Ask any comic book fan what the holy grail of comics is and they’ll all give the same answer. It’s Action Comics #1, the first appearance of Superman. Even in not great condition, the comic is so culturally important and rare, when copies become available, they often sell for millions of dollars. Action Comics #1 is something very few of us will ever get to see, let alone own. But on Netflix’s show, King of Collectibles, the quest to acquire Action Comics #1 is just another day at the office.
King of Collectibles: The Goldin Touch debuted on Netflix last year and recently released its second season. The show follows the team at Goldin, a leading collectibles and auction house created by Ken Goldin, as they attempt to consign high-end collectibles. The first season focused mostly on sports memorabilia but the new season dives into more geeky pop culture and if you are a collector of any kind, the items on the show, and the prices they fetch, make it highly entertaining.
So, for example, in season two a collector asks Ken to acquire him the aforementioned Action Comics #1 and, to offset some of the cost, trades him Detective Comics #27 and Amazing Fantasy #15, the first appearances of Batman and Spider-Man. Another pair of collectors drop off two sets of Pokémon Illustrator cards, some of the rarest in the world. After exploring one of the most amazing video game collections you’ll ever see, the team consigns a stunning brand-new copy of Super Mario Bros. Another person brings in a still-in-the-package, original iPhone. One full episode is dedicated to items available at New York Comic Con. There’s a rocket-firing Boba Fett in there. The list of incredible pieces goes on and on.
Then, like in the first season, there are lots of sports collectibles too. Ken, for example, tries his damndest to acquire a T-206 Honus Wagner baseball card, the granddaddy of all baseball cards, and even offers a collector $10 million in cash as a down payment. Later, he encounters a card collection so beyond description, it literally brought me to tears just to see it on screen. Beyond cards, Goldin and his team also acquire all matter of game-worn jerseys, game-used bats, sneakers, autographs, and so more from some of the biggest names in sports, many of whom appear on the show too. Barry Bonds, Reggie Jackson, and Joe Montana are among the people who appear this season.
Basically, if you’re like me and love either pop culture, sports, collecting, or any combination of the three, King of Collectibles is just about as good as it gets. I could probably never afford anything on the show but the joy of watching people geek out about their own collections, and often get paid handsomely for them, is almost as good.
If you’re looking for a fast-paced, fun show to binge this summer, and love everything I just mentioned, we definitely recommend King of Collectibles on Netflix. Here’s hoping we get to see Ken and the gang consign and sell awesome stuff from now until forever.
