How many 20 cent Gold Key variants exist?

Between March 1972 and May 1973 Gold Key published 311 issues of 62 different comic titles (not including digests).  During this time period, Gold Key (Western Publishing) was making the transition from 15¢ prices to 20¢ prices.  Several of these 311 issues were published with both a 15¢ and 20¢ cover price.  Of these 311 issues, it has been confirmed that there are 299 issues with a 15¢ cover price, 237 issues with a 20¢ cover price, 234 issues that have both a 15¢ cover price and a 20¢ cover price, and one 25¢ cover price giant comics (Movie Comics – Gay Paree).  As described below, the issues with a 20¢ cover price are considered variants.

An example of the three variations, with the Whitman version as well, of a single title is shown below with O’Malley and the Alley Cats #4, published in October 1972.

Anchoring a Variant

To determine variance, it is necessary to determine what the norm is.  Although Whitman labeled comics are considered variants, they are completely uniform in their cover pricing.  With the exception of the 40-50 and 60-75 Price Variants that occurred when there only Whitman comics were published, there have not been any Whitman price variants.  As such, I have decided to use the Whitman label, when it exists, to anchor the price.  Using the example shown in Figure 1, the Whitman comic’s price is 15¢, therefore the variant price for the Gold Key comic is 20¢.

Comparing Price Transition Periods

During the earlier price transition period, when the Gold Key pricing was changing from 12¢ to 15¢, the transition occurred during a four-month period from May to August 1968.  The price transition from 15¢ to 20¢ was much broader, covering 15 months from March 1972 to May 1973.  There are 222 issues with both 15¢ and 20¢ covers (15-20 price variants) out of a possible 310 issues, represent 71% of the possible issues that could have price variants.  The issues during this transition period that do not have both cover prices are listed below.

Issues with 15¢ cover price, 20¢ cover price, and both prices

Over the fifteen month time period from March 1972 to May 1973 it is possible to see the trend in cover prices with March 1972 having a mix of issues published with both 15 and 20 cent cover prices and May 1973 exhibiting the same pattern.  It is my conjecture that all of these issues were published with 15 cent cover prices and that the 20 cent prices were phased in by region.  This hypothesis is based on the trend showing nearly all of the comics during this time period had 15 cent cover prices, but the 20 cent pricing was sporadic.

20¢ Cover Priced Issues without a 15¢ Version

There are ten issues that were published with a 20¢ cover price and do not have a confirmed 15¢ version (see below).  Note that all of these issues are at the tail end of the transition period, making it possible that these issues do not exist with 15¢ cover prices.  I have regularly searched for these issues over the past 10 years and have yet to locate any.  Should one be found, it should be considered rare.

Gold Key issues between March 1972 and
May 1973 that do not have 15¢ cover prices

Title	#	Date
Bugs Bunny	149	05/73
Chip 'N' Dale	21	05/73
Donald Duck	149	05/73
Grimm's Ghost Stories	9	05/73
Huey, Dewey, and Louie	20	05/73
Marge's Little Lulu	211	05/73
Pink Panther	12	05/73
Tweety and Sylvester	30	05/73
Twilight Zone	49	05/73
Walt Disney's Comics and Stories	392	05/73

15¢ Cover Priced Issues without a 20¢ Version

There are 71 issues that were published with a 15¢ cover price and do not have a confirmed 20¢ version (see below).  It is likely that many of these issues do have a 15¢ cover price version.

Gold Key issues between March 1972 and
May 1973 that do not have 20¢ cover prices

Title	Number	Date		Title	Number	Date
Amazing Chan	1	05/73		New Terrytoons	20	05/73
Aristokittens	2	04/72		O'Malley and the Alley Cats	3	07/72
Baby Snoots	11	02/73		Pink Panther	5	03/72
Baby Snoots	12	05/73		Pink Panther	11	03/73
Beagle Boys	15	01/73		Porky Pig	41	04/72
Beep Beep, The Road Runner	32	10/72		Porky Pig	45	11/72
Beep Beep, The Road Runner	33	12/72		Raggedy Ann and Andy	2	03/72
Beep Beep, The Road Runner	34	02/73		Raggedy Ann and Andy	4	03/73
Bugs Bunny	145	10/72		Ripley's Believe It Or Not!	34	08/72
Bugs Bunny	146	12/72		Roman Holidays	2	05/73
Bullwinkle	7	04/73		Scooby Doo… Where Are You?	12	06/72
Chip 'N' Dale	14	03/72		Scooby Doo… Where Are You?	15	12/72
Chip 'N' Dale	15	05/72		Scooby Doo… Where Are You?	16	02/73
Daffy Duck	80	02/73		Smokey Bear	9	03/72
Daisy and Donald	1	05/73		Smokey Bear	13	03/73
Dark Shadows	15	08/72		Super Goof	24	02/73
Dark Shadows	18	02/73		Three Stooges	54	03/72
Funky Phantom	1	03/72		Tom and Jerry	267	10/72
Grimm's Ghost Stories	2	03/72		Tweety and Sylvester	24	05/72
H.R. Pufnstuf	7	04/72		Twilight Zone	42	03/72
H.R. Pufnstuf	8	07/72		Twilight Zone	46	11/72
Lancelot Link	8	02/73		Twilight Zone	48	03/73
Lidsville	2	01/73		Uncle Scrooge	98	04/72
Lidsville	3	04/73		Wacky Adventures of Cracky	1	12/72
Little Monsters	16	03/72		Wacky Adventures of Cracky	2	03/73
Little Stooges	1	09/72		Wacky Races	7	04/72
Little Stooges	2	12/72		Wacky Witch	7	07/72
Little Stooges	3	03/73		Wacky Witch	10	04/73
Marge's Little Lulu	203	03/72		Walt Disney's Comics and Stories	378	03/72
Marge's Little Lulu	208	11/72		Walt Disney's Comics and Stories	379	04/72
Marge's Little Lulu	209	11/72		Walt Disney's Comics and Stories	386	11/72
Marge's Little Lulu	210	03/73		Woody Woodpecker	126	10/72
Mickey Mouse	140	02/73		Woody Woodpecker	127	01/73
Movie Comics - Lady and the Tramp	10042-203	03/72		Woody Woodpecker	128	03/73
New Terrytoons	17	08/72		Yosemite Sam	6	03/72
				Yosemite Sam	11	12/72

The Search Continues

As with all collecting activities, especially comics, the search for unique and interesting items will continue indefinitely.  The analysis included herein should be considered a work in progress.  Any errors or omissions in the preceding analysis will be corrected with appreciation.  It is the intent of these missives to identify the many variants that exist as accurately as possible.  With this said, please send comments and corrects directly to the author.