Little help from the knowledgeable.

[Jas]

Hi all, I'm the executor of my friends will and I've just found 3 boxes of (not very well kept) 2000AD from prog1 to about prog500. What I'd like to do would be to preserve a selection for his nieces and nephews.
 This is where I need your help. I guess, save 1-20? this will include Judge Dredd first appearance. After that I don't know. I always liked Rogue Trooper, Ro-Jaws and the character who had a dial in his forehead.
I have 100 comic sleeves and would really appreciate any knowledge.
Yours Jas

[IndigoPrime]

Even in not amazing condition, the first few issues will have reasonable value and be worth holding on to. But even then, you're not talking retirement funds – more in the £50–150 range. Anything up to Prog 20 or thereabouts might fetch a tenner or so. 71, 72, 77 and 78 being the 'banned Dredd' issues have curiosity value, although less so now Rebellion's decided to reprint all that stuff anyway. Even so, they might be worth hanging on to.

If it's a complete run and you have the sleeves, perhaps board and bag the first hundred issues, and dispose of the rest on eBay in chunks of 50 or 100 issues?

[Tjm86]

Don't forget Bolland's Death runs.  149-151 and 224-229.  228 also has the added bonus of being the first Rogue Trooper which has bumped its value up.

As IP says, a lot of the early stuff has been reprinted to death.  The 'banned issues' are still holding up remarkably well mind, especially if they are in good condition.  You can expect to comfortably net between £20 and £30 each at the moment.

If they are, as you say, not well kept, then these values are likely to be at the lower end.

If you were looking at pulling together a collection of, say 100 or so 'key issues' then your instinct on the first 20 is pretty good.  The 'banned' issues would be another group, then the Judge Death issues.  I would add in Prog 76 as the first Robo Hunter, 86 for the merger with StarLord (with the added bonus of Rojaws and Hammerstein), 376 - first Halo Jones, 220 - Portrait of a Mutant, 167 - Terror Tube - First Nemesis, prog 119 ABC Warriors ...

Depends very much on what you want to preserve for them I suppose.

[The Legendary Shark]

Or you could keep the collection together. Preserve it. Look after it. Cherish it as a priceless family heirloom. A piece of your history, as it is a piece of ours. 2000AD is more than just a comic, at least 'round these parts.

Who knows? Someday one of your descendants might have made enough money to have them restored to mint condition using as-yet unimagined technologies, causing Tharg to come alive and take control of the whole Earth and save it from the scourge of mutant Conspiracy Suckers. Come on. Who wouldn't want to be part of a story like that? Story like that could inspire a family to greatness...

But, you really shouldn't listen to me. I'm a bit odd.

[Jas]

Much appreciated, thank you. It's a weight you've taken from my shoulders, quality people, thanks again.
J