PRIME COLLECTIBLE MAGAZINES

PRIME COLLECTIBLE MAGAZINES

Issues That Have the Potentials to Become Very Valuable

 

          Among my collection of Philippine magazines, except for the truly vintage (more than half a century old as of this posting) and first issues, which are already posted in this blog, I find the following as prime collectibles, some presently having high collectibility value and others having potentials for future value increments.

            In collecting magazines, one looks for interesting features both on the front and back covers that are unique, have intrinsic factors, and as such are potentially valuable. Some had the same celebrity, whether identical or different profile, on both front and back covers. The defunct Atlas Publishing used to have front and back covers bannered by the same celebrity picture with their 1960s and 1970s Pogi and Sixteen magazines. Collectibility-wise, however, the ones with different poses by the same celebrity on the front and back, like those published my Men’s Edge and MOD, are more valuable than those with identical front and back covers.
 

FRONT AND BACK       

Pogi Magazine for Men Vol. 1 No. 9, July 24, 1969,
with actress Caroline Kennedy on the cover.

        Pogi Magazine for Men, started its run of issues having the same celebrity picture on for both its front and back covers. This multiplied its already high collectibility value. What really made the Pogi issues very valuable are the groundbreaking contents, articles and news about sex and sexuality, pin-ups and pictorials, komiks stories including the fame “Uhaw” (written by Deo Villegas and drawn by Esquivias, that was made into the pioneer bomba film), “Sa Bawat Saglit... Sindak” (written by Mars Ravelo and drawn by Mar T. Santana), and the comedy series of one-pagers “Dr. Ispongklong” (written by Ted Tenorio and drawn by Bert Sarile). In fact, gram for gram, page for page, Pogi is the highest valued Filipino magazine from the 1930s to the present. Notice on the bottom right corner it is written “100,000 copies” but as of this posting, this issue is considered moderately rare.

 

Sixteen Vol. 3 No.60, December 14, 1970,
with three-and-a-half years old Snooky Serna on the cover.

          This Sixteen December 14, 1970 issue is another example of having the same pictures on both front and back cover. As I’ve mentioned, ordinarily they have lesser value than those with different poses, but this particular issue maybe an exception since it featured Snooky Serna when she was but three-and-a-half years old. Plus this magazine has komiks inside.

 

 

 

 

Intimate Vol. 1 No. 14 (c. late 1980s),
with Brandy Ayala on the cover.

          Some “For Adults Only” Filipino magazines like Babae, Bedmate, Intimate (like this late 1980s issue with Brandy Ayala on the cover), etc., also did the same in some of their issues. Again, this and its vintage will only serve to multiply the value of the magazine as determined by the other factors, rarity, contents, condition, who’s on the cover, and other intrinsic considerations.

 

Blue Book Vol. 1 No. 24, August 26, 1970,
with Nora Aunor on the cover.

          Nora Aunor, the Superstar, was the talk of the town during her stardom. For die-hard Noranians, every magazine with her on the cover is collectible and will be treasured, including this rare Blue Book August 26, 1970 issue released barely three years after winning the Tawag ng Tanghalan singing competition.

Sixteen Vol. 3 No.64, February 14, 1971,
with Vilma Santos on the cover.

          On the other side, Vilmanians also collect and treasure magazines with Vilma Santos gracing the cover, including this Sixteen February 14, 1971 issue, which featured their “star for all season” when she was still a cute and chubby but beautiful 17 years old.
   




   



Men’s Edge Vol. 2 No. 1, February 1995,
with Rachel Lobangco on the cover.

         Men’s Edge, with its short run of 12 issues, has a couple of prime collectibles. One of which is its February 1995 issue featuring on both its front and back cover, Rachel Lobangco, launched into fame by the SMB commercial as the Shh... Boom Girl. It is also valuable because of its content, which include black-and-white sexy pictorials not only of Rachel Lobangco but also of Giselle Sanchez and Gretchen Barretto.

 

 

 

 

 

Men’s Edge Vol. 2 No. 2, April 1995,
with Alma Concepcion on the cover

          Another Men’s Edge prime collectible is its April 1995 issue with Alma Concepcion on front and back covers. This especially if one considers the beauty queen-actress colorful history of controversies and struggles.

 

  

  

 

 



MOD Vol. 37 No. 1789, February 10, 2006,
with Kristine Hermosa on the cover

          This one is a given. MOD’s February 10, 2006 issue with Kristine Hermosa, one of the most beautiful faces to grace magazine covers, on both front and back (Sara Lee commercial) covers. It has all the ingredients of collectibility, with high future value increments.

 

 

Philippine Free Press Vol. 15 No. 81, April 15, 1989,
with President Ferdinand Marcos and First Lady Imelda Marcos,
and the Marcos Family on the front cover,
and Robert Jaworski (Nescafe Master Roast print ads)
on the back cover.

          The Philippine Free Press was known to be “critical” of President Ferdinand Marcos (1917-1989) and First Lady Imelda Marcos during the 1980s. Yet, the magazine featured the entire Marcos family on the front cover on its April 15, 1989 issue. This was also barely three years after the EDSA Revolt. The public, and that includes magazine collectors, are so intrigued. To top it all, the back cover features Robert Jaworski on a Nescafe Master Roast print ads. This one commands a high price in the collectors market.

  

Mr. & Ms. Vol. 19 No. 3, May 16, 1995,
with Joey Albert and her daughters Trixie and Margi on the front cover
and Aiko Melendez (Rexona print ads) on the back cover.

          Mr. & Ms. has several issues having both front and back covers rated with high collectibility. Among them is this May 16, 1995 issue featuring the quite “very rare” occasion of having Joey Albert (with her daughters Trixie and Margi) on the cover. On the back cover is Aiko Melendez on a Rexona print ads.

Mr. & Ms. Vol. 22 No. 34, December 15, 1998,
with brothers Michael de Mesa and Mark Gil,
and their sons, Ryan Eigenmann and Gabby Eigenmann, respectively,
on the front cover,
and Sharon Cuneta (Alaska Milk print ads) on the back cover.

          This Mr. & Ms. December 15, 1998 issue features double celebrity fathers and their children pictorial, the Eigenmann brothers together: Michael de Mesa (Michael Edward Gil Eigenmann) and his son Ryan Eigenmann, and Mark Gil (Raphael John Gil Eigenmann, 1961-2014) and his son Gabby Eigenmann, on the front cover. On the back cover is Sharon Cuneta on an Alaska Milk print ads.
 




Prime Weekly Edition Vol. 3 No.5, February 4, 1988,
with Nanette Medved on the front cover,
and Alice Dixson (Palmolive soap print ads) on the back cover.

          This Prime Weekly Edition February 4, 1988 issue is considered extremely rare and highly valued. It features Nanette Medved, who was then barely 17 years old, on the front cover. Three years after that Medved portrayed the 1991 Darna. Alice Dixson, at barely 19 years old, graced the back cover on a Palmolive soap print ads. Dixson became a household name through the TV version of this commercial endorsement where she blurted out the phrase “I can feel it!”
 

Tik At Tik Vol. 1 No. 25, June 3, 1983,
with Techie Agbayani on the front cover
and Rosemarie de Vera on the back cover.

          Tik At Tik, as its subtitle reads, was a magazine about everyday life and showbiz. It contains write-ups and columns about films and celebrities, sexy pictures, mild erotica, and a few pages of komiks. It also has a relatively short run, and some of the issues are sought after by collectors. This one, June 3, 1983 issue, featuring Tetchie Agbayani on the front cover and Rosemarie de Vera on the back cover, is among them.







Spiff Vol. 1 No. 4, June 2008,
with Kiera Pagalinawan on the front cover
and Cory Qurino (MET Tathione print ads) on the back cover.

          Spiff was a short-run magazine aimed to cater to the Call Center Industry, having only seven published issues. This June 2008 fourth issue has a unique cover featuring Ziera Pagkalinawan on the front cover and Cory Quirino on a MET Tathione print ads on the back cover. This and the rest of the six other issues are collectible collectively.

10 Magazine Vol. 2 No.19, September 2002,
Tricia Borromeo on the front cover
and Halina Perez on the back cover.

          The 10 Magazine is an adult-oriented publication that had a short intermittent circulation from 2001 to 2006. One more issue of this magazine that can be considered collectible is Vol. 2 No. 19 (September 2002) featuring Patricia Borromeo (1971-2003) on the front cover and Halina Perez (1981-2004) on the back cover. Why? Because both celebrities had since passed away and, to some collectors, this is a very significant factor.

         

Sports World Vol. 11 No. 41, November 12-18, 1983,
with Claudia Zobel on the front cover,
and Christopher de Leon (Eskinol Master print ads) on the back cover.

          Speaking of celebrities who passed away, here is Sports World November 12-18, 1983 issue featuring Claudia Zobel (1965-1984) on the front cover, with inside black-and-white pictorials. Adding to the value is the Christopher de Leon Eskinol Master print ads on the back cover.

Celebrity World Vol. 3 No. 176, December 19, 1994,
with Dolphy and Vandolph on the front cover,
and Harvey Gomez and Beth Tamayo (Urban Sport print ads)
on the back cover.

          Magazines with Dolphy (1928-2012) on  the cover had become very much collectible since he passed away. Add the nostagia of having him and his son Vandolph together in the cover makes this Celebrity World December 19, 1994 issue a prime collectible. An added bonus is the Urban Sports print ads featuring Beth Tamayo and Harvey Gomez.

Kislap Vol. 4 No. 390, March 4, 1976,
with Christopher de Leon and Nora Aunor on the front cover,
Niño Muhlach (Papa Picolino Soup print ads) on the back cover.

          This one, a Kislap March 4, 1976 issue has all the ingredients of a prime collectible, having Christopher de Leon and Nora Aunor, who were at the time still husband and wife, on the front cover, and Niño Muhlach, the “Wonder Boy of Philippine Cinema,” when he was four-and-a-half years old, on the Papa Picolino Soup print ads on the back cover.











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