Having stashes of Playboy magazine hidden in the closet or under the bed might be a running joke in some families. And it’s true that these magazines piled one on top of another might add up to a few bucks. Especially if in that pile there’s one of every copy the magazine has ever released – that totals over 600 issues! And with all of these issues, it might be surprising to learn that the most expensive Playboy only costs $6,300 if it’s in mint condition. What you get for that price is a rare collectible and a magazine that has a very playful Marilyn Monroe on the cover. It’s also the first issue that Playboy ever printed.
The first issue of Playboy that Hugh Hefner ever produced showed Marilyn Monroe on the cover wearing a very, very low cut top that was the center of much controversy during that time. The photo was taken during the 1952 Miss America Parade, and the picture that appeared inside the magazine was intended to be used for a calendar. Because this issue was the first issue of Playboy magazine, and Hugh wasn’t sure that there would be a second issue, this pricey issue of the magazine does not actually have an issue number on it. Another thing missing from the cover of the Marilyn Monroe Playboy magazine is the Playboy bunny, which has now become almost more famous than the magazine itself. The bunny made its first appearance in the second issue of the magazine.
There have been some fakes of the first issue of Playboy floating around, just like any other collectible item. And it was even reprinted in 2007, which makes it even more difficult to distinguish the worthy original. The reprint has a black rectangle in the upper right corner and uses three staples to bind it together. The original print does not have the black rectangle and it only uses two staples along its binding.
The first issue of Playboy that Hugh Hefner ever produced showed Marilyn Monroe on the cover wearing a very, very low cut top that was the center of much controversy during that time. The photo was taken during the 1952 Miss America Parade, and the picture that appeared inside the magazine was intended to be used for a calendar. Because this issue was the first issue of Playboy magazine, and Hugh wasn’t sure that there would be a second issue, this pricey issue of the magazine does not actually have an issue number on it. Another thing missing from the cover of the Marilyn Monroe Playboy magazine is the Playboy bunny, which has now become almost more famous than the magazine itself. The bunny made its first appearance in the second issue of the magazine.
There have been some fakes of the first issue of Playboy floating around, just like any other collectible item. And it was even reprinted in 2007, which makes it even more difficult to distinguish the worthy original. The reprint has a black rectangle in the upper right corner and uses three staples to bind it together. The original print does not have the black rectangle and it only uses two staples along its binding.
The First Issue of Playboy
