Playboy December 1953, Very First Published "Page 3" Start Price USD 9.99 Current Price USD 3,155.90 Time Left - Bid Count 13 Buy It Now Price USD 3,500.00 Reserve Price - Start Time Friday, October 03, 2008 End Time Monday, October 13, 2008 Location Hereford, Arizona See more about 'Playboy December 1953, Very First Published "Page 3"' Description cow_rancher Store Playboy December 1953, Very First Published "Page 3" PlayboyDecember 19531st issueFeatures Marilyn Monroe, Playboy "Sweetheart" of the MonthThis issue is the rarest, it was the "FIRST" printing in 1953 of the famous Playboy Magazine.  I have evidence that the first issue although it was not Dated, was printed at least three times in 1953.  Hef... if you'd like to call me and tell me the entire story, I'd appreciate it !For the entire story go to:http://www.playboy1953.com/This is the Rarest "FIRST" Playboy !!!This magazine has been read, staples are good just a little rust them and I don't see any bleed thru to the cover, or on the center page, centerfold is attached and of course it was not in the center yet, but two pages before, no real tears in the covers, see the photos, a small dog ear fold on front cover top, cover is shiny with slight wear to the spine, top staple is almost loose. This magazine lays completely flat, and has been stored in a mylar sleeve with an acid free backing board, which comes with the magazine. You will not find a Page 3 Playboy in Pristine condition, they just don't exist, I've been collecting Playboys for over 45 years now and this is one of the best Page 3's that I've ever come across!The only issue not to have a centerfold, or a playmate (since Marilyn was a sweetheart)! A Rare find and a must have for any Playboy collector. The first issue is the most sought after in the PLAYBOY Series.  And even with the re-print of the first PLAYBOY... I mean would you buy a xerox copy of the first superman comic, no of course not, it wouldn't be worth much... ever!!!The First Playboy StoryAccording to the "playboycollector"  So, you've got yourself the first issue of Playboy, which version? Which "version" you ask, yeah... there are at least 3 distinct versions of the first Playboy.Huh, what happened here, Hef wasn't even sure it would sell, why are there 3 different printings...Hef's not talking, however here's what I've discovered in my 40 years of collecting the #1 men magazine in the world. Page 3 Playboy: Has page 3 numbered... having talked to several "experts" they think the number merely fell of during the printing process... hum photo lithography doesn't work that way, and how in the next to last paragraph did the word PLAYBOY fall up a line to word wrap around.  Check out the differences in the Page 3 Playboy and compare it to the Plain playboy, there are other differences throughout the magazine, primarily on the wording under some of the cartoons.  Out of all the #1 playboys that I have either collected or visually inspected, less than 5% are Page 3 Playboys, at the published number for the #1 Playboy, that is about 2,500 Magazines.Plain Playboy: Is just plain, i.e. no page 3, no red star.  From my observations 90% of all the number 1 Playboys are Plain Playboys, putting the number published at 40,000+ Magazines.Red Star Playboy: Is just like the Plain Playboy however it has a red star next to the "P" in PLAYBOY on the front cover, stars were quite often used in the printing industry to indicate a re-print, like is used on US currency to indicate a re-print using the same series of serial numbers.  I have second hand knowledge that one of the big auction houses (Christie's, Sotheby's) told another collector that the Illinois State Patrol confiscated over 30,000 of the #1 playboys and burned them.  That would explain why in this third printing, there appears to be only about 5%, that would make it at about 2,500 Magazines. Certain images/photos are the copyrighted property of JupiterImages and are used with permission under license. Place a Bid!