Life magazines with covers depicting Hollywood stars or members of the Kennedy family are particularly valuable. The very first edition, dated November 23, 1936, is also included. The majority of issues, on the other hand, will sell for $1 to $10 each. There are several editions available from different time periods and locations around the world.
When Life began publication in 1936, it was a fairly new idea that came about as a result of a merger between two existing magazines: Popular Science Monthly and Invention & Technology Magazine. It was owned by the American Institute of Physics (AIP) until 1993 when it was purchased by Thomson Corporation who still publishes it today.
Each issue contains articles on science, technology, history, pop culture, and animals (among other things). Certain issues may include interviews with famous people, photos of historic events, and others. There are various ways to value this information; you could estimate how much it would have cost to purchase all the materials used to produce the magazine at today's prices, for example, or you could look up its selling price over time on eBay or elsewhere.
The first issue is considered to be extremely important because it includes stories on the invention of radio, television, and radar which had not been published before they were actually invented.
The most valuable copy of Life is the April 13, 1962, issue, which costs $200 and features Liz Taylor and Richard Burton on the cover. The pricing is expensive because there includes a Topps baseball card insert inside. An original copy of this issue is estimated to be worth $150,000 to $300,000.
Copyists have made reproductions of items in the magazine. These forgeries are not rare and can increase the value of an original.
There are three main factors that determine the value of old magazines: the condition of the magazine, the quality of the material within it, and the popularity of the subject matter.
A low-quality copy of a popular magazine will not be as valuable as an original copy of less common issues. However, even if a magazine is not rare, if it is in poor condition the value will be reduced.
Life was published from 1952 to 1971. There are four major categories of interest for collectors: movies, sports, celebrities, and science. Magazines from these categories can be more expensive because they are rare or due to their high quality.
Movies include issues covering the production of specific films, such as issues of Film Daily, Screen World, or Variety. Sports include issues covering specific athletes such as Babe Ruth or Marilyn Monroe.
The Life Magazine, December 6, 1963 is worth an estimated $145.00-$165.00 on the current market, depending on condition and location. When opposed to an auction, they will normally sell for more at an antique shop or private sale. Auction prices are typically lower than retail.
Life was a popular American monthly magazine that covered news, entertainment, science, technology, politics, history, sports, and education. It was founded in 1933 by Henry Luce and owned by Berkshire Hathaway until 1995 when it was bought by Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. The last issue was published in 2012.
Life's covers were famous for being illustrated with black-and-white photographs. It received such attention that it became one of the first magazines to use this technique exclusively. However, other magazines followed its lead and today many cover images are taken with photography equipment designed specifically for that purpose.
Life was notable for its large size (its pages were eight inches by ten inches), its high quality illustrations, and its extensive coverage of current events. It has been called "the Bible of our time" because of its influence on journalism and advertising. The magazine's editorials and articles were often considered progressive for their time.
Life was also famous for its celebrity interviews.
This ancient magazine would presumably fetch a high price on eBay, yet it's only worth $9.99. The April 1961 issue of "Life" magazine, on the other hand, sells for $33 and has Elizabeth Taylor on the cover. The importance of factors such as content and condition cannot be overstated. This example shows that even though "Life" is an iconic publication that everyone knows about, its value is not so great that we should feel sorry for it.
Here are some more examples of low-value magazines:
• A 1950s-era Popular Mechanics magazine is worth only about $10 because it has plastic pages and other modern elements.
• An old issue of National Geographic is worth less than $20 because it features articles written before 1960 and does not have any digital components.
• An old issue of Science is also worthless because it too lacks digital components.
• An old copy of People magazine is only worth around $5 because it is about their celebrity news coverage from many years ago.
• An old issue of TV Guide is only worth around $5 because it has no digital content and shows only television listings.
• An old copy of Rolling Stone is only worth around $5 because it has no articles or advertisements by today's standards and lacks any valuable information.
Most magazines are valued between $5 and $20, with a few exceptions being highly expensive. The world's most valued periodicals.
| MAGAZINE | ESTIMATED VALUE/PRICE |
|---|---|
| Monster Parade #1 | Sold for $1,180 |
| MAD #9 Twin Cities 8.0 1954 | Sold for $940 |
| Popular Science August 1931 | Sold for $750 |
| The New Yorker V1 #1 1925 | Sold for $450 |
The value of antique Life magazine copies is determined mostly by the text and images, as well as their condition. And 1960 was a watershed year in news, with the Cold War, the buildup of hostilities in Vietnam, and, most importantly, the presidential primaries and election struggle between Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy. Thus, issues from that year are highly sought after by historians and collectors.
Life magazine began as a photo-laden publication focused on entertainment and celebrity news. But over time it became known for its in-depth reporting and its coverage of important social issues. By 1960, when this copy went to press, photographs accounted for 70% of the content in Life's monthly issues. The remaining 30% were articles, including many written by renowned journalists such as E. W. Kenworthy, who covered international affairs.
In 1960, Life published an issue that focused on the problem of nuclear war. The cover story was called "The Issue of Life: Nuclear War". It included articles by noted scientists, politicians, and writers, including Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton Sarokin, Bertrand Russell, and George Orwell. Many believed at the time that nuclear war was a real possibility; thus, they saw merit in raising awareness about the dangers of nuclear conflict.
Also in 1960, Life published an issue that focused on racism. The cover story was called "Racism: The American Way".
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