinely scarce.
That's why the eBay median (€6) is misleading: it blends 1st printing, 2nd/3rd/etc. printings, collected editions and damaged copies. The real value is concentrated in the graded 1st printing: documented records around $4,000 in CGC 9.8 (2021), after ~$2,400 in 2020. How to spot it: the 1st printing carries no reprint notation; later ones print "Second Printing," "Third Printing," etc. on the cover or title page.
Real eBay medians (June 2026)
Values = median of active eBay listings, all editions and grades combined (our estimator, eBay.fr + eBay.com).
| Issue | Significance | eBay median | Reliability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saga #1 (March 2012) | First appearance of Alana, Marko, Hazel — the under-printed key | €6 · 46 listings | Reliable (high volume) |
| Saga #2 to #5 (2012) | Series' opening chapters | ~€17 to €28 indicative | 2 to 8 listings — ballpark |
| Saga #19+ (2014+) | Later ongoing issues | a few € indicative | Too few listings |
Honest caveat: only #1 has enough listing volume (46) for a stable median. Later issues show just 2 to 8 listings: the figures above are ballparks, not firm values. For those issues, rely on a live manual search before buying.
Singles or trade paperbacks: which to start with?
This is the defining choice for a Saga beginner:
- Trade paperbacks / compendiums = the reading path. To read the story at a controlled cost, the collected editions are unbeatable. Saga: Compendium One alone gathers the first 54 chapters in one volume — perfect for catching up on the entire first half of the series before the hiatus.
- Singles (individual issues) = the collecting path. If you're after value and the thrill of the hunt, the floppies matter — but in practice only one is worth the effort in high grade: #1, 1st printing. The rest stay cheap and abundant.
Pragmatic strategy: read via the collected editions, and hunt the one single that truly counts (graded #1 1st printing) if the investment angle appeals to you.
Understanding grades (the reflex that changes everything)
On an under-printed key like #1, it's the grade that creates the value. Beginner pointers:
- Raw vs graded (CGC/CBCS). A raw copy of #1 is worth a few euros; it's the grade gap that sends the price soaring. The ~$4,000 record applies to CGC 9.8, near-perfect condition.
- 9.8, 9.6, 9.4… on an under-printed book, every half-point matters. Aim for the highest grade possible if you're buying to hold.
- Check the edition BEFORE the grade. A 2nd printing in 9.8 is worth a fraction of an equivalent 1st printing. Confirm the absence of any "Printing" notation first.
A word on the series (to frame your buys)
Saga follows Alana and Marko, two lovers from warring extraterrestrial races, and their daughter Hazel. The series won numerous Eisner Awards, took a hiatus after Chapter #54 (July 25, 2018), then returned with Chapter #55 on January 26, 2022 at the held price of $2.99. No later issue is, to date, a value key: scarcity stays concentrated on the #1 1st printing.
Own a Saga #1 and unsure whether it's the 1st printing? Get a free valuation with our tool based on real eBay sales to find its low, median and high value.